St. Martin’s 1 Alport 3
 
Alport have a first trophy after an experimental side won 3-1 to win the inaugural Derek Stokes Trophy against hosts St. Martin’s. The second half performance in particular really caught the eye with some subliminal football played by Alport on the 3G surface. Rob Cooke, Louis James, Luke Walley, Si Everall, Mike Blundell, Stevie McNichol, Ryan Thomas and Chris Jackson were all unavailable for the game and Carl Everall, Ben Mills and Dean Twigg were all benched as Whitchurch gave run outs to a few triallists - which included 16 year old Harry Parkinson who played all of the second half.
 
Saints had the temerity to take the lead with just eight minutes on the watch when Elliott Howes lifted a volley over Cam Phelps and into the net via the underside of the bar. Nick Marley was credited with Alport’s leveller before the half hour although a Saints defender may have got the final touch. There were no arguments about who got Alport’s second four minutes before half-time though. Marley was on the end of a terrific move to finish with a rising drive that flew past George Austin to give the Yockings side an interval lead.
 
And once Everall, Mills, Twigg and Parkinson were all introduced for the second 45, Saints were simply blown away. Some of the football played was brilliant to watch and but for Austin, Saints would have been on the wrong end of a mauling. Mills, Marley (twice), Everall and Twigg all might have scored before Mills wrapped things up 20 minutes from the end with a clinical strike following another flowing move which gave youngster Parkinson an assist.
 
The Derek Stokes Trophy, without being disrespectful in any way, would have been the last on the wish list for the Reds’ demanding management team. But the manner of the performance rather than the winning of the trophy, would have been the most pleasing aspect for Messrs. Goddard and Everall.