VICTORIA Cross won their Hayward Sunday Premier League title shootout with a 3-2 victory over title rivals Priory Quays – and saved boss Dan Cobb's anniversary holiday to boot.

Cross, who jumped two divisions to the top flight last summer, needed only a draw to take the crown at Highcliffe Rec as Quays battled to overturn a two-point deficit on the final day.

The pendulum swung in the visitors' favour just before the hour mark when Chris Burden broke the deadlock but Aaron Stacey levelled matters within 10 minutes.

Aaron Carrivick's rocket then put Cross in control and despite Manny Ohameje's equaliser, Sam Thompson sealed the success in added time to ensure Cobb's wife Rebecca and one-year-old daughter Sienna would get the break their patience deserved.

Cobb told the Daily Echo: "I thought I had better take the wife away with everything she puts up with throughout the season. It is nice for us to go away and celebrate instead of me being depressed!

"I have always taken my football seriously. When we lose a game, I tend to take it home and carry it round with me for another seven days.

"If we had lost, especially after losing the Dorset (Sunday) Senior Cup the week before, I would probably have cancelled the holiday to be honest. I would still have taken the week off work but would probably have just locked myself away in the bedroom!"

Other than the heart-stopping moment when Cross went behind in the second half , Cobb insisted he had always had faith in his charges, particularly after their 2-1 cup setback against Cobham Sports seven days earlier.

"Secretly, we were confident but on the day there were times where I felt it might have slipped away from us," he added.

"We had beaten Priory Quays earlier in the season but they had got some excellent results against good sides so we knew it would be tough. We have total respect for them because they made life very difficult.

"But having come up from Division Two last season to win it at the first time of asking was more than I could have expected. The boys have been magnificent.

"After the disappointment of losing in the Dorset Senior Cup final, they had a bit of a point to prove. It has been a few years since things were that exciting on the final day and it was a great way to win it."

n Division One champions Alderholt completed their campaign with a 1-0 win over Bournemouth Sports reserves thanks to Elliott Cromarty's strike on the stroke of half-time.

The table toppers were made to work hard to maintain their unbeaten league record by a spirited Sports side who were only denied by couple of fine saves by Alderholt keeper Kevin Witt.