MARK Travers proved to be the hero at both ends of the pitch as Cherries snatched the Hampshire Senior Cup from Eastleigh in dramatic fashion.

Goals from Abdulai Baggie and Ben Scorey, either side of a Gavin Kilkenny free-kick, looked to have done enough to secure the trophy for the Spitfires at Snows Stadium in Totton.

However, goalkeeper Travers, who had earlier saved a penalty from Dan Smith, came up for a last-gasp corner and incredibly powered home a header to level the game at 2-2 and send it to spot-kicks.

The Maynooth-born star was not done there, making a save in the shootout to deny Dan Bradshaw, while Keelan O'Connell, Kilkenny, Jaidon Anthony, Brooklyn Genesini and Corey Jordan all made no mistake to secure a 5-3 shootout success.

It is the third time in Cherries' history they have won this trophy, the most recent coming in 1989.

Cherries began their route to this delayed 2019-20 final 596 days ago. Among the line-up for the 8-0 win over Basingstoke Town at Vitality Stadium were Simon Francis, Lloyd Kelly and Alex Dobre in September 2019.

Further wins over Farnborough, Sholing and Moneyfields followed in the subsequent in the 20 months, with the likes of Jordon Ibe, Jake Scrimshaw and Harvey Bertrand among the scorers in those victories.

Eastleigh booked their spot in the final by defeating Southampton's B team and they quickly got the lead over Cherries' second string too.

Tom Bearwish delivered for Baggie to nod in at the back post.

Cherries looked for the quick reply with O'Connell denied by a smart Ross Flitney save.

And the scores were levelled just past the half-hour mark in impressive fashion, as Kilkenny curled in a 25-yard free-kick.

Eastleigh had the chance to instantly get their noses back in front after Lewis Beale was brought down in the penalty area.

Up stepped Smith, but his resulting spot-kick was saved by Travers.

However, the Spitfires were back in front early in the second period as Scorey fired into the bottom corner.

Anthony and substitute Ryan Glover both went close as Cherries sought an equaliser.

And then, with just moments to play, Cherries won a corner which was amazingly headed home by goalkeeper Travers to send the game to a shootout.

Now guarding the goal he had just scored in moments earlier, the 21-year-old was again the hero.

After O'Connell had put Cherries ahead, Travers dived to his right to tip away from Bradshaw's opening effort.

All the remaining penalties were scored with Kilkenny, Anthony and Genesini on target for Cherries, while Bearwish, Smith and Callum Baughan fired home for Eastleigh, before Jordan stroked home the winning effort.

Cherries: Travers, Genesini, Gillela, Jordan, Greenwood, Zemura, Nippard, Kilkenny, O'Connell, Anthony, Saydee.

Subs: Burgess, Mohamed, Glover, Adams, Besant.

Eastleigh: Flitney, Baughan, Bragg, Scorey, Torniainen, Blair, Bradshaw, Bearwish, Baggie, Smith, Beale.

Subs: Philpott, Willcox, Kamdem-Fotso, Feltham, Taylor.