A HAT TRICK from striker Greg Cooke put Hepworth United on their way to success as they beat YMCA 4-2 in the Yorkshire Building Society Huddersfield Minor FA Under 15 Cup final.

The teams served up an entertaining final at Storthes Hall, but it was Hepworth who started the brighter of the two sides.

YMCA, who had only lost once before in the season, struggled throughout to gain control of the game and the pace of the lively Hepworth attack posed them problems.

On 16 minutes Hepworth took the lead when a ball crossed from the left was neatly turned in by Cooke.

This sparked the newly-crowned RCD League champions YMCA into action, creating a number of chances, one of which resulted in a dramatic goal-line clearance from Hepworth centre back and captain Jack Bradley.

On 31 minutes the Hepworth defence was finally breached when a through ball put Ronnie Roberts in and he slid the ball past goalkeeper Joel Barker.

The response from Hepworth was swift and within two minutes a free kick into the box was controlled neatly by Angus Maney who laid the ball off to Cooke who scored from close range.

Hepworth then doubled their lead on 38 minutes when left winger George Oakley crossed for right winger Elliott Seaton to race in front of YMCA defender Harry Dawson and keeper Jamie Burnard to guide the ball into the net.

Hepworth took their 3-1 lead into half-time, but YMCA started the second half with all guns blazing and forced the Hepworth goalkeeper Joel Barker into a fine one handed save.

YMCA kept pushing forward but they were coming up against a determined and resolute Hepworth defence.

After weathering the early YMCA onslaught, the Hepworth midfield regained control of the contest and on 73 minutes United broke down the right, where the cross was perfectly delivered to be met by Cooke who completed his hat trick – topping off a performance that earned him the man of the match award.

At three goals down the YMCA response was swift and within a minute the Hepworth defence failed to clear the ball which broke to an unmarked YMCA striker Jake Robshaw who hit an unstoppable shot into the top right hand corner of the Hepworth net.

YMCA changed formation and pushed forward in numbers leaving gaps which created a number of chances for Hepworth.

After one of the best passing moves of the day Sam Proud found himself clear on the edge of the penalty area and he should have made it five for United but he blazed his shot over the bar.