St Ives Town claimed the Hunts Senior Cup for the first time since 2016 but they had to survive a determined challenge from Godmanchester Rovers to do so.

Josh Flanagan and Liam Cross scored inside the first quarter of the match held at St Neots Town to put the Southern League side on their way to a 2-0 success.

But Goddy, two divisions and some 39 places lower in the pyramid, responded excellently after the break and made for compulsive viewing for the neutral.

The first half belonged to Ives though with a display of attacking football based on superior possession.

They were first to the ball and more determined in possession and they swept their opponents aside and should have been leading by more than the two they did score.

The opening goal came after nine minutes and a spell of one-way football, the impressive Luke Fairlamb crossing for Josh Flanagan to finish clinically.

That advantage was doubled 12 minutes later. A corner wasn't cleared and Liam Cross netted with a thumping drive from outside the box that flew into the net.

Michael Richens was only denied getting in on the act by Jamie Greygoose in the Godmanchester goal as St Ives continued to push forward in numbers.

But the pattern of the game could hardly have been more different after the break as Rovers responded in dramatic style taking the match to the higher-graded side and dominating possession.

Two substitutions helped to raise their attacking potential and for 20 minutes St Ives were penned back in their own half.

Significantly they only managed two real efforts on goal, both from Mohammed Akhtar and both excellently dealt with by Eddie Breary in the Ives goal,

And the United Counties League side began to pay for their efforts late on as they visibly tired.

It allowed Ives to put the ball in the net for a third time but Nabil Shariff's shot was ruled out for offside.

The final chance of the game was bundled off the line by Reece King but it mattered little as Ives took the spoils.