WENDRON UNITED 3

PENRYN ATHLETIC 4 (aet)

PENRYN Athletic booked their spot in the Jolly's Combination League Cup semi-final with an exciting 4-3 extra time win against Wendron at Underlane.

At the end of normal time Wendron appeared to have had the tie wrapped up, but were hit by a dramatic late equaliser. Their misery was completed in extra time when the visitors again snatched a late goal.

Wendron were first off the mark with a goal in the third minute. Gregg Hobbs and Steve Gillatt combined to send a pass through for Mike O'Neill, and he made no mistake as he drilled his shot past Symon Winnan.

With the wind at their backs, Athletic applied plenty of first half pressure and forced a series of corners, but Wendron also looked dangerous on the break.

The visitors equalised in the 39th minute when a throw-in from Dave Thompson was chested down by Mike Brewer, who hit a stunning curling, dipping shot into the net from out on the flank.

Within a minute, Wendron regained the lead when hesitation in the Athletic defence under pressure from Pope and O'Neill saw the ball break free for Pope to run the ball in the net.

The second half was a fairly even affair, but Wendron created several good openings, with Gillitt hitting the bar from a free kick on the edge of the box, and Winnan doing well to get down to save a well-struck free kick by Pope.

Darren Martin and Dominic Pullen both tested Bryan Scoffin, but a great ball from Justin Searle was touched on by O'Neill for Gregg Hobbs to turn his defender and shoot just over the bar.

Injuries to Mike Newberry, Adam Toy and Pope disrupted Wendron's pattern, but they should have been punished ten minutes from time when Scoffin needlessy brought down Steve Brewer when he was heading away from goal. Scoffin redeemed himself when he saved Pullen's spotkick.

Just when it appeared Wendron had victory within their grasp, they allowed it to slip away two minutes from time. An innocuous cross into the box saw three defenders well placed to deal with it, but Scoffin came to collect a cross he was unable to hold on to and the ball landed at the feet of Pullen, who gratefully lobbed it over the defenders and into the net.

There was no score in the first period of extra time, but Athletic edged in front in the second period when Will Scoley lofted the ball over the defence for Brewer to lob Scoffin and put Athletic in front for the first time.

Almost immediately, Wendron got back on level terms when Sean Johnston skipped past a defender and crossed for Hobbs to sidefoot the ball past Winnan.

With six minutes to go, Athletic notched the goal that earned them their semi-final against St Day when Steve Brewer and Thompson worked the ball to the far post, where Pullen drilled it into the net.

"To say we are disappointed is an understatement," said Wendron manager Steve Webber. "I thought we had done enough to win the game, although neither side really deserved to lose.

"The late equaliser was a disappointment because they didn't actually create anything, it was just down to poor defending by us."

Wendron: B Scoffin, J Till, S Hodson, C James, J Searle, S Hodson, A Toy, M Newberry, S Gillitt, M Pope, M O'Neill, G Hobbs. Subs: L Gribble, S Hurst, S Johnston, J Cooper, S Williamson.