GRUNDISBURGH became the first side from the Metaltec SIL to win the Touchline Sports Suffolk Senior Cup for eight seasons when they beat Ridgeons League Hadleigh United in a thrilling game at Portman Road last night.

Elvin King

Grundisburgh 3 Hadleigh Utd 2

GRUNDISBURGH became the first side from the Metaltec SIL to win the Touchline Sports Suffolk Senior Cup for eight seasons when they beat Ridgeons League Hadleigh United in a thrilling game at Portman Road last night.

And for the second time in 48 hours Grundisburgh had to fight back after going two goals down.

David Grimwood scored the late winner to the 3-2 success over Woodbridge Athletic in the Omnico Cup final on Tuesday night - and the same player netted an 88th-minute winner to see off a gallant Hadleigh.

This is the seventh time Grundsiburgh have won this coveted trophy, and they were the last SIL to win the competition when they beat Needham Market in 1999/2000. They were beaten in the final by Stowmarket 12 months ago.

They have now scored 147 goals in all competition this season and they looked dangerous going forward all game, showing the spirit necessary to overcome the loss of two sloppy goals.

Hadleigh took the lead in the 11th minute when Patrick Fleming's corner was met by Kris Rose, who ran in unmarked to head powerfully low into the net from five yards.

Five minutes later the Millfield-based side went two goals ahead when Ross Myhill climbed above Karl Sandilands to head the ball into the middle and captain Chris Smith took advantage of Louis Johnson's indecision to force the ball over the line from close range.

Grundisburgh showed their character when they hit back in the next minute when David Grimwood was tripped at the end of a mazy run and skipper Robbie Parker confidently thumped the resultant penalty high into the net with his left foot.

Fleming took a bad knock to his leg and had to be carried from the field on a stretcher before Jake Kingston headed the ball into the roof of his own net following a corner. An alert referee saw a foul on the keeper and a free-kick to Hadleigh resulted.

While Grundisburgh had most of the play and looked dangerous every time they went forward through the Grimwood brothers - David and man of the match Lee - it was Hadleigh who could have added to their score before the interval with Myhill shooting wide when clean through and Craig Payne seeing his shot go straight at Johnson.

Darren Harper (twice), Neil King and David Grimwood had chances for Grundisburgh as they dominated the second period.

Two minutes after coming on in the 68th minute substitute Rene Swann turned on to a ball that looked to be running out of harm's way and lifted a precise angled lob well wide of Luke Whitwell and high into the far corner of the goal to equalise.

With two minutes Grundisburgh grabbed what proved to be the winner.

Substitute Tye Webb won a corner. Robbie Parker sent over an inswinger that was headed back by his brother Tom Parker for David Grimwood to swivel and fire into the net at the far post.

Teams

Grundisburgh: Johnson, King (sub Webb 85), R Parker, Southgate, Watson, T Parker, Fitch, D Grimwood, Harper (Swann 68), L Grimwood (Pryke 90) and Sandilands. Substitutes: Gardiner and Elden.

Hadleigh United: Whitwell, L Smith (Davies 89), Oakes, Fleming (Welton 27), Knott, Rose (Sadler 78), Myhill, Kingston, Payne, C Smith and Dennett. Substitutes: Goodchild and Woods.

Attendance: 1,014.

Referee: Mr R Barker (Mildenhall).