At the other end, United player-coach and striker Josh Adams was in goal and midfielder Dane Thompson was in the back four. Regular keeper Andy McIntosh and centre back Kieran Higham were unavailable for the final.
In the 22nd minute, Shockers went ahead against the run of play. Central midfielder Bradley Clark collected the ball 20 metres from the United goal, to the left of centre. He wrong-footed a United defender with a clever turn, giving himself room for a right-footed shot into the bottom left-hand corner of the United goal.
Two minutes later, Shockers central midfielder Ash McMillan had a sharp chance to put his side two up but his volley from 15 metres went over the bar.
In the 25th minute, Hall broke away from the defence, only to see his shot deflected by the legs of Piper, who was rapidly establishing himself as one of the Shockers’ best on the day.
In the 30th and 33rd minutes, Shockers conceded penalties caused by impatient defending – players lunging for the ball when it was not there to be won.
Piper parried the first penalty, taken by Kieran Venema and bundled into the net by Corey Adams, who was ruled offside.
Josh Adams came up from the other penalty area to take the second spot kick, and he made no mistake.
United had played the better football in the first half, yet Shockers had caused them problems with their direct approach and some enterprising midfield play from Jackson Donovan-Monteith, McMillan and Clark.
Up front, Max Harris closed down the United defence quickly and never let them settle. Wingers Leyken Beuth and Josh McGregor kept their markers honest but had few opportunities in attack.
Centre backs Ryan Anderson, formerly skipper of Gisborne Thistle’s Federation League team, and Oscar Daube put in robust, wholehearted performances, while fullbacks Ben Bristow and brothers Matty and Luke Low tried hard to stem the flow of attacks down the flanks. Tom McPhee and David Canning were used as required when legs started to fade.
United started the second half at a brisk clip. A minute in, midfielder Malcolm Marfell came close when he met a right-wing cross beyond the far post. Three minutes later, United went ahead.
Anderson was shown the yellow card for a tackle from behind on Hall, just inside Shockers’ half on their right flank. Venema hit the free kick 50 metres, towards the far post, where goalkeeper Piper and United attackers contested it. In the confusion of the aerial challenge, the ball eluded everybody on its way into the net.
That should have been it, but nobody showed Shockers the script. Two minutes later, in the 51st, Clark let fly again, this time from 30 metres... 2-2.
United regained the lead in the 58th minute. Hall received the ball on the edge of the Shockers penalty area and played a 10-metre ball square to Corey Adams, whose shot went in at the bottom right corner.
United’s clincher, in the 70th minute, was all about speed. Hall ventured out wide on the right, collected the ball and burst past Anderson, who – from a standing start – was powerless to match Hall in full flight. The ball was cut back to Corey Adams, near the edge of the penalty area, and his first-time shot gave the keeper no chance... 4-2.
United kept their 100% win record in local competition with their top goalscorer playing in goal, and not looking out of place.
The refashioned back four – with Ben Hansen and Venema as right and left fullbacks, and Jonathan Purcell and Dane Thompson as centre backs – proved solid and reliable, while Aaron Graham was an able buffer in the holding midfield role.
Marfell played more of a central role than usual, supporting Corey Adams in the engine room and feeding front-runners Hall, Jacob Adams and, first, Sam Royston and then Damon Husband. Hall was a capable attack leader who linked up well with those around him. Royston was injured in the first half but attacking momentum was maintained on the flanks though Jacob Adams and Husband.
Donovan-Monteith, part of a Shockers coaching trio with Cullen Spawforth and Anderson, said their whole team did well but he made special mention of Clark’s two “awesome” strikes and Piper’s heroics in goal.
Josh Adams said Shockers “came to fight”.
“I told the boys cup football is a different animal. It comes down to the day, who wants it more. They [Shockers] really brought it to us in the first half. But we knew we’d have the wind behind us in the second half and that would help. We played good football, scored some cracking goals and put the game to bed.”
To maintain a 100% win record in local football across two seasons was a big achievement, he said. As for next year, they would see what happened in the off-season. Any consideration of outside competition would require an influx of young players.
Referee Chris Niven controlled the game well. He showed the yellow card to United’s Jacob Adams and Hall, and Shockers’ Daube and Anderson.
