Dandy Town comfortably retained their FA Cup title as Flanagan’s Onions marked their first appearance in a major final by having a player sent off and scoring an own goal.

Onions, relegated to the First Division after a 5-1 thrashing by Town two weeks ago, were hoping to salvage something from an otherwise disappointing season. However, they found themselves on the defensive from the opening whistle as Town forced two corners inside the first four minutes.

Referee Anthony Francis issued two cards in the first 15 minutes, booking Nathan Peskett for fouling Seion Darrell and then Temiko Wilson for a challenge on Greg Muir.

Francis booked four Town players and three from Onions, including Darren Doolin who was sent off in the second half.

Onions began to mount a couple of good threats from corners, including an effort by Markez Laws which he put wide with a glancing header after a corner by Vincent Minors.

Two minutes later, Town opened the scoring when defender Korvon Tucker’s cross from the right found Wilson at the far post and his powerful header hit the stanchion supporting the net before coming back out.

With the wind in their faces as they attacked the north goal, Onions looked most threatening on corners as striker Keston Lewis went close with an effort midway through the half.

After a scoreless first half, Onions enjoyed a bright start to the second half, forcing a corner inside the first 30 seconds and then moments later Peskett had a shot smothered by goalkeeper Mikkail Crockwell after Lewis slipped him a pass on the edge of the box.

However, just when they were enjoying their best period of the match, Doolin was dismissed in the 50th minute, forcing Onions to readjust.

An Onions free kick was cleared by the Town defence as they mounted a quick counter-attack through Angelo Simmons and Damon Ming down the left side. Simmons was clipped on his ankle when he tried to turn Doolin on the edge of the box and he knew his fate when Francis reached inside his pocket.

Town were in firm control after that, with Simmons adding his team’s second goal on the hour when he drove a low shot into the far corner. Town were going for the kill now as Simmons had another effort cleared off the line by Laws.

Ming, playing possibly his last match, was replaced in the 74th minute by Jahtino Richardson-Martin as he went off to an appreciative applause from the Town supporters.

Onions goalkeeper, Stephen Gould, blocked a well-struck shot from an angle by Jahnazae Swan before two own goals in the last two minutes brought the match to a bizarre end.

Sam Butler got his attempted clearance inside the box all wrong in the 88th minute, with the ball slicing off his boot and beating his own goalkeeper.

K’wonde Lathan then deflected a shot from Peskett into his own net to give Onions a consolation goal.

The day, however, belonged to Town who became the first team since North Village in 2003 to win back-to-back FA Cup finals.