Merlins Bridge 3 Monkton Swifts 0 Merlins Bridge showed why they won the reserve division championship with a controlled and skilful performance against a gritty Monkton Swifts side that never gave up trying but couldn't prevent Jamie Jenkins and his Wizards from completing the league and cup double for second strings.

The Bridge were a goal ahead at the break, a lead they just about deserved on the balance of play, and went on to add two further goals in the second period while skipper Jason Rice led the back four by example in completing a clean sheet.

The teams had met recently and the Wizards won 4-0 but the Swifts are no rightly respecters of reputations and with Dai Stanley and Chrissie Manning supplying experience aplenty at the back, plus former first team goal ace Ian Rome leading the attack, they made a promising start where Rome and Robin Stanley had half chances which were comfortably pouched by Bridge keeper Dave Pepper.

The Bridge's striker Lee Sykes served notice of his sharpness with a shot that Paul Dix saved and although Sykes lost strike partner John Grey, injured and replaced by Matthew Morrissey, the Bridge took the lead on 24 minutes when Lee Palmer curled in a superb left-footed cross from wide on the left which Sykes rose to head past Dix for a cracking goal. The move stemmed from some good work by Mark Parry, James Palmer and Jamie Jenkins in the Bridge midfield.

The rest of the half was mainly contested in midfield as Stanley organised the Swifts defence and Jason Rice was joined by Ian Wilks, Steve James and Martin Williams in keeping things tight at the back for Merlins Bridge.

It was a similar story in the third quarter until the Wizards finally grabbed their second after 66 minutes when they were awarded a free kick 32 yards out and Lee Palmer again used his trusty left boot to score direct.

It was a body blow for the Swifts and the Bridge put the game beyond doubt five minutes later after good work in midfield allowed Sykes to release Morrissey to score from just inside the box. The Swifts had late chances but Liam Stapleton couldn't beat Pepper in a one-on-one and they also failed to find the target in a goalmouth scramble.

Merlins Bridge captain Jason Rice deservedly received the trophy from league chairman Eddie Oliver, who rightly congratulated both teams for producing a good final watched by two partisan sets of supporters on a superb surface at the Bridge Meadow.

Merlins Bridge: Dave Pepper: Martin Williams; Steve James; Ian Wilks; Jason Rice: James Palmer; Mark Parry; Jamie Jenkins; Lee Palmer: John Grey; Lee Sykes. Subs: Liam Arnold; Steve Thompson; Matthew Morrissey.

Monkton Swifts: Paul Dix: Stu Midgeley; Lee Callan; Dai Stanley; Chris Manning: Robin Stanley; Paul Lacey; Leeroy Thomas; Clem Boswell: Liam Stapleton; Ian Rome. Subs: Mark Parsons; Mark Mills; Jadey Hearn. Venue: The Bridge Meadow Stadium Referee: Steve Williams. Assistants: Adrian Wilson, Paul Rooney and Ian Baxter .