The Onondaga Cup is ours once more! I think they call that a three-peat! It's ours and we don't and won't give it up lightly.

It would be wrong to say that much of the season is geared towards the Flags Final, but as we said goodbye to Christmas, it really did become our sole focus. We stopped toying around and we started to shape a team not only capable of competing in the final, but one that would win us the final. And so it turned out.

In a repeat of last year's final, Stockport our opponents, it really was the two best teams in the league. Face to face, showdown!

If I were to summarise the match, it would be best described as scrappy. We might have dreamt of a final where it was a Mellor procession to become champions once again, but reality usually smacks you around the chops and plays out differently. Yesterday's final was just that.

Mellor bagged the 1st quarter 4-2, Stockport came back in the 2d quarter 6-7 , we snaffled the 3rd quarter 11-9 and we edged the final quarter 15-12

The third quarter put my notebook and pen to the test, a rogue Stockport goal was magically entered onto the score board, 8-7 Mellor, suddenly became 8-8?! I can't questions the officials in charge of the scoring, so I got Andy to do it for me instead! 8-8 it was, still not sure how...and then Stockport went 8-9 up, my confusion compounded. But 3 Mellor goals to end the 3rd quarter, saw my palpitations settle.

Scrappy, a battle, a proper tense final, but the quality that did crop up from time to time came from the those in white and red.

Every single player did their job yesterday, regardless of whether their time on the pitch was long or fleeting. We've been spoilt to have such a committed squad and when called upon our squad depth was another contributing factor to the final score.

At times the occasion got to some of our players, the battle at times too fierce, but our boys stood shoulder to shoulder, had each other's backs and that team spirit is not something that gets coached, that doesn't get trained on a Wednesday night, that comes from the boys themselves.

They didn't do a Player of the Match yesterday, but there'd be no surprises if Hayden's name was mentioned. His distribution on a small pitch, took some adjustment, but we'll never question is ability to just gobble up shot after shot. Tom rightly reminded the squad a couple of times, that Hayden was standing on his head to keep the scoreline favourable, the rest of the team had to step up and they did.

We had 9 different goal scorers yesterday, again further proof of the resources we had throughout the team, to vary the line-up and keep the goals coming.

This team gave us one of the proudest moments of the last 12 months yesterday, and retaining the Onandaga Cup, a cup so special to Mellor Lacrosse Club, will be remembered for many years. They are Champions! We are Champions!!

Goal scorers: Dima x3; Freddie B x3; Louis x3; James x1; Hugo x1; Freddie Mc x1; Sully x1; Oliver x1; George x1