WISEGUYS claimed a dramatic 4-2 win on penalties in the MA Hart In-Excess Cup final after recovering from an early three-goal deficit against Alderney Manor.

The Hayward Sunday Division Two title contenders rallied back from James King’s 15-minute hat-trick in a whirlwind start at Hurn Bridge.

The opener came just two minutes into the game after Toby Williams headed on Dale Hyne’s through ball. Wiseguys goalkeeper Danny Saunders and Manor forward Scott Arnold collided in a challenge and King was able to steer his shot into the net.

Alderney doubled their lead in the 12th minute when Sam Thompson won possession in the centre circle and played a clever ball over the top before King whipped a flighted effort over Saunders from 20 yards out.

The hat-trick was completed four minutes later when Alderney broke over the half way line with a neat exchange of passes by Arnold, King, and Thompson, with King slotting the ball into the far corner of the net from just outside the box.

Wiseguys managed to pull one back before the interval when Ollie Bolton attacked down the left and cut inside to James Morris. His attempted shot was adjudged to have struck Will Robinson’s hand and Tyrone Carkeet calmly despatched the penalty.

In the second half, a much more determined Wiseguys side took to the pitch, although King looked set to restore Alderney’s three-goal advantage in the 48th minute when he was put through on the left but Saunders managed to tip his effort round the post.

Alderney went close again a minute later when Aaron Carrivick drove the ball in from left but Liam Meldrum was unable to get his effort on target. Wiseguys went straight down the other end and pulled another goal back through Morris. John Taylor brought the ball out of defence and slipped it wide to Adam Louka, whose diagonal crossfield ball found Bolton. He exchanged passes just outside the penalty area with Morris, who converted inside the far post.

In the 72nd minute, Morris went down under a challenge from Hyne in the Alderney penalty area and Wiseguys were awarded their second spot kick. Carkeet made no mistake to put his side on level terms.

Late on, Morris managed to slip the ball past Alderney keeper Chris Johnson but it drifted wide of far post before it was cleared by a defender.

Extra time failed to produce the decisive goal although good work by King in the last minute resulted in the ball being played back to Ryan Marshall, whose strike went just high and wide of the target.

Unfortunately for Alderney, two of their efforts in the penalty shoot-out came back off the crossbar while Wiseguys’ four attempts were unerring, with Carkeet netting the strike to clinch the cup.

Wiseguys: Saunders, Taylor, Morris (Burgess, 105), Freeman, Haime (Bennett, h-t ), Louka, Bolton (Payne,116), Carkeet, Biddle (Poole, 100), Alderson, Hills.

Alderney Manor: Johnson, Seal, Carrivick, Hyne, Davies (Smart, 76), King, Robinson, Williams (Roberts, 52 mins), Thompson, Arnold (Marshall, 108), Meldrum.