Thistle Trophy Treble

Sunday saw the final of the Heathhall Garden Centre Trophy played at Palmerston Park between holders Moffat Thistle and First Division Champions Normandy Star. Both teams are no strangers to silverware with Normandy holding the Soccer Sixes trophy in addition to the league and Moffat having won the League Cup and TPS trophies already this season. It was Normandy who were quickest out of the blocks and they could have opened the scoring inside a minute as Scott Learmont was fouled down the right wing and Paul McCann lofted the free kick to the back post where Kris Shannon connected with the volley but sent it wide. Star also felt they had a good shout for a first half penalty but claims were waved away. Moffat withstood the early pressure and came more into the game as the interval approached but there were to be no goal in the first half. Moffat started the second as Normandy had started teh first and from a move very similar to the one Normandy spurned Moffat opened the scoring, with Kevin Jack lashing home the volley. Normandy pushed forward but found Russell Murray in fine form in the Moffat goal, pulling off a string of saves and setting up counter attacks, one of which lead to the second Moffat goal on 75 minutes as Justin Borthwick found space on the left and drove a low right footed shot across the keeper. Normandy had to take chances and Moffat were looking more than capable of punishing the gaps and the decisive third came with ten minutes to play as David Avery was played in on the right side of the box and smashed a shot in the far corner. Moffat added a fourth on 90 minutes as Niki Frame ghosted in at the back post to convert a ball across goal, the scoreline may be unfair on Normandy who certainly put a lot into the match but Moffat made it a deserved hat trick of wins in this tournament and a clean sweep of cups this season. League business saw Annan Town take a huge step to retaining the Premier title with a thumping midweek win over Nithside. Brian Mattinson added two more goals to his seasons tally and Carl Crosbie also bagged a brace alongside counters from Dan Winter, Darren Watson and Craig Wellburn. Nithside finished their season with a win over Kelloholm by the odd goal in nine to hopefully secure fourth spot. Mark McGhie hit a double for the Dumfries side and was joined on the scoresheet by Michael Stevenson, Sean Potts and Trevor Campbell, with a Scott Milne brace and Kev Roy and Matthew Fletcher netting for Kelloholm.