Chelmsford City got their hands on the Essex Senior Cup for the first time in a decade following a rather one-sided final at Southend United's Roots Hall ground last night.
Paul Parker's Clarets started as hot favourites and they never looked back after Danny Slatter belatedly fired them ahead in the 17th minute.
Despite being without a trio of their regular defenders - namely Ian Cousins, Ian Wiles and Michael Basham - Chelmsford made their intentions known within the first minute when Dale Watkins missed a sitter from six yards.
The scores could well have been level shortly after Chelmsford took the lead though only for Paul Nicholls to bravely thwart Danny Curran in a one-on-one duel.
The advantage was stretched on 29 minutes when Garry Cross slipped the ball to Watkins and this time he made no mistake with a swift turn and shot past the exposed Smith from ten yards.
Slatter then took off on one of his mazy runs only to have his progress cut short by Wes Faulkner.
The Aveley skipper was booked for his troubles, thus making it five successive games that opposition defenders have been yellow carded for fouling the ex-Chelsea winger.
Mike Rutherford's name went into the referee's book for a foul on Carl Fannon but City soon underlined their superiority with a third goal nine minutes prior to half-time.
It was in fact Rutherford who was the architect, his persistence enabling him to rob Steve Dickinson on the left touchline and centre for Watkins who deftly set up Cross to emphatically finish from 12 yards.
To their credit Aveley, managed by former Chelmsford captain Steve Mosely, refused to lie down and Nicholls had to be at his best to save from Dickinson's free-kick and at the feet of Carl Allison.
In the second period Kevin Hoddy - another one-time Claret - was replaced by Jimmy Stevens soon after the restart and this was followed by a booking for Rob Bird (also ex-Chelmsford) when he felled Watkins.
The referee was certainly being kept busy and next into the book was Samuels for fouling Dickinson.
Play had become quite scrappy at this stage but things livened up in the 75th minute with a fine execution by substitute Barry Lakin.
The youth team manager, who had three of his protgs alongside him on the bench, was indebted to the tireless Cross for his goal.
Having stolen possession from Bird he whipped the perfect ball in from the right and Lakin applied an equally exquisite 12-yard finish past Smith.
City weren't finished yet and Rutherford's huge clearance sent Samuels racing down the middle, and despite being forced wide by Smith he kept his nerve to round the keeper and slide the ball home from a difficult angle.
Published Wednesday, March 26, 2003
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