A STUNNING 4-1 victory for Marquis in the Essex Sunday Junior Cup final gave the club their first bit of silverware and brought the dream of a treble a step closer.

The team, formed over a bar stool and a beer just three years ago, dominated from the start with an early goal, followed by a second after just 15 minutes, ensuring the match against Palmers was over as a contest before it had really begun.

A third, off the head of former Colchester United player Jamie Guy, and a sensational fourth from Liam Bailey left the 200 spectators in no doubt who was going to lift the Essex Sunday Junior Cup.

The match, played at The Meadow, the home of Saffron Walden Town, was between the clubs from Colchester and Thurrock, who had seen off more than 100 rivals to make it to the final on Sunday.

Marquis, named after the North Hill pub, started strongly, with man-of-the-match David Lorimer shooting them ahead after three minutes.

A second by Lorimer followed soon after and he almost managed a remarkable first-half hat-trick with an exquisite shot from 22 yards which looked like it would nestle in the corner of the net but instead cannoned back off the foot of the post.

Marquis went into half-time 2-0 up after a one-sided first half.

The quality of Lorimer, Guy, midfielder Stewart Tomkinson, captain Craig Minter and forward Kevin McLeod - who once counted Wayne Rooney as a team-mate - was too much for Palmers.

The second half was much more even, although Marquis soon made it three before a top-corner screamer from Bailey.

Credit to Palmers, though, whose players’ heads never dropped and who were rewarded with a consolation goal from Asa Lawrence, who slotted in the rebound after one of three good saves from keeper Glen Morrison.

Captain Minter put the victory down to teamwork and “having a laugh together”.

After lifting the trophy, to huge cheers from the friends and family who came to support them, he said: “It is a big achievement.

“We are all a bunch of mates playing together and having a laugh.

“We go out together and have a drink and we play together the same way.”

Joint-manager Paul Bugg, who joined the club six months ago, said the team were determined to add the league and a second cup before the end of the season.

He added: “We had too much for them up front and they couldn’t handle it.

“Every time the ball went up there we looked like we were going to score.

“What we have achieved and how they have progressed in the past five or six months is amazing.

“They have come together and they have got such belief.

“We are still fighting on two more fronts but this is special, this is history, this is the county cup.”

Palmers’ boss Lee Thompson said the extra quality, coupled with some early errors, made the difference.

“The better team won and we started really poorly,” he said.

“We were two-down so early and you can’t afford to do that against a team like this with three ex-professionals.

“But it was still a great achievement to get here and a great occasion and great day out.

“This was the pinnacle of a competition which started with more than 100 teams.

“We haven’t had much luck in finals, though. This is our second this year and we lost the first on penalties.”

Lorimer, who added the man-of-the-match to his two-goal tally, explained how much it meant to him and his family to have reached the final and won.

He said: “My dad was watching and he hasn’t been in the best of health lately so I wanted to do if for him, my kids and the missus.

“We wanted it more and this is all we have been talking about.

“We were confident we were the better team.

“At half-time we said it wasn’t over and we needed the third goal and that strike for a fourth - he should have got man of the match just for that.”

Marquis received the trophy and medals following the match, with Palmers’ players staying on to applaud the victors.