BUDDING actor Peter Quinn is used to his storylines but he certainly didn’t read the script here.

The scene was set for Islington to lift the cup and seal a memorable double having already won the Division Two title – afterall, they had finished more than 20 points ahead of Clifton in the league.

Quinn, manager of Clifton, was no more than an extra in this football drama – a role he is more than used to playing in his TV and film appearances (he was a referee in The Damned United).

Instead, the starring role went to Arran Davis with eye-catching supp-orting coming from keeper Lee Jones, striker Dean Lord and captain Liam Lacey.

The latter two may have got the all impor-tant goals but the story-line all centred around Davis in the heart of the Clifton midfield.

After a slow start, Davis produced a near faultless display along-side his all-action skip-per Lacey in the Clifton midfield engine room.

His passing and vision was a cut above the rest and, like all good footba-llers, he did the simple things well – often the hardest thing to do.

Despite dominating the league, it was a nerve start for Islington while Clifton adopted a nothing-to-lose attitude.

But Islington should have opened the scoring when Gordan McKay ran in from the halfway line but pulled his shot wide.

Davis was now begin-ning to pull the strings and he was involved in the opening goal.

Ryan Hughes was also involved, feeding Dave Bell whose cross was headed back by Isling-ton defender Leon Livesey towards his keeper only for Lord to anticipate the situation and poke the ball home.

The champions tried to respond with skipper Michael Dilworth test-ing Jones from range.

But Clifton captain Lacey doubled the lead for the underdogs racing clear and blast-ing his shot beyond Ian Hargreaves after a nice lay off by Nathan Davis.

Islington upped their game after the break and John Fairbrother fired just wide and McKay cleared the bar with a dipping volley.

Jones then produced a fine point blank save to deny the same player.

But from the resulting corner, Islington pulled one back when Jones fumbled Fairbrother’s centre and Barry Live-sey poked the ball home from close range.

Islington now had a foothold in the game and Jones pulled off another fine save to deny Mark Thomas while McKay headed against the bar from another Fairbrother corner.

But the Clifton rear-guard stood firm and while the game finished at a frantic old pace, Davis still found time to boot his foot on the ball and do the simple things well.

As for Quinn, he was more than happy just to be an extra