Gorleston became Norfolk Senior Cup winners for the second time in three years with a 3-0 victory over Dereham Town at Carrow Road on Thursday evening. 

In a closely fought encounter for extensive periods, Gorleston were clinical and capitalised on Dereham's errors to run out comfortable winners. 

The Magpies started brightly with Kai Thurston's drive into the box before cutting the ball back to Matt Blake, but the striker, at full stretch, was unable to connect properly and missed the target. 

Both sides squandered half chances in the first half, with Luke Johnson and Connor Ingram both going close for their respective sides. 

Gorleston took the lead on the stroke of half-time when Ross Bilham failed to catch a corner. A host of Dereham bodies blocked the rebound before the ball fell kindly to midfielder Connor Deeks to convert from close range. 

Dereham were forced to chase the game after the break, with Gorleston a constant threat on the break. Former Magpies midfielder Jacek Zielonka crashed the bar from an acute angle on 47 minutes. 

Louis Henman-Mason then squandered a massive opportunity four minutes later. The midfielder exchanged passes with Blake but was unable to find the target with his effort from eight yards. 

The contrast in the team's efforts in the final third were graphically illustrated when the experienced Craig Parker beautifully found the bottom corner after impressive work from Ingram on the counter. 

Perhaps the defining moment of the contest came on 73 minutes when Luke Johnson was sent in behind and beat Jake Jessup with his low effort, only for the post to come to Gorleston's rescue. 

Just a minute later, Gorleston launched a counter attack with striker Nathan Stewart dispatching low past Bilham to secure the trophy for Gorleston. 

The trophy caps off a fine end to the season for the Greens, who ended their Isthmian League campaign strongly to finish in midtable. 

"We're over the moon. To get your hands on it is an unbelievable feeling, especially to do it here," Gorleston manager Darren Cockerill said.

"I don't think the lads were particularly great, to be honest, but that is by the by now. We're going to go and have a few beers to celebrate. I'm over the moon."

Olly Willis added: "It's a great experience. The biggest bit today was that I didn't think we were brilliant, but we've won comfortably in the end.

"We've had a tough season, first half of the season we were travelling everyone and seeing a lot of goals but not scoring many and travelling back.

"In the second half of the season we've put something together that is really special. It's finished today with an amazing evening where we have all won together. We will enjoy tonight." 

- Dereham Town: Bilham; Greenslade, Yun, Black (C), White (Lott, 69); Henman-Mason (Winterbone, 69), Gascoigne; Johnson, Thurston, Swift; Blake. Subs: Marshall, Mattocks, Skinner

Bookings: White 37, Swift 57

- Gorleston: Jessup, Mackie, Tann, Keys, K Ingram, Deeks, C Ingram (McKay, 89), Stewart, Docherty, Zielonka (Gilfedder, 80), Parker (Sweeney, 72). Subs: Hall, Goreham

Goals: Deeks 42, Parker 63, Stewart 75

Bookings: Tann 50

Referee: Mr B Green

Attendance: 1,382