REAL Saracens came alive in extra time to beat Hurley 5-2 and win the Slough Town Junior Cup at The Gore last Wednesday evening.

Abdullah ‘the beast’ Hamid awoke from his injury slumber to score a sensational hat-trick in the additional 30-minute period and see his team lift the cup in their first-ever final.

Saracens and Hurley are friendly foes in the East Berkshire Football League and both were making their first appearance in a final.

It was the third time the two sides have met in cup competition this season, with Hurley victorious in both previous knock-out games. However, Real went into the match having won their recent league encounter 5-2.

A minute’s silence was held before kick-off to remember a loss in the family of Steve Barker. It was also an opportunity for both sides to calm their matchday nerves.

Hurley dictated the play early on but spurned good chances to take a deserved lead, and Saracens counter-punched to break the deadlock.

A Faisal Nawaz through ball set up Stephen Brock to poke the ball past the onrushing keeper.

Hurley suffered an unfortunate blow soon after as a smart cross from Real forward David Bingham was inadvertently headed into his own net by Craig Small, who was looking to stop oncoming winger Rushid Hamid from nodding in.

Hurley came out for the second-half and continued their attacking-style of football, more so now having conceded two goals against the run of play before the break.

A Martin Kitley free-kick in the 51st minute beat Saracens captain Josh Terry, and the ball managed to find the back of the net past keeper Junaid Khan.

Hurley kept on pushing forward and, with only seconds left on the clock, a long ball forward by keeper Simon Davies found Gordon Harris, who netted and sent the crowd into a frenzy.

The late equaliser was the least his team deserved as they were the better team over 90 minutes.

Real were desperate for the full-time whistle, but the ensuing 30 minutes were to be a complete reversal of the earlier preceding.

Hamid only returned from a hamstring injury weeks earlier and, when a Tony Cicero corner was flicked on by Mohammed Kasim, he was on hand close to the penalty spot to volley home.

Hurley appeared deflated after the goal and things got worse for them as Hamid skipped past one player and held off another before picking his spot with a right-footed shot into the top corner, leaving the keeper with no chance.

Moments later Hamid completed his hat-trick and secured Saracens the Junior Cup. A through ball by Bingham allowed the star man to neatly round the keeper and finish into an empty net.

If the match had finished in normal time, the man-of-the-match accolade would have gone to either Bingham or Danish Tariq, but Hamid took control of the game in extra time and sealed the victory for his team.