Terry Nanton fires home past Monty Butler in the Terry Evans Cup Final at A.O. Shirley Ground on July 23, 2017. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

2017 Terry Evans Cup Champions, Islanders FC. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

Kevin Fisher scored the second goal to give Islanders a 2-0 lead. Photo: Charlie E. Jackson/VINO

The opening exchanges were the cut and thrust of true cup final legend, but once MVP Ranalie Caines had scored a sublime goal direct from a free kick 25 yards out, the Islanders began to control the game, against the VG based opponents, who were admittedly missing a couple of key players.

It was still any one’s game at just 1-0, but early in the second period Kevin Fisher got the better of Derol Redhead, playing in the back four for Sugar Boys, and fired home to make it 2-0.

McTair James nodded in a third for the Islanders before Terry Nanton scored a late consolation penalty to make the final score 3-1.

Sticking to the game plan

“The Sugar Boys played a good game, but we stuck to our game plans and held our composure and it paid off,” noted Captain of the Islanders, Andy Davis.

“(Ranalie) Cains has never been shy about taking free kicks and luckily for us he scored and we were able to dominate from there. We are a Champion team and that is what our fans expect us to do.”

Derol Redhead of the Sugar Boys commented that the game had been a typical tough tackling, hard running encounter, but rued the fact some key players had been unavailable.

“The players put out their best, but up until the free kick we were in the game, despite not being able to field our first choice team or having much on the bench.”