WATCH: North lift GFA Cup to finish season on a high

Smith’s goal, latching on to a stray header from a free-kick on the left-hand corner of the penalty area and, as Rovers were slow to close him down, curling a shot precisely into the top right-hand corner of the net, was a fitting end to a game which, bar the first 20 minutes, the light blues dominated.

They had fallen behind in just the third minute, Colton Fletcher set Max Simpson-Cohen away down the left flank, he beat Tom De La Mare, filling in at right back, and fired in a low cross which was forced home by Sam Hall at the back post.

A perfect start for Rovers and almost doubled within six minutes, when Fin Whitmore set off on a barnstorming run and pulled the trigger early, only to see his shot bounce off Josh Addison’s crossbar.

De La Mare hoofed away a deflected effort from Whitmore in front of his diving goalkeeper and it was all Rovers. North even looked vulnerable when Adam Bullock’s booming goal kicks caught the wind at Blanche Pierre Lane.

The chocolate-and-blues started to settle but did not really threaten.

Watch the goals from the 2022 Guernsey FA Cup final:

Sam Murray had a close-range header after Bullock punched a corner weakly but the ball fell back in the keeper’s arms, but then, with the last kick of the first half, the striker, captain for the day in the absence of River Marsh, slid in at the back post on Luke Mollet’s low cross.

It all felt rather deja vu for those who witnessed the Stranger Cup semi-final between these two teams at the same venue, which saw a bright Rovers start neutralised by North with a goal at the break and the Grand Fort Road outfit going on to win.

Immediately after the restart Archie Drillot, who impressed as a stand-in centre-back, seemed rather surprised when a long Mollet free-kick reached him in the six-yard box. Bullock flew across his goal to save the header and few on the pitch seemed to appreciate what a great chance it was.

Would the miss be crucial? Not so.

North had plenty more possession, territory and chances before they finally broke the deadlock on 62min.

With Rovers once again struggling to find their way through a sky-blue wall in midfield, Smith fed Murray wide right, who played the ball into Mollet. Rovers dashed to close down a shot but the midfielder slipped the ball to a waiting George McNeela outside him, who had no trouble finding the net from eight yards.

Whitmore, who had faded out of the game, demonstrated some fight when he barrelled on to a long ball over the top but he hit the side netting, before Smith made the game safe on 71.

North were now comfortable at the back, dominant in the middle of the park and always threatening up top.

Rovers rang the attacking changes but it made little difference.

Dale Webb fired over a low cross but nobody was there to convert with five minutes left, and by the time Addison saved from Martin Savident, we were into added time with no way back for Rovers, who remain the only senior club never to have won the FA Cup.

Bullock stopped Murray making it four on the charge and seconds later the final whistle sounded.