A young team from Sandridge Rovers Football Club has claimed their first piece of silverware.

The U12 Terriers defeated Croxley Green Black 3-0 in the final of the West Herts Youth League Cup.

The team were only officially formed in 2018 after a small group of dads took their kids to kick a ball around the Jersey Farm adventure playground park on a Sunday morning.

Week by week, they welcomed more and more until one parent, Paul Markowicz, suggested they start a team.

Two of the parents, Darren Regan and Matt Dingwall, took on the management roles and after joining Sandridge, the team have played in the WHYL ever since.

They found themselves in Division Three of the league this year, eventually finishing eighth after seven wins and seven draws from their 22 games but their run in the cup took them through five rounds before reaching the final.

That was played at the Sun Sports Club in Watford and with the Terriers starting as underdogs, their opponents having finished seven points ahead of them in the league.

But it was Sandridge who had the better start, culminating in an early goal, created by the drive forward of Daiwik Khedekar and tapped in by Oliver Byrne.

Minutes later came a memorable moment for goalkeeper Alfie Hughes as his long kick downfield took an awkward bounce and sailed over his opposite number for 2-0.

Buoyed by their two-goal advantage, Sandridge started to pass the ball around with midfielders Alfie Miles, George Gardner, Bertie Hemming and Mikey Thomaidis in fine form.

And the domination brought a third goal before the break.

An excellent throw-in from Harry Regan was cleared by the Croxley defence but only as far as Hamish Bullivant who's left-foot strike from the edge of the box raced into the net.

And Croxley were never able to come back into the contest.

Oliver King, Finley Dingwall and Sonny Roache were all strong in defence and the only real problem for the Rovers was when the ball went out of play, disturbing a wasps' nest.

The game was paused while the swarm dispersed and once safe to resume, the match sauntered to its conclusion.

Coach Regan said: "I could not be prouder than I am in this moment. The boys have worked so hard to improve all season, never letting their heads drop, whilst navigating transition to secondary school.

"The team have such a strong bond and have grown stronger and wiser and this is the icing on the cake."

Parent John Bullivant, who assists the two coaches by providing first aid at matches, said: "The boys have been rewarded for all their hard work but this is a culmination of years of friendship, huge support from the coaches who volunteer so much of their time, and a community of players and their families who make it an absolute pleasure to be part of Sandridge Rovers.

Post-final celebrations were held at the clubhouse, where the team also got to thank Nigel Rump as he retires from his involvement with the club after 53 years.