Louis Bell salutes Moneyfields’ ‘spirit’ after dramatic Portsmouth Senior Cup final shoot-out win against Baffins Milton Rovers

Bell and Louis Savage guided Moneys to cup glory at Fratton Park after being tasked with taking charge for the outstanding games the club had in the delayed 2019-20 competition.

Moneyfields kept their cool to triumph 6-5 on penalties last night after the final had ended 1-1 in normal time, with Tommy Scutt's last-gasp spot-kick cancelling out Steve Hutchings' first half opener.

Bell and Savage took Moneys past Fareham Town in the semi-finals before they overcame Baffins in a tense final to retain the silverware while incoming manager Glenn Turnbull saw out the season with US Portsmouth.

Former Baffins boss Bell admitted it was a difficult task just putting a team together for the two matches with a large number of players following Dave Carter to AFC Portchester.

But Bell praised those who returned to Moneyfields and helped the club retain the trophy.

He said: 'Me and Louis didn't really have a lot of time to get this together but we managed to get it together.

'It's down to the spirit of the players. Everyone at the end running up and cuddling you.

'Tyler Giddings had me in his clench and I could hear his heart beating when Marley Ridge took his (winning) penalty. Things like that will always stick with you.

'The guts that the players show and they play for you; me and Louis have always been able to do that - get players to play for you.'

Despite signing for AFC Portchester, Conor Bailey, Joe Briggs, Tyler Giddings, Curt Da Costa, Connor Hoare and Ridge all returned to play for Moneys in the final.

Meanwhile, goalkeeper Steve Mowthorpe, Kaleem Haitham and Ed Sanders offered a helping hand as they are dual-signed from Chichester City.

Bell added: 'The team got stripped but Connor Hoare, Joe Briggs, Curt Da Costa - I can't speak highly enough of the boys - Conor Bailey and Steve Mowthorpe.

'They've been coming training and it's been difficult. I know most of the boys have signed for Portchester.

'Marley played tonight and he was outstanding.

'I'm just so pleased for everybody at the club. (Chairman) Pete Seiden has took this job on as chairman and it's a thankless task - especially with the ground work going on at the moment.'