Pickering Town had the assistant referee to thank after a late offside decision secured their York FA Junior Minor cup final win over Thorpe United in a finals day at Bootham Crescent.

The eagle-eyed official denied Thorpe a late chance to equalise and the score ended 3-2 to the Pikes.

Pickering dangerman Joshua Freer headed them ahead in the second half before Matty Pearse retaliated for Thorpe in a scramble to restore parity.

Sam Leng regained Pickering's lead with a 35-yard dipping shot and within two minutes Stephen Stead made it 3-1. Thorpe remained resolute, though, and man of the match Pearse headed a second to set up a grandstand finish with Pickering holding out for the win.

Poor finishing by both teams sent the York FA Saturday Senior Cup final between Malton Bacon Factory and Haxby United into extra time.

Premier boys Bacon Factory were stunned by a change of pace in the extra period and it was division one Haxby that took the lead when Mark Scoreby unleashed a shot from the edge of the penalty area.

The lead was doubled when substitute Rich Iggulden followed in a David Cruddas rebound off a post with his first touch.

Scoreby and Iggulden then both struck again to wrap up the win 4-0, which was soured slightly by the late dismissal of Cruddas.

Updated: 09:25 Friday, May 14, 2004