Alan Pook watched his Withdean side complete the first half of a league and cup double and then declared: "Now for the title."

Owen Hill's third minute goal was enough to give Withdean a 1-0 win over Ash United in the Combined Counties League Cup final at a wet and windy Woking last night.

The League title could be secured on Monday if results go Withdean's way this weekend.

Chief executive and joint manager Pook said: "This is the first trophy but it is all about Monday.

"This is a bonus. If Wallingford don't win both their games this weekend we will win the league.

"On Monday we will have more of the eye of the tiger, the bit between the teeth. We are going to Walton Casuals to win the league."

Pook was delighted with the win although he would have liked to have seen Withdean turn their dominance into goals.

He said: "We have dominated the whole of the game and we have won. I have been in cup finals before when we have dominated and lost.

"We have got into the groove in the last three or four weeks of just doing enough and that is what we did tonight.

"If we had scored another three goals you would have said it was an outstanding performance.

"You win 1-0 and a few people say you could have done more but overall I am very happy."

Clay Lamont's back injury ruled him out but Sam Francis, Glen Davies and Ross Standen were all fit to play.

With Shaun Grice and Roy Pook out injured, there was a place in attack for Rod Davies and he was involved in the move which led to the goal on three minutes.

Davies' attempted pass to Francis was cut out but not cleared and Hill fired home a low shot from 18 yards.

Davies could have doubled the lead on ten minutes, making space for himself before drilling a shot over the top.

It was one-way traffic in the first half with Damion Dobbyn and Ollie Rowland going close before a goal-bound header from Francis was superbly kept out by Ash keeper Andy Hunt.

Francis had another great chance on the stroke of half time but he failed to connect with a corner from Chris Dicker which flashed across the face of goal.

Withdean could have had the game wrapped up by half time and they continued to take the contest to Ash after the interval.

Francis was at the heart of most attacks and he went close twice in as many minutes midway through the half.

Nineteen-year-old referee Steven Cook was excellent throughout and he was spot on with the red card for Ash's Matthew Short who brought down Francis when he was clear on goal 17 minutes from time.

From the resultant free-kick Dobbyn's curler hit the underside of the bar with the keeper beaten but Withdean had already done enough.

Meanwhile Eastbourne Borough got their big weekend off to a great start when the reserves beat Loxwood 4-1 at Culver Road to take the Sussex Intermediate Cup.

Steve Dallaway (2), Mark Warren and Bobby Godfrey were on target
Withdean: Standen, J. Bird, Rowland, G. Davies, Pickering, Dicker, Dobbyn (sub Cox 90), Hill, R. Davies (Shepherd 83), Francis, Pulling (D. Bird 88).

Ash: Hunt, Bonner, Johnston (Francis 78), Hanning, Perks (Horton 64), Lay, Wilson, Short, Jopling, Joyce (Scott 82), Peters.

Referee: Steven Cook (Woking). Attendance: 410. Man-of-the-match: Sam Francis