THE Tyro Southampton Junior Football League final cancelled because the teams asked for a new date on which to play the showpiece occasion has been saved.

The Daily Echo revealed yesterday that Bishop's Waltham had received a letter from the Tyro League telling them their Trophyman Under-15 final against Netley scheduled for May 1 at Stoneham Lane had been called off.

That was because Waltham and Netley had asked for a new date due to the fact Waltham had pre-booked a football tour for that date.

The Tyro League claimed that they would have set a precedent if they had sanctioned a switch.

But the Daily Echo and Trophyman have helped ensure there WILL be a final after all.

Waltham boss Dave Emmence and Netley counterpart Tim Middleton have agreed to stage a 'consolation' cup final at a venue to be decided on Wednesday, April 27.

Emmence has already been told that Nick Holmes - a good friend of ex-Saints colleague Peter Osgood, whose son Darren plays for Waltham - has offered them the use of Salisbury City's ground, but talks are ongoing to see if a more local venue could be obtained.

The Daily Echo contacted Trophyman shop owner David Creeden to see if he would be still be prepared to donate the cup he would have given to the May 1 final winners, just present it four days earlier.

"I'm more than happy to do that," he told the Echo.

"Local football has been good to me and I don't want the kids to suffer."They have worked their socks off to reach a cup final on merit and the poor lads, through no fault of their own, have been made to suffer."

Not only will Creeden donate a cup and medals for both teams - as he would have done had the May 1 final not been cancelled - but the winners will also get to keep the 'consolation' cup permanently.

Emmence, on being told the news, said: "That's excellent - the lads will be delighted.

"Myself and Tim took a couple of minutes to come up with an alternative date - I don't know why the Tyro League couldn't do that.

"They talk about setting precedents but everyone at the recent section meeting at St Mary's told them this was a one-off and should be treated as such.

"I'm just happy the kids will get to play a game after all, and my thanks go to Trophyman for their gesture.

"I'm determined to make sure the final is a great occasion for both teams - much better than it would have been if we'd just played on the date the Tyro wanted us to play."

Emmence admitted that with the benefit of hindsight, the team wouldn't have pre-booked a tour. But he said: "We've gone through the entire Tyro League and never got within sight of a cup final.

"We've always had the potential but it's only this season, as the lads can see their final chance slipping away, that we've started to realise that potential.

"And as a result it's caused all sorts of problems!"