In the quarter final of the Sparey Cup the Saints ran out easy winners in the end. Due to the CWFA semi final on Tuesday and the number of games played in a fairly short time it was decided to rest several key players.
Presteigne started the better and forced two early corners which stand in Mike Ward manage to get a hand to and the danger was cleared. Wardy was called in to action and made a good save down to his right to keep out a sharp shot from Johnny Bird. Following this the Saints started to get back in to the game and Graeme Keeble hit the inside of the post with a left footed free kick from the edge of the box with the keeper beaten. Johnny Daw was also only just too high with a right foot shot after being set up by the excellent Stu Davies.
The break through soon came however as the home side failed to clear the ball properly after Garry Keeble had broken down the right. Gav Williams won the ball some 35 yards out went forward and cracked the ball home with his left foot beating the keeper down to his right. Wardy made another good save from a right footed 20 yard shot just getting his finger tips to the ball and pushing it wide. HT 0 – 1.
The Saints were soon 2 up when Gr Keeble played Johnny Daw in who still had lots to do but he smashed the ball left footed beating the keeper on his near post from the left side of the box.
Presteigne then got back in to the game when a long ball was not dealt with and a right footed shot across Wardy ended up in the net via a post. Wardy had got a hand to it and only just failed to make the save. This lifted the home side and the Saints seemed to panick a little. Presteigne then had a goal ruled out for offside after a deep cross was knocked back across goal and finished by an unmarked Presteigne forward.
This let off seemed to spur on the Saints and Stu D made a fantastic run through the home defence beating the advancing keeper only to see his shot come back off the post. Johnny Daw then collected the ball from a throw turned his marker got to the bye line and pulled the ball back. Only a fantastic last ditch tackle prevented Gaz Keeble from finishing from 8 yards. The 3rd goal wasn’t too far away now with Alex Winstone playing the ball through to Daw who beat his marker on th edge of the box and lifted the ball over the advancing keeper.
Ollie Cooke who was working tirelessly up front made a chance for himself. He tackled back to win the ball off a defender wide on the left, took the ball round him, nutmegged the next defender and then shot over from 18 yards under another challenge. Walshie then set up Daw for his hat trick as he once again went by his man and hit a ball to the far post where Daw produced a wonderful finish lobbing the ball over a startled keeper. The icing was put on the cake late on when Gr Keeble whipped in a left footed corner and Winnie came in to head home from all of 2 yards.
A fantastic result for the Saints against a side who I believe have not been beaten at home this season. Another good performance from Stu Davies in the centre of midfield, Cookie worked tirelesslyy up front and Johnny Daw looked pure class on a number of occasions. Special mentionto Mike Ward in goal who made a couple of good saves and did well throughout.Overall though a really good team performance to put us througfh as holders of the Sparey Cup to a semi final against Kington Reserves.
Team; Ward, Howard(Johnson), Williams, Winstone, Pugh, Ga Keeble(Snedden), Davies, Gr Keeble, Walshe, Cooke(Jordan), Daw.