ST CLEMENT finally got their hands on the Jayson Lee (Over-35s) Trophy after defeating Grouville 3-1 in the final, with Matt Rawlings producing a superb hat-trick to seal victory.
Having fallen at the final hurdle in the previous two seasons against St Ouen, St Clement returned determined to go one step further this time around and made the perfect start.
Inside the opening minute Ross Davison burst through on goal before being brought down in the area. Rawlings stepped up to take the resulting penalty and calmly sent goalkeeper Garry Lloyd the wrong way to give St Clement an immediate lead.
Grouville responded well to the early setback and gradually worked their way back into the contest. Their persistence paid off midway through the first half when Luc Le Miere drove forward down the right channel and squared the ball into the area.
James Jones arrived unmarked near the penalty spot and made no mistake, finishing neatly to bring the sides level but parity lasted only a matter of minutes.
Rawlings restored St Clement’s lead in style, racing onto a long ball forward before delicately lobbing Lloyd from around 25 yards without breaking stride. The finish capped an impressive individual moment and handed St Clement the advantage heading towards the break.
Grouville’s task became more difficult as injuries disrupted their rhythm during the first half hour, but they continued to battle and remained within touching distance. Lloyd also produced a couple of important saves to keep his side in contention as St Clement looked to extend their lead.
Despite Grouville’s resilience, St Clement always looked dangerous on the counter and were able to manage the game as the second half wore on.
The contest was finally put beyond doubt in the penultimate minute when Rawlings completed his hat-trick in spectacular fashion.
Collecting the ball around 30 yards from goal, he spotted Lloyd slightly off his line and attempted an ambitious effort that floated high towards goal. The Grouville keeper scrambled desperately back towards his line but could only watch as the looping strike dropped into the top-right corner.
The remarkable finish not only sealed a memorable hat-trick for Rawlings but also confirmed St Clement’s first triumph in the Jayson Lee Trophy, ending their recent run of near misses in the competition.
It also completed a satisfying cup run for the side, who had earlier eliminated league rivals Jersey Wanderers in the quarter-finals before going on to lift the trophy. For St Clement, after two consecutive final defeats, it was third time lucky.
