Katikati cap off sensational season | Bay of Plenty Sport | Surfing, Rugby, Soccer, Football, Cricket in Bay of Plenty

He can find the back of a net and is a creative maestro with an eye for the half-gap, his uncanny strength on the ball frustrating better teams than Edgecumbe's Plains Rangers this season.

But, more important than any of his deeds in Saturday's CNS Clinic Cup final, news 38-year-old striker Aaron Searle will be sticking around for a season or two yet is sure to be music to Katikati's ears.

Quaffers Katikati United capped an incredible season of football in front of a raucous Links Ave crowd by defending the CNS Cup 4-1 over Rangers, giving the burgeoning club the double after they wrapped up the Bay 1 league with three games to spare.

Katikati had many heroes on Saturday - 40-something player-coach Nic Millichip up front, Troy Stollery on the left and a bustling Jimmy Cousins at the back.

But the welcome Searle got as he walked around the ground after being substituted midway through the second half, climbing into the grandstand in search of a cigarette and soothing ale, said it all.

Searle has been around a bit, born-and-bred in Kawerau and involved in the town's club during its halcyon days when it was coached by Eddie Edge and was a presence in the Northern League.

A former national agegroup trialist, he moved to Katikati five years ago, training with the-then fledging football club before surgery to realign his left knee.

He battles pain but his class is obvious. After lifting the silverware again on Saturday, Searle said there's no way he can quit, especially with Katikati set to jump up to the Waikato-Bay of Plenty league.

"I'm not going anywhere, at least if I can stay fit. I've played the last two seasons for Katikati and I'd love to go through with the boys. It'll be a jump in class but we'll be up to it.

"Quite a few of them wanted to do it last year but I'm glad wiser heads prevailed. It was better to stay in Bay 1 and win the league, cementing our spot there and taking the double. Another year of growth as a club hasn't done us any harm."

Searle netted for Katikati in 20th minute, his dipping freekick from just outside the penalty area fumbled by Rangers 'keeper John Noblett, who had a day that would warrant close inspection from the ICC if he were a Pakistani cricketer, spilling nearly everything that came his way.

Noblett dodged a red card (getting a caution) in the 22nd minute when he sent Stollery crashing to the ground, although slightly redeemed himself when he saved Stollery's weak penalty.

Plains Rangers were poor, giving Katikati too much time and space, and, by the time United had forged to 2-0 late in the first half, it was an open and shut case of "how many".

In Jeremy Hawkes, Edgecumbe had a player of quality, with the central defender a tower for his side at the back, putting out as many attacking fires (and there were plenty) as he could, almost singlehandedly.

Rangers skipper Christian Welting, who steered the ball into his own net from a corner late in the first half to double Katikati's lead, paid tribute to the best side in the league.

"We weren't allowed to play today, which is half the battle. They came at us from the start and obviously were intent on attacking and scoring goals, pushing through in numbers when they've got possession."

Millichip made it 3-0 early in the second half with a left-footed screamer after a superb interchange of passes before Dane Stollery added another from the penalty spot after a handball.

Searle, who tried coaching but gave up in frustration when the lure of game day proved too much, agreed their plan of knocking the ball around to negate the gusting wind and uneven surface worked to perfection.

"Getting good touches in early and holding onto the ball created pressure and also steadied us as a team. If you don't get the feel of the ball early then young guys' heads can drop and it becames hard work."

The club needed to work hard to build an even bigger player base for next year, he said.

"It's taken a while to get where we are but winning breeds a good mentality and, as you can see from the crowd here today, people are backing us."

Taupo won the CNS Bowl final 1-0 win over Whakatane.

Scorers: Quaffers Katikati United 4 (Aaron Searle 20, og 34, Nic Millichip 49, Dane Stollery 64) Plains Rangers (James Krause 74). Halftime: 2-0.