DFDS Kent Veterans Cup Final: The Charcoal 2 Warlingham 0

An early wonder strike helped The Charcoal to victory in the DFDS Kent Veterans Cup Final on Friday night.

Marlon Patterson struck from 30 yards as his side took charge of the showpiece against Warlingham at Tonbridge Angels FC.

Man-of-the-match Ricky Shakes added a second midway through the first half and that’s how it stayed.

The Charcoal were worthy winners, controlling the game and looking sharper in every department.

They were particularly dominant in the first half and while Warlingham grew into the game after the break, the Charcoal defence won virtually every ball that came into their box.

Victory completed a set of trophies for The Charcoal, whose manager James Farrell formed the side in 2020 as a way of helping men with their mental health amid the Covid pandemic.

“We’re delighted - it’s the only one we hadn’t won,” said Farrell.

“We’ve won the London Cup, the League Cup, the league, the Charity Shield, all the vets trophies you can win, but not this one, so it’s one I had my eye on.

“We changed the game plan, dropped players and played players out of position to shock Warlingham.

“We’ve had tough games against them, they know how we play, so we changed it up and it worked.

“Marlon, who scored the first goal, is one that doesn’t normally play.

“He said ‘I’m going to score’ and he did.

“It was a great strike but don’t tell him that because he hasn’t shut up about it!

“If I’m honest, I don’t think 2-0 reflected the game. It could have been three or four.”

The Charcoal were straight on the front foot, with Warlingham pinned back in their own half for long periods.

The driving runs of Shakes, a former Guyana international who started his career at Bolton, set the tone.

Warlingham keeper Karl Evans made early saves