Dandy Town 2 Devonshire Cougars 1

(after extra time)

On Sunday David Lawler fired his way into the hearts of Dandy Town supporters with a last-gasp equaliser to earn Hornets a second bite at the FA Cup cherry.

Last night the 35-year-old Irishman blasted his way into Town history, scoring minutes from the end of extra-time again - this time to send the coveted cup on its way to St.John's Road for the first time in 17 years.

Just when it appeared another replay would be required to decide this urban derby, Lawler turned the clock back to Sunday, confidently venturing forward to whip home a left-footed drive through a maze of players to again emerge as the talk of the Town and ignite wild scenes of jubilation among Hornets' die-hard supporters.

Shortly after referee Stuart Crockwell blew the final whistle, Lawler was hoisted high on the shoulders of his triumphant team-mates who carried him across the width of the pitch near the eastern terraces - much to the approval of the Town section of supporters who had just witnessed their team land the coveted league and FA Cup double.

"It just doesn't get any better than this!" exclaimed Lawler minutes after his match-winning heroics.

"I just thought I'd go with the same plan. It was getting late and we needed something special and so I decided to go forward. This time I managed to get one with my left-foot instead of the right and so I am very happy with that. But there's going to be a lot of drinking tonight."

Overwhelmed by the events which had just unfolded, Town coach Devarr Boyles struggled to find words as he watched his charges rejoice in post match celebrations from afar.

"Cougars took us to right to the brink yet again," he said. "They definitely made it a game."

Asked about his thoughts on Lawler's late winner, Boyles replied: "I think I need to recruit about three more Irishmen in the team."

Lawler's late rocket derailed any plans Cougars new coach Andrew Bascome might have had of a triumphant return to domestic football.

Though disappointed with the result, Bascome said he team still had every reason to hold their heads high in defeat. After all, they had made the league champions sweat it out for another 120 minutes. And with a little bit of luck, the cup could have taken up residence at nearby Devonshire Recreation Club for the first time in history.

However, Cougars' ghosts of the past came back to haunt them.

"I enjoyed it. Dandy Town are a good team and Cougars fought hard," said Bascome as he left the pitch.

"I have been working with them since Christmas and now I think I have found somewhere to stay. So wait to next year."

But while Town celebrated well into the early hours of this morning and probably will for the remainder of the week, in all honesty, it should have been Cougars' night.

The big cats, with Domico Coddington in top stride, took full command of midfield, stretched the Hornets defence to the limit, but repeatedly saw good approach work break down in the attacking third of the pitch.

This allowed Town to open the scoring against the run of play in the 56th minute with a goal literally handed to them on a silver platter. Cougars defender Galvin Butterfield looked to have had a Maurice Lowe long punt up-field under control. However, his attempted clearance rebounded off the back of Shawn Smith and bounced freely to the opportunistic Carlos Smith who clinically chipped Ricardo Brangman from an angle to give Town a surprise lead against the run of play.

Though jolted by Smith's strike, Cougars never lost their shape. In fact, they seemed to step it up a notch or two - especially when Mark Smith made his entrance into the game in the 77th minute.

And it was Smith who had a hand in Cougars' equaliser ten minutes from time in fighting hard to win a corner. After going close earlier with a header, Cougars skipper Kwame Steede finally got it right - when it mattered most. Steede somehow managed to get his head to a Heys Wolfe corner in heavy traffic inside the penalty area to again send this cup final into extra-time.

By now it looked a sure bet Cougars would prevail as Town - missing three starters from Sunday including Khano Smith- appeared ragged and content to put numbers behind the ball and defend at all costs. The move almost backfired when Wolfe let rip with a shot from close range in the fourth minute of extra-time that struck the bar and was cleared away.

That, however, would signal the end for Cougars as Lawler took his place in Town folklore with a firmly hit left-footed drive from 15 yards to bring this cup final to a fairytale ending.

Dandy Town: A.Lightbourne, K.Mundy, D.Lawler, M.Lowe, C.Anderson, L.Furbert (K.Butterfield, 90 mins), K.Hurdle, J.Peniston, R.Tucker, C.Smith, S.Tuzo (W.Place, 68 mins; K.Butterfield, 108 mins).

Devonshire Cougars: R.Brangman, S.Smith, O.Butterfield (W.Salaam), G.Butterfield, J.DeShields, K.Goddard, J.Salaam (M.Smith, 77 mins), K.Steede, D.Coddington, H.Wolfe, R.Beach.

Booked: K.Hurdle, R.Tucker (Town); K.Goddard (Cougars)

Men of the match: R.Tucker/D.Lawler (Town); D.Coddington (Cougars)

Referee: Stuart Crockwell.