NEXT Monday’s Sydenhams Wessex League Cup finalists ended the league season on a high.

Favourites Sholing had home debutant Bradey Norton to thank for acrobatically clinching a 3-2 win over Team Solent at the Universal Stadium.

With Blackfield & Langley beaten again, it assured the Boatmen of a third-placed finish in the Premier Division.

Sholing's cup final opponents at AFC Portchester’s Blanchard Wells Stadium (May 1, 3pm) will Division One runners-up Baffins Milton Rovers, who capped off their promotion-winning campaign by out-gunning Totton & Eling 4-0 at Millers Park.

Sholing striker Dan Mason – an ever-present in the league this season - picked up the supporters’ player-of-the-season award for the second year running. But, for once, the 43-goal hitman was not on the scoresheet.

It was Jamie Bulpitt and Zac Mouland who stole the first-half show, each scoring a goal and providing an assist for the other.

Bulpitt latched onto Mouland’s 15th-minute cut-back and slotted a side-foot finish through the legs of Team Solent’s former Sholing goalkeeper Lee Webber.

On 38 minutes Bulpitt returned the favour, tenaciously stealing possession in midfield and teeing up Mouland to arrow in his 14th goal of the season.

With Team Solent boss James Taylor suspended from all football activities while he awaits a hearing for a misconduct charge, his assistant Mick Marsh – another long-serving Sholing man – took the managerial reins.

The Students came out firing in the second half and made it 2-1 in the 52nd minute when Matt Sheedy capitalised on a rare slip by Boatmen’s centre-back Dan Miller.

Thirteen minutes later it was all square as skipper Tyrell Mitford skipped past the Sholing defence for 2-2.

With the game opening up, it could have gone either way. But it was new boy Norton – on as a 63rd-minute sub for Mouland – who settled matters with an acrobatic finish.

Barry Mason’s corner wasn’t cleared and, as the ball dropped, the former Fareham Town man hooked it goalwards and it bounced with pace past Webber’s despairing dive.

There will be not one but two Wessex golden boot winners gracing next Monday’s cup final.

Baffins’ Ryan Pennery added two more to his collection at Totton & Eling, taking him to 48 for the season.

River Boam, on as a fifth-minute substitute for the injured Tyler Moret, was also on target, along with Josh Maddison.

“We played some sublime football and put our stamp on the game from the start,” purred Baffins boss Louis Bell. “Our front two were unplayable.”

Sholing face two cup finals in the space of three days next week.

Monday's Wessex showpiece is followed by a St Mary's Stadium re-match with holders Team Solent in the Southampton Senior Cup (7.30pm).

Admission at Portchester is £7 adults, £4 concessions.

Admission at St Mary's is £10 adults, £5 concessions. Hospitality is available at £20 per person. Contact Mike Harvey on 07936 398902.