Windscale came home with the Alan Hood Charity Cup when they travelled across to contest the final against Richmond Town.
The final, traditionally held at one of the competing teams home grounds, was staged on the artificial surface of Richmond’s Dave Clark Arena and Windscale emerged the 3-2 winners.
Windscale had the better of the early stages, knocking the ball around and probing for opportunities.
Will Rooke, who recently returned from a period of injury, was causing some problems for the Richmond defence and after a number of robust tackles was forced to leave the field 18 minutes into the game to be replaced by Rhys Singleton.
The Atoms took the lead four minutes later with a well-worked goal. Matt Metcalf picked out Lewis Jolly wide with a peach of a pass and he rounded his man before cutting the ball back from the goal line to Matty Pierce who slotted the ball beyond Richmond keeper Harry Dowding.
Richmond levelled five minutes later. Following the failure to clear a ball delivered into the Windscale penalty area, the loose ball was snapped up and hammered into the back of the Windscale net.
Undeterred the Atoms regained the initiative four minutes later with an own goal.
Reece Fretwell sent a long ball forward which was being chased down by Jolly but panic set in with the Richmond defence and a header back to his keeper by the Richmond centre back cleared Dowding advancing from his goal with the ball eventually nestling in his net.
The outcome saved Anthony Duffy, the match official, a difficult decision as Jolly was brought down advancing on goal.
Richmond continued to employ their usual tactic of using the pace of their wide men to get behind the Atoms backline. Lee Jolly, the Windscale custodian, was called on twice to retain the Atoms 2-1 advantage at half-time.
Windscale almost increased their lead from a corner in the first minute of the second period, but the resulting header from Metcalf was narrowly over the bar.
Dowding saved Richmond from going further behind on the hour mark. Jolly was sent clean through one on one with the keeper who made a great save darting from his goal to take the ball off Jolly’s toe.
The Atoms eventually increased their lead in the 65th minute. From a corner the ball picked out Singleton ten yards beyond the far post, and after bringing the ball under control he clipped it back across goal beyond the keeper into the far corner for 3-1.
Manager Stephen Fawcett made a few changes, putting on some fresh legs to retain the lead. Andrew Begbie replaced Fretwell, Ray Sempill came on for Pierce and Jolly was substituted by Jack Wordsworth.
Begbie was called upon shortly after entering the field to break up Richmond attacks with two solid challenges while the home side, desperate to get back in the game, were guilty of straying into offside positions as time ebbed away.
They created a good chance at the back post, but fortunately for the Atoms the resultant header finished in the side netting.
With two minutes to go a Wordsworth strike from the edge of the box would have sealed things for Windscale, but the ball shaved the outside of the post.
With a minute of normal time left, Richmond were given a lifeline, when the ball was scrambled home from a melee of players.
Despite this the Atoms comfortably saw out the five minutes of additional time to leave them the winners.
In what can be described a physical encounter, the match referee Anthony Duffy can take great credit for the way he managed the game, keeping play flowing at every opportunity.
It was a well-deserved win for the Atoms and their band of travelling supporters.
The trophy was presented to joint captains Matt Metcalf and Reece Fretwell by Wearside League Chairman Peter McQuire.
