CHAMPIONS Branksome United capped a remarkable season by lifting the Bournemouth Youth League Cup with a 3-0 win over Bournemouth Sports at Canford Arena.

Peter Hughes’s under-16s side won all 14 of their league games, while their only defeat was to Lyme Regis in the Dorset Cup final.

George Whiffen opened the scoring for Branksome in the town final after 17 minutes of an evenly-contested first half.

Bournemouth Sports put up a battling performance despite only having 11 fit players.

But Branksome stepped up a gear after the interval and pressed home their numerical advantage with further goals from Brandon Randall and captain James Guthrie.

“Both teams played good football but our bigger squad pressed well in the second half and dominated with some great passing movements,” said Branksome manager Hughes.

Sports chairman John Rolfe, meanwhile, praised his players for their efforts.

“The game was a credit to the league,” said Rolfe. “However, I don’t think the scoreline reflected how well we played. There was nothing between the sides in the first half and their ability to introduce fresh players eventually wore us down. But the players have done themselves proud against a very good team.”

Branksome United under-16s: Gerard Benfield, Luke Stevens, Connor Cocklin, George Whiffen, Samuel Darlow, Thomas Godley, Brandon Randall, Freddie Lodge, Jordan Jones, Sean Wright, James Guthrie, James Blake, Harry Poole, Lewis Kelly, Thomas Begley, Elliot Leadbeater, Flynn Begley.

Bournemouth Sports under-16s: Kieran Butlin, Elliot Dawson, Christopher Browne, Thomas Fisk, Benjamin Marsden, Sammy Glatzel, Louis Coppard, Elliot Lines, Samuel Harvey, Samuel Ridland, Joshua Ridland.