Needham Market manager Kevin Horlock is already targeting a fourth successive Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup win.
Horlock’s side defeated Stowmarket Town 6-5 on penalties following a 3-3 draw in Friday night’s final at Bury Town’s Atalian Servest Stadium.
Goals from Callum Page, Dan Morphew and Dylan Williams for Needham and two from Jack Ainsley and one from Joe Jefford for Stowmarket saw the final end all square after 90 minutes.
After five successful penalties each, Stowmarket goalkeeper James Bradbrook skied his spot kick over the crossbar, before Needham substitute Seth Chambers scored to settle the outcome.
Asked if the the club will look to make it four in a row next season, Horlock replied: "100 per cent.
"I never look down on this trophy – it is massive for us. It is a good occasion, and we will always go as strong as we can.
"Yes, we will give youngsters a chance in terms of your Taylors (Clark), your Seths (Chambers) and Ollie Frasers coming through. They can be exposed to this, but we are gunning every year to win this."
Horlock said winning the cup was more important than the manner of their shoot-out victory: "We got over the line in the end – we had to win tonight.
"It doesn’t matter how – in six months’ time no-one will look back and say you only won on penalties, it is about getting it won."
Stowmarket Town manager Chris Casement said: "It was a great game for the neutral. Both teams went at it and unfortunately tonight we came out on the wrong end on penalties which sometimes you can’t do much about.
"The penalties were of a really high level from both teams and it was always going to be one team giving the other the advantage and Needham took advantage of that and fair play to them.
"They started really, really well and went one up and could have possibly gone two up, but we weathered the storm and JJ (Joe Jefford) then scored from a set play and we got stronger and found belief.2
"The second-half started like that as well when they scored straightaway and then we had to dig in and we scored through Jack (Ainsley) before it petered out at the end when both sets of players were pretty tired."
- Five Suffolk County Cup Finals are to be staged at Colchester United FC this season.
The JobServe Community Stadium has previously been used to host Suffolk FA County Cup Finals in both the 2016-17 and 2021-22 seasons.
The five finals will be scheduled between May 11th and 17th as follows:
Thursday, May 11th – McDonald’s Suffolk Primary Cup Final: Gipping Gnats v Coddenham Athletic
Friday, May 12th – CNet Training Suffolk Senior Cup Final: Framlingham Town v AFC Sudbury Reserves
Monday, May 15th – Parkers Pitches Suffolk Junior Cup Final: Mutford & Wrentham v AFC Kesgrave
Tuesday, May 16th – MH Goals Suffolk Women’s Cup Final: Needham Market v Bungay Town
Wednesday, May 17th – Veo Suffolk Under-18 Midweek Cup Final: AFC Sudbury v Needham Market
All five finals will kick-off at 7.30pm.
Tickets for the finals will go on sale on Friday, May 5th via the Suffolk FA website.
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