Love match! Melton RFC's Matt Cox lifts the Senior County Cup before proposing to his girlfriend

Sam Badham’s last-gasp try saw Melton retain the trophy they won for the first time last year in dramatic fashion.

But Cox, 26, ensured it was to be a double celebration after calling girlfriend Beth Pick from the Welford Road stands and asking for her hand in marriage, proposing with a ring he had smuggled into his sock at the final whistle.

“It was just a surreal experience. I’ve never had a night like that before,” said Cox, after 27-year-old Beth said yes.

“To win the game in the last couple of seconds was a great feeling, but getting down on one knee is special at any time.

“It was great to celebrate that moment with family, friends and the lads.”

Cox, who kicked the winning penalty as Melton defeated Hinckley in the final last year to win the trophy for the first time, had kept his plans under wraps because he didn’t want to take his teammates’ minds off the big game against rivals Syston.

“Nobody had any idea I was going to do it, our main focus was winning the game,” he added.

“I didn’t want to distract the lads.

“It was only when we went up to get the trophy I let them know it was going to happen.”

And with the team already in buoyant mood, it was time for Cox’s big moment.

“I think Beth was shocked. She didn’t expect it,” he told The Times.

“I don’t think she knew what was going on when I called her out from the stands.

“She’s normally a shy character, so for me to do that in front of everyone surprised her.”

But after back-to-back cup wins and a proposal to savour, does Cox now have to go even better and make it a hat-trick of cup wins and an even more memorable wedding day?

“Yeah, no pressure,” he joked.