Hollands & Blair striker Ben Brown scored a late winner against Fisher in the final of the SCEFL Challenge Cup.

It was Brown’s second of the match having put Blair infront before Fisher’s Isaac Thompson had levelled it up with the last action of the first half from the penalty spot.

Blair boss Scott Porter had missed out on silverware last season in the Kent Senior Trophy but was celebrating at the final whistle on Monday at the home of his former club Whitstable.

Porter, speaking after the final whistle, said that he was “emotionally and mentally drained” after a topsy-turvy final but delighted to have won the trophy for the club.

“We know what it means,” he said. “We fell short last year in a cup final and we wanted to give everything, to do what we did, to hang on, I am immensely proud of them.”

Fisher had gone into the cup game with some good form behind them in the Southern Counties East league - in contrast to Blair’s poor run during the closing weeks - and it was the Bermondsey side who made the early running in Monday’s final.

Numerous chances came and went for the Fish, with left-sided player Cedric Nganga proving a handful, and their leading scorer Thompson striking the upright early on.

It took Blair some time to find their way into the game, with their first chances coming from set-plays, which they were unable to make the most of. Rob Gilman came close to converting a terrific Jack Simon cross with half an hour hone but couldn’t get a decent contact with his head.

Blair had improved but the pacey Fish attack were always dangerous and when Jacob Katonia broke through, he only had keeper Dan Ellis to beat, but found the outside of the post.

Fish had been unable to make the most of their early dominance and it was Blair who struck first when good work from Harvey Welford led to Ben Brown finishing from close range in the 37th minute.

Andres Tobon found the side netting for Fish as they looked for an equaliser and it arrived in the second minute of first-half stoppage-time. John Walker was adjudged to have tripped Katonia in the box and Thompson made no mistake from the spot with the last action of the half.

Jack Simon had Blair’s big moment of the second half but from the edge of the box couldn’t keep the ball down.

Thompson dragged a shot wide for Fish as Blair did well to keep the Londoners at arm’s length for the majority of the second period.

Both games in the league between the sides had finished level and so it was no surprise to see this one heading into the latter stages with the tie all-square.

Blair hadn’t done much from set-pieces all afternoon but when Harry Brown got his 83rd minute corner swung into the danger-zone, his namesake Ben Brown - a Blair veteran - was on hand to power home a header to put the Medway side back infront.

Fisher pushed late on for a leveller as there were 12 minutes added on but got bodies behind the ball, with a couple of important challenges coming from Gilman, to keep them out and claim the trophy they last won in 2016, under the management of current chairman Paul Piggott.

Blair: Ellis, Loynes, H Brown, Stace, Walker, Gilman, Simon, Valencia (Allan 77mins), Walmsley, B Brown (Wright 90mins), Welford. Subs not used: Hall, Hawkins, Boichat.

Fisher: Amedu, Sumithran (Shoderu 90mins), Darwish, Adewumni, Thomas, Imoru (Brown 79mins), Tobon (Bailey-King 65mins), Sarpong, Thompson, Katonia, Nganga. Subs not used: Owusu, Zeddini.

Referee: Marcin Indyk

Attendance: 755