Kent Merit Under-14 Boys’ Plate Final: Cobham Colts 0 Hartley De Sales 3

Oscar Stunt scored a brace to fire Hartley De Sales to Kent Merit Under-14 Boys’ Plate Final glory on Sunday.

Hartley always had too much for Cobham with Stunt’s stunning second goal, in the fourth minute of stoppage time, a fitting way to wrap up the victory as he found the top corner from distance at Faversham Town’s Salters Lane ground.

“We played well from the beginning and the boys deserved it, it was a great result,” said Hartley manager Luke Gibbons.

“The goal at the end topped it off, it was a cracking strike and he’s scored a few like that this season.

“I’ve had some of these boys since they were five and they’re such a great bunch.

“They think training on a Friday night is boring but it seems to pay off! As long as they keep passing and sharing the ball then that’s what it’s all about, it’s a team game and they played as a team today.”

Hartley had to change shirts before kick-off to avoid a clash for the referee. But they set the tone as early as the first minute when Stunt beat keeper Nicholas Rodin to a through ball but his pull back was sent over the bar.

Cobham responded and Toby Flint forced keeper Antoni Maslek into a save at the other end.

Lots of Hartley’s good work went through Harry West down the right wing and his cross was turned wide by striker Stanley Sweeney.

They went ahead on 18 minutes when a lovely ball over the top caused indecision in the Cobham defence and the alert Stunt reacted quickest to round keeper Rodin and score into an empty net.

Cobham looked to respond on the stroke of half-time but Johnny Flinn was thwarted after closing down a clearance before Henry Fothergill’s long-range strike went narrowly wide of the upright.

Hartley centre-back Harley Field hardly put a foot wrong in the