Manager Scott Porter was left to rue a couple of mistakes as Hollands & Blair surrendered a goal advantage against Sheppey in the Kent Senior Trophy.

Sheppey fought back from a goal down to win Sunday’s final 2-1.

• Report: Sheppey 2 Hollands & Blair 1

Reacting to the defeat, Porter said: “We knew it was going to be hard, we knew they liked possession football, we knew we had to be at the races and I thought we were. We worked hard, but two mistakes cost us two goals.

“A free-kick could have been dealt with (to make it 1-1) and Stephen Smith has lost the ball on the halfway line and put it back in the 18-yard box for them to go on the attack (making it 2-1).

“Two mistakes has cost us. At this level, in big games, you get punished for it and we did. We had enough chances, especially 1-0 up (to extend the lead), in and around the box, but fitness showed a bit as well. I had a couple of players on the pitch who hadn’t featured for a little while, coming back from injury, maybe it took its toll.

“But I can’t fault the lads, look where they were when I took over, to get to a cup final they are hugely disappointed (to have lost) and it just shows how far we have come.”

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Porter has been in charge for five months and taken the side from a potential relegation battle to the comforts of mid-table. They sit ninth in the Southern Counties East Premier Division table.

He said: “Their manager said to one of our players that it was the toughest game they had all season and so that shows how we have done but it doesn’t pick the trophy up for us. It’s disappointing not to have won but I am immensely proud of the boys, it was just a bit too far really.

“These are the days we want to be involved in next season. Hopefully it will be in an experience for them but two mistakes have cost us. They didn’t really open as much like I thought they would do and maybe like they thought they would do as well. We defended well.”

Blair had their substitute Ricky Freeman sent off after making a comment from the bench and Luke Exall red carded after a couple of fouls in the second half. There were other stoppages for incidents, including a moment when Blair’s Ben Brown claimed to have been bitten by opposing player Dan Birch. The Sheppey player was cautioned by referee Richard Joss but later sent off after picking up a second yellow for a foul.

Porter wasn’t impressed with the man in the middle, saying: “He wasn’t strong, let’s be honest, I have known the bloke for 20 years and it was too big a game for him, no respect for players, nothing, there was not a sending off on that pitch, he is not good enough at this level, simple as that.”