Ben DaviesJOSH Myatt, Ritchie Shankland and Andy Thompson each scored as Norton reserves beat a strangley lacklustre Stapenhill reserves to lift the Staffordshire County League Division Two Cup.
The hosts were swiftly out of the blocks on Wednesday evening, forcing a succession of corners whipped in by Shankland which ended with Myatt heading over from eight yards.
The Swans responded with a cross-shot from Josh Harris heading for the bottom corner before before Terry Brownsword got a foot in to clear.
Then a ball forward from Ben Davies was flicked on by Karl Wayte to Harris, but keeper Andy Richardson denied the busy little striker with a fine save.
Stapenhill had an early warning on the half-hour when a slick move involving Thompson and Myatt set up Liam Shaughnessy, who scored from close range only for it to be chalked off for offside.
On 35 minutes, Norton took the lead.
Thompson whipped a dangerous free kick into the box and Myatt reacted first to force the ball over the line off the fingertips of Ricky McEwan.
It was nearly two a moment later when Thompson hit Adam Bradley, who flicked the ball on to Shaughnessy, but the winger volleyed wide.
Two minutes from the break, the Swans should have equalised as Harris cleverly turned defender Israel Amponsah after receiving Wayte’s knockdown. He tried to chip the ball over Richardson but the keeper caught the ball above his head.
With half-time looming, the miss came back to haunt Stapenhill as they went 2-0 down.
Shankland surged forward before trading passes with Myatt and firing into the bottom corner.
Wayte kept Richardson’s hands warm with a speculative effort on the restart, while Myatt and Shankland both fired wide from good positions.
McEwan pulled off a tremendous save on 56 minutes to acrobatically claw away Adam Wilton’s piledriver.
Swans defender Lee Sanders then did well to clear an inviting ball pulled back from the byline by Shankland.
The Swans kept going, with Billy Easton finding Alex Weir, but his cross was cleared at the far post by Tom Sherratt.
The full-back did even better moments later when he cleared off the line after a vicious inswinging corner from Steven Wayte had beaten Richardson.
With a total of nine substitutions made, it was little wonder the game suffered, but on 65 minutes Norton ended the Swans’ hopes of cup glory with a third goal.
They were awarded a free kick just outside the box. Thompson stepped up to take it and looked about to put the ball into the mix, but he suddenly stopped and as everybody hesistated he smashed the ball into the top corner, giving McEwan no chance.
The Swans tried hard for a consolation, with Harris scooping the ball over the bar, Steven Gough blazing over and Leon Clarke having a low effort blocked at the near post.
But Stapenhill can have little complaint about the final result on a disappointing night in Stoke.
GOALS: Myatt 36, Shankland 45, Thompson 65 (Norton).
NORTON: Richardson, Sherratt, Yeomans (Braddick 73), Brownsward, Amponsah, Wilton, Shaughnessy (Allen 73), Bradley, Myatt (Trevett 85), Thompson (Steele 80), Shankland (Stevenson 85).
SWANS: McEwan, S Wayte, T Easton, S Gough, B Davies, S Harper (L Sanders 45), Blades (A Weir 45), Gilligan, Harris (Rumin 68), K Wayte (Clarke 68), B Easton (Butler 77).
SWANS STAR MAN: Lee Sanders – promising display from the 18-year-old centre-half.
REFEREE: D Parkes (Stoke).
ATTENDANCE: 184.
