CLUB COLOURS SUFFOLK PREMIER CUP FINALLeiston 0 Ipswich Town 8 A LIAM Trotter double helped Ipswich Town to an emphatic victory in their first Suffolk Premier Cup final after a break of more than 30 years.

By Derek Davis

CLUB COLOURS SUFFOLK PREMIER CUP FINAL

Leiston 0 Ipswich Town 8

A LIAM Trotter double helped Ipswich Town to an emphatic victory in their first Suffolk Premier Cup final after a break of more than 30 years.

Jordan Rhodes, Michael Synnott, Dean Bowditch, Billy Clarke, Scott Barron and Jai Reason, completed the rout in front of more than 1,200 fans, and first-team manger Jim Magilton, at Portman Road for the showcase final.

The win completed an unusual double for the young Blues, who also clinched the East Division of the Pontins Holidays Combination League last week.

Although the Blues were playing on their own patch, Leiston were deemed the home team after winning a toss and Town had the unusual experience of changing in the away dressing room.

But they soon took advantage of familiar surroundings and went ahead on the quarter-hour.

A short corner played by Scott Barron was crossed by Sito and eventually fell for Trotter, who finished emphatically from 12 yards.

Rhodes continued his impressive run of scoring form when he got up well to guide a header from a Sammy Moore free kick into the net from 10 yards, after 27 minutes.

Two minutes later another short corner worked between Barron and Sito caught out Leiston and even though it was almost flicked away, skipper Synnott powered in a header.

Trotter grabbed his second when he forced in a Moore corner, which the Leiston defence failed to deal with and the Blues went in four to the good at half time.

Dean Bowditch, who received a boost earlier this week when manager Magilton insisted that Town had not lost faith in him, started by playing just behind Rhodes and Clarke to good effect.

He was denied in the first half by an excellent block by Leiston skipper Stuart Boardley, who started with Town and had a spell at Torquay. Bowditch missed with a header after Matt Richards floated a good ball in but the striker got the goal he deserved on 66 minutes from another corner, which was put back into the middle by substitute Ollie Fenn.

Clarke grabbed the sixth with a brilliant 20-yard free kick 10 minutes from time after he had been fouled. Barron, who had been instrumental in so many of the earlier goals, made it seven with a looping header from a Moore pass, before Jai Reason finished off some neat interplay at the death.

The Ridgeons League Premier Division side's chances were limited, with Lee McGlone hitting a low drive wide of a post and Blair Hammond not far away before substitute Stuart Roach was inches away from getting on the end of a good ball.

Blake Saker almost grabbed a consolation but his fierce drive from 25-yards whizzed wide.

It was heartache for Leiston, who also lost in the final last year to Lowestoft, but they should feel proud of their overall performance on the night and for the season in general in getting to Portman Road once more.

Although they worked hard and kept trying to play stylish football, Leiston could not match Town's quality, especially at set plays.

Leiston: Moyes, Saker, Ryland (George, 58) Manning, Sparkes, Boardley, Jennings (Eagle, 74) Stanley, Hammond (Roach, 62) McGlone and Dennett. Subs not used: Keeble and Trotter.

Ipswich Town: Plummer, Castro (Fenn, 62) Robinson, Moore, Synnott, Smith, Barron, Trotter (Reason, 70) Clarke, Rhodes (Upson, 56) and Bowditch. Subs not used: C Williams and Tooms.

Referee: Adrian Sannerude (Lowestoft).

Attendance: 1,248.