FECKENHAM may have finished with the losers' medals but the champagne corks were still popping in the Millers' dressing room at the end of the Challenge Cup final.

"We took 10 bottles with us and what wasn't drunk ended up sprayed around the dressing room," said manager Lee Adams.

Feckenham were edged out 3-2 in an enthralling final but Adams was still full of praise for his players.

"They worked hard and we had enough chances to have won the game," he added.

"Their keeper pulled off some good saves and we maybe should have done better with one or two other chances."

Sphinx were under early pressure but bounced back to take the lead on 19 minutes when, from a corner, Wayne Pulford's cheeky back-heel rolled past wrong-footed Feckenham keeper Dave Gorton.

Millers striker Brian Powell was twice denied by Ian Brookes in the Sphinx goal before Aaron Barnett sent a header soaring over the crossbar from close range.

The pressure finally told on 31 minutes when Ryan Field latched on to a Mark Algar pass before steering his shot beyond Brookes.

But the celebrations were cut short when Paul Woods bundled home a second for the Coventry side three minutes later before the influential Jamie Towers made it 3-1 on the hour.

Powell finally found the net five minutes later, lashing home the loose ball after a rare mistake by the Sphinx keeper, but Adams' side failed to find the equaliser despite laying siege for the final minutes.

Substitute Jamie Hands went closest to forcing the final into extra time but he prodded the ball agonisingly wide in the final minute.

Feckenham: Gorton, Dankenbring, Davis, Algar (Hands 74), Leggatt, Douglas, Barnett, Field, Ferguson, Powell, Harris. Subs (not used): Hayden, Cook.