OCKENDON Motor Spares claimed a record sixth Sunday Premier Cup title after a stunning second-half comeback was capped when Tommy Lee netted a dramatic injury-time winner at Harlow Town F.C.

Writtle, in their first Sunday Premier Cup final, had appeared set to win the trophy when they stormed into a 2-0 lead shortly after the hour mark, but an inspired double substitution midway through the second period by Spares boss Terry Matthews changed the course of the game.

“I don’t know what to say!” exclaimed Matthews after the celebrations had died down.

“At 2-0, I didn’t think our front-runners were seeing enough of the ball. I brought on Tommy Lee, who was awesome.

“He’s emigrating at the end of the week after ten years with us, but he has been magnificent. ”

Writtle threw themselves forward in the opening stages as Nick Love warmed the gloves of Ockendon goalkeeper James Marrable during the first sixty seconds. Thurrock Association Sunday League Spares’ only real chance inside the first half came when Tony Barnes hooked Danny Greaves’ corner wide, and their opponents took full toll on 29 minutes.

The dangerous Love threaded the ball through to Ben Polley, who jinked his way past two defenders before smashing the ball underneath Marrable as a desperate Terry Foy attempted to clear off of the goal line.

Bowen was again denied by Marrable after the custodian had been drawn off of his line by Ian Pointer, with the ‘keeper later tipping Liam Saunders’ speculative effort over. In between, when the stopper was beaten, Love was unfortunate to see his curling shot rebound off of the inside of the post.

Writtle doubled their lead in the 62nd minute.

Ben Cross’ long throw eventually found Love, who dribbled into the penalty area to blast goalwards, Marrable again managing to get a touch to the ball but unable to stop it from going in.

Polley narrowly missed out on sliding onto Love’s cross two minutes later and, just seconds after Lee and Chris Barrett were introduced for Ockendon, he was made to pay as Spares struck back.

Sammy McCarthy spun onto Mickey Arnold’s right-wing delivery, volleying past a helpless Chris Elad.

That instigated an onslaught from the south Essex outfit as defender Mark Pledger was called upon to made a brave block for Writtle when Greaves attempted to turn home Barnes’ centre and Lee glanced a header from the ensuing corner that Elad saved well at his bootlaces.

Elad was beaten again ten minutes from the end as Greaves broke into the penalty box, only to strike the same spot of woodwork that had denied Love at the end of the first half.

However, Ockendon did level in the 87th minute through Joe Keith. The midfielder picked the ball up 35 yards from goal and connected with a sweet shot that arrowed into the bottom right-hand corner. Instead of settling for extra time, the perennial winners pressed for a clincher. Matthews said: “We’ve already won the Premier League Cup, the Ted Fairchild Cup and we are on for the League — it’s incredible! ”