BOURNEMOUTH Poppies romped to victory in the inaugural Jack Bellows Memorial Trophy last night, putting four past Hamworthy Recreation without reply.

First-half goals from Danny Hansford and Joe Smith were added to by Neemo Nixon and Conor Jevon in the second, but the result was secondary to the match created to bring to clubs connected by Jack Bellows together.

Bellows was a fixture in the local football scene, spending 30 years as a goalkeeper, coach and physio at Bournemouth Poppies.

He then was involved with Hamworthy Rec, giving the club 28 years of service, before passing in November 2019.

With various lockdowns curtailing seasons and impacting plans, the two clubs were able to finally come together and celebrate the stalwart, with his son Clive awarding Poppies the trophy after the final whistle.

Hamworthy Rec boss Kirk Grice, alongside Jordan Hiscock at Poppies, came up with the idea to honour someone who qualified as a legend for both clubs.

Grice told the Daily Echo: “So me and Jordan Hiscock, he's with Poppies at the moment.

“He used to be involved with us here as well, and when he was here, he was trying to think of ways of doing stuff, and then Jack sadly passed away.

“We spoke a few weeks ago and we said, well, now he’s there and we’re here, it'll be easy to set it up.

“We spoke to Browner (Bournemouth Poppies manager, Phill Brown), and he agreed and went from there.

“It'll be good because Jack obviously served both clubs for years, and years and years. He spent 30 years at one and 28 (years) at the other.

“He was a great character as well.”