(after extra-time) It wasn't supposed to be this difficult.

The outcome was preordained. FA Cup champions Boulevard would waltz into National Stadium, swiftly push aside upstarts Wolves and move onto the real event...the after party.

Yet, somewhere along the way the script was changed as the veteran Blazers instead found themselves pushed to the limit by the fearless young warriors of Hermitage Road.

Boulevard eventually emerged 3-2 winners for a second consecutive final triumph, but first-timers Wolves served notice as a team not merely for the future, but of the present.

It took an extra-time winner by Rodney Bascome to settle the affair before a vociferous crowd of more than 2,000. That after John Barry Nusum forced the extra period through a 90th minute equaliser.

Boulevard began the match with the advantage of a strong tailwind and gradually assumed control.

Midfielder Donnie Charles launched efforts in the 12th and 13th minutes that were each gathered by goalkeeper Hewvonnie Brown. Then in the 22nd minute former Wolves striker Kenny Hill blasted over from just seven yards.

At the other end Wolves' lanky striker Khari Sharrieff -- a constant menace with his unorthodox moves and sometimes rough-house tactics -- forced a diving save from Mitchell Steede after he burst through the defence.

A minute later, though, Sharrieff contributed to his team's surrendering the first goal. Dean Boyles robbed Sharrieff near the halfway line and crossed to an unmarked Hill at the edge of the penalty area who flashed past one defender before firing an angled blast inside the left upright.

Still, Wolves did not buckle.

The wind at their backs for the second half Wolves began with Sharrieff again weaving his way by defenders before slipping the ball inside for Joey Rego to unleash a goal-bound shot that was blocked by Stevens.

However, matters turned decidedly in favour of Boulevard in the 60th minute when they were awarded a penalty after Tauranno Trott brought down a rampaging Hill.

Boyles duly smashed the spot kick into the right corner sending Brown the wrong way.

Surely this was it. Wolves were dead, their fairytale ride over.

Not quite.

After Sharrieff had glanced a header inches wide and put another effort just over, Wolves finally caught a break when referee Cal Simons awarded them a penalty in the 74th minute as Charles infringed upon Nusum while battling for a loose ball.

Sharrieff made no mistake with his kick, finding the low left corner.

Inspired by the goal, Wolves pressed forward in droves and for the first time Boulevard looked genuinely rattled.

Nusum emphasised the point when he latched onto a through ball on the left, ghosted past last man Stevens and showed class in his finish, squeezing his shot past Steede at the near post.

Nevertheless, the challengers were finally laid to rest by Bascome 14 minutes into extra-time when he side-footed home from close range after substitute Stevie Wade found him unmarked inside the six-yard box with a pinpoint cross from the right.

Aware that his side had dodged a bullet, Boulevard's coach Donnie Hill saluted their opponents, as well as his own charges.

"We expected them to come at us (because) they had nothing to lose. We had the cup and they made us defend with everything we had,'' said Hill. "In the end it worked out for Boulevard but Wolves made a great game of it and deserve full credit. They played well.'' Meanwhile, a disappointed Dennis Brown took the defeat in stride, noting it as a learning experience while promising a return.

"I think we can take a lot of positive things from this match,'' said Brown, ending his first season at the helm. "Like I tell everybody, `You can guarantee that we will be back between the next two years if we stick together as a unit.

"I've told them that there's no reason why we can't dominate `The Carpet' like Boulevard have done the last couple of years.

"Nobody was a loser today on the field and it was a very entertaining game for the crowd as well.

"What happened out there was what competition's all about. Not everything is going to be given to you, sometimes you have to really dig down deep and fight for what you want and I think we showed a lot of character, we were just unfortunate at the end.'' Boulevard: M.Steede; A.Caisey, L.Stevens, H.Bascome, D.Boyles; L.Hypolite, N.Robinson (V.Eve 103 mins), D.Charles, D.Warren; K.Hill (S.Wade 70 mins), R.Bascome (A.Brown 114 mins).

Wolves: H.Brown; T.Trott (T.Davis 68 mins), L.Simmons, K.Douglas, J.Rego; J.Wilkinson, M.Dill, J.B.Nusum; K.Sharrieff, N.Webb (R.Nesbitt 101 mins), C.Hill (R.Peniston 66 mins).

Referee: Cal Simons.

Men of the match: Dean Boyles (Boulevard), Kirt Douglas (Wolves).

Photos by Arthur Bean PREDATOR AND PREY -- Boulevard goal poacher Rodney Bascome (left) attempts to get around Wolves' substitute Tori Davis during yesterday's FA Cup final.

Bascome notched the winning goal in the Blazers' 3-2 extra-time victory.