Toros 4 Dore Valley 2.

MARKSMAN Craig Forsyth fired in a hat-trick as Toros lifted the Hereford Times Herefordshire Football League FW Peterson Cup after an action-packed final at Broomy Hill.

Toros let slip a two-goal advantage in atrocious weather conditions before clinching their maiden trophy in their first season with two late strikes last Saturday.

Forsyth scored twice in the opening 24 minutes but Toros' lead was cancelled out by Dore's Alan Glover, who bagged a brace.

Forsyth restored Toros' advantage in the 73rd minute before captain Chris James sealed their triumph with a fourth goal.

Despite playing into the driving wind and rain in the first half, Dore made a bright start.

Damon Hollingshead, Matt Preece, Steven Goodwin and Marc Metcalfe all tried their luck for the villagers with shots from distance.

But Toros gradually gained control in the battle of the Division 3 clubs and took the lead in the 19th minute shortly after Chaz Jones had sent a free-kick narrowly wide.

Forsyth seized upon a long ball from Matt Davies and held off the challenge of a Dore defender to place an angled drive beyond Paul Chubb.

The former Painters striker doubled Toros' advantage in the 24th minute with a bizarre, wind-assisted goal.

The forward's left-wing corner into the six-yard box caught the swirling wind which swept the ball backwards and underneath the bar despite the efforts of Chubb.

Dore reduced the deficit with a breakaway goal in the 38th minute after a pinpoint cross from Scott Harris was tapped in by Glover.

Toros almost restored their two-goal cushion on the stroke of half-time when Matt Davies headed a corner goal-wards but Metcalfe cleared the ball off the line.

Dore countered at pace after the narrow escape and Preece jinked his way past several challenges before striking the outside of the left-hand post.

Dore had more of the play in the second period, with the wind at their backs, and deservedly equalised in the 69th minute when Glover headed in a free-kick.

The villagers continued to attack and almost took the lead in the 71st minute through Glover's close-range drive which was superbly tipped over by Jamie Bake.

The save proved crucial because Toros regained the lead two minutes later when Forsyth ran on to Matt Roberts' through-ball and planted his shot between Chubb's legs.

But Dore showed tremendous spirit and came agonisingly close to equalising for a second time in the 81st minute.

Glover found space inside the Toros box and flicked the ball past Bake only for Matt Weaver to race back and hook the ball off the line with a sliding clearance.

The villagers pressed forward with hopes of taking the entertaining match into extra-time but Toros put the result beyond doubt in the 90th minute.

A Matt Roberts free-kick evaded the Valley defence and the unmarked James coolly slotted the ball home from close-range.

The victory also completed a memorable treble for James who has won the FW Peterson Cup for the past three years, each time with a different club.

Inside verdict.

TOROS' hat-trick hero Craig Forsyth said: "We were all excited from the start and I am delighted to have scored three goals. This was my first final - so it's a great feeling to have won it. The only disappointment was that I forgot to grab the match ball."

Talking about his second goal, Forsyth said: "The players were all screaming at me to watch the wind. I took the corner and I think the wind did the rest."

DORE Valley's two-goal midfielder Alan Glover said: "I could have got three or possibly four goals but it was not my day. The wind died down a bit in the second half but that's what happens sometimes. I thought we put up a good effort in difficult conditions but it wasn't quite good enough."