With victory over defending champions Devonshire Cougars in last Sunday's Martonmere Cup final PHC Zebras' revival was completed.

Zebras had gone six seasons without savouring league or cup honours. But victory over the Big Cats in the third cup final between the two clubs in three years at Somerset Cricket Club on Remembrance Day finally put an end to the famine — and gave Zebras' loyal following a first cup title to celebrate since lifting the Friendship Trophy in 2001-02 under coach Mark Wade.

Now the men in black plan to build on their recent success and add to the club's impressive cup winning pedigree with a crop of players assistant coach Jack Castle describes as "focused, mature and professional".

"I think the best is yet to come because this group of players are very mature and have the right attitude, which has helped us a lot. They are very focused," said Castle, a member of Zebras' 1982 Martonmere Cup winning team that thumped Somerset Trojans 4-1 on the back of a Kenny Burt hat-trick on "the carpet".

"This present group of players understand what Kyle (coach Kyle Lightbourne) and myself are trying to achieve. They understand the system we are trying to play and consequently I think it's starting to pay off for us."

Under the stewardship of the influential Leroy (Nibs) Lewis, Zebras galloped to great heights, winning multiple league and cup titles as well as reaching the quarter-finals of the Concacaf Club Championship during the 1980s. And there is no doubt in Castle's mind that with the current group of players PHC can revisit those glory days and add to the club's proud legacy.

"We are looking to install some of the old traditions with the new ideas that Kyle and myself bring and help restore the club back to what it used to be," he said. "We have put together a very good team and are now looking to bring some of the glory days back to the club.

"One of our main goals is to bring back the system of play that we used to play when PHC always played three up front under Nibs' (Lewis) tutelage. I believe in playing with wide people and giving yourself more chances to score goals to win the game."

Another key factor Castle attributed to his team's success is their level of fitness.

"A real important aspect of PHC and why the team is doing so well is because of the physical training Ellie Wilson brings," he said. "Ellie has been around a long time; I found him here when I came to PHC as a youngster.

"He's an excellent trainer, probably the best in the country, and the players respond to him really well."

Zebras' coach Lightbourne tributed his team's recent Martonmere Cup win, their third overall, to the memory of late Zebras stalwart Marischal (Mop) Astwood who died earlier this year following a bout of Lou Gehrig's disease.

"I'm sure this would've been a proud moment for somone like Mop who gave a lot to the club over the years if he was still around. And I'm glad that we have achieved something like this," the former English pro said.

"He was one that I looked up to as a player. He was a really good player and I enjoyed watching him play."