James Burnett was the hero as Whitton United secured the Suffolk FA Senior Cup, at Hadleigh United, on Bank Holiday Monday.

The 23-year-old struck on 24 minutes to add the Senior Cup to the Thurlow Nunn First Division trophy that had already been secured by Paul Bugg’s team.

It also banished the memories of last season’s 3-2 Senior Cup Final penalty shoot-out defeat to the same opponents, at Portman Road, as well as the shock 2-0 defeat to Debenham LC in the final of the First Division Knock-out Cup on Friday.

In truth, the game wasn’t a classic and when Burnett spun in the box and fired home from close range, after Wanderers failed to clear a Tom Bradlaugh free kick, the 421 watching at The Millfield hoped that would be the spark the game needed.

Chances did come and go after Burnett’s opener and Liam Jones showed why he is one of the best goalkeepers at Eastern Counties level with a commanding performance, that included a late, smart save to deny Remi Garrett’s close range shot, down at his near post.

Jones was also at his best to twice deny Luke Read, either side of half-time, while Ross Myhill failed to beat the stopper with a speculative lob from 50 yards, the keeper recovering well to save the ball under his crossbar.

The game never flowed though and Whitton took time to get into the game, being happy to play counter-attacking football in the first half.

After Burnett’s opener, they did improve and the goalscorer went agonisingly close to doubling his side before the break – his close-range header hitting the side-netting.

Despite not being at their best in the first half, the fact that Whitton were able to utilise the lightning-quick pace of Camillo Douglas meant that Wanderers looked uncomfortable defending their goal at times and Chris Williams should have done better after being set up by his team-mate, but could only slice an 18-yard effort well wide of the post.

The second half was a more open affair and Read shot wide early on for Ipswich, while Williams almost scored a spectacular second for Whitton, only to see his overhead kick, after good wing play from Douglas, go inches wide of Aaron Reid’s right-hand post.

Douglas then volleyed over from six yards after a corner, before Jones denied Garrett towards the end to preserve his team’s lead.

Reaction from Whitton goalscorer James Burnett and manager Paul Bugg in tomorrow’s Ipswich Star and EADT