JOE Sullivan drilled home a free-kick deep into extra time as Gotham clinched the MA Hart Page Croft Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Queen’s Park Athletic.

But it could have been so different had Queen’s Park’s leading marksman Martin Smith not blazed a penalty over the crossbar in the first period of the additional 30 minutes.

Gotham got into their stride quickly, dominating the early exchanges with Queen’s Park goalkeeper Harry Shaw denying Lee Pearson, before the deadlock was broken just before the half hour mark.

Adam Louka put Gotham in front, latching on to a ball in behind the defence before clipping over Shaw.

Paul Blenman made a timely challenge to preserve the clean sheet but the scores were levelled just before the break when Dean Mellor’s dipping free-kick from just outside the box slipped through the grasp of Gotham goalkeeper Ben Hatch.

Shaw was the busier keeper at the start of the second half, getting down well to deny Shane Sheridan.

Queen’s Park then began to look the more threatening with Wheeler denied by Hatch before Smith was thwarted by a Mike Barber block.

The chances kept coming as Tom Pepper’s cross from the right was met by Smith, but again Hatch made the stop with the striker unable to convert the rebound.

Queen’s Park were reduced to 10 men when Wheeler was shown a second yellow card in the 80th minute after being judged to have fouled Sheridan.

They continued to press though and Barber had to make two blocks in quick succession, first from Lloyd Pearce and then from Mellor.

With the first period of extra time coming to a close, Queen’s Park frontman Pearce raced away down the right and was brought down in the box by Blenman.

Referee Chris Sheppard had no hesitation in awarding a penalty but Smith put the spot-kick over the bar.

Both sides ended with 10 men apiece as Gotham skipper Sheridan saw red with the end of extra time approaching.

After squeezing between Smith and Doe, he lunged into a challenge on Shaw who had dived on the ball.

Just when it looked as if the game would have to be decided on penalties, JJ Rayner was penalised for a challenge just outside the Queen’s Park penalty area.

As Sullivan stepped up to take the free-kick, Gotham substitute Jacob Lawrence shunted the defensive wall to create a gap and while Shaw managed to get his hands to the shot, he was unable to keep it out.

Queen’s Park centre forward Pepper was chosen for the man of the match award by BHFL president and chairman Mike Fowler.

Gotham: Hatch, Fox, Bond (Sullivan, 83), Barber, Pearson, Ashford (Hancox, 66), Sheridan, Louka (Paterson, 77), Baker (Lawrence, 90), Peckham, Blenman.

Queen’s Park Athletic: Shaw, Doe, Senior (Cole, 12 (Jacubiszyn, 55, Cox, 90) Rayner, Montacute (Clark, 75), Mellor (McCarthy, 99), Wheeler, Pepper, Hughes, Pearce, Smith