Long Melford manager, Jamie Bradbury, described his side’s 1-0 victory over Fakenham Town, in the Thurlow Nunn League Challenge Cup Final, as a “brilliant end to our season.”

Skipper Steve Adams headed home the only goal of the game, from Jacob Brown’s cross on 31 minutes, in Bank Holiday Monday afternoon’s cup final victory, at Diss Town.

It crowned a memorable end to a difficult campaign for the Villagers, who had been embroiled in a Thurlow Nunn Premier Division relegation battle for much of the season, before pulling clear during the closing weeks.

“It was a great result for us, and a great end to the season,” enthused Bradbury.

“I could not have asked for anymore from this season, though of course we would rather have not been in the relegation fight that we were in, in the first place.

“We had to dig in, and to finish by winning the cup final is terrific.

“We have been brilliant in this competition (Challenge Cup) this season, and although it (the final) was not a great game, we performed really well.

“Both teams were very nervous and it ended up being a very physical battle at times. However, we came through it.

“We had never got through to the final of this competition before, so we have made a little bit of club history as well. We are the first team from the club to do it, and against some quality teams.

“Neither keeper had many saves to make. It was a real battle, and we looked quite comfortable, although Fakenham did seem to raise their game after going down to 10 men (Lewis Sturnam’s 59th minute dismissal).

“They put us under a little bit of pressure, but without really hurting us.

“It’s been a good season for us. We got through two rounds of the FA Cup, which banked the club £5,000-plus, which was a magnificent achievement for the club.

“We then stayed up in the Premier Division, although that was more dramatic than we would have liked, and now to top it off we have won the cup.

“We’ve had a lot of trials and tribulations along the way, but it’s ended up being a brilliant season,” added Bradbury, whose side finished two places and five points above the relegation zone.