Town's cup run best yet

9:10am Fri Feb 17, 2012

Newark Town 4-2 Bilborough Pelican Town broke new ground as they reached the quarter finals of the Notts Senior Cup for the first time , coming from behind twice to defeat Bilborough Pelican for the second time this season.

With both teams missing players through work commitments and holidays, the strength in depth of both squads was well demonstrated, as they served up a thoroughly entertaining 90 minutes. For the Blues, Ben Ginnelly made his first start of the season, and Sam Wilford returned to the squad for the first time since the end of November.

The visitors made the better start, Ramadan sending an early header just wide, and took a 10th minute lead, Town conceding several avoidable free kicks, from one of which Foss climbed highest, his head connecting with the ball an instant before Garry Attwood’s attempted punch. The lead was short lived, however, as on 18 minutes Ginnelly’s measured through ball was perfectly hit for Ben Porter to beat Johnson from close range. The game went through an untidy phase littered with an abundance of free kicks. Blanchard put a 20 yard effort into the side netting for the visitors, while Porter and Jammy Lloyd combined well to set up Ginnelly but the final shot was blasted over the bar. Porter had a goalbound shot well blocked by Ramadan, while Craig Roche was also thwarted, Staley getting himself in the way of another promising effort.

Town made the early running after the break with Tom Mallinson and Ginnelly both going close, but were rocked on 49 minutes as they fell behind for a second time. A careless free kick, played out to the left, was intercepted by Blanchard, who launched a superb dipping shot from 35 yards, leaving Attwood stranded. To their credit, Town rolled up their sleeves and took the game to Bilborough, Johnson producing an excellent sprawling save to deny Ginnelly, Bowles hacking the follow up shot off the line. Porter was then unlucky to see his drive hit the post, before a quick break from defence forced Ryan Stafford into a well timed tackle to dispossess Blanchard. The Blues levelled for the second time on 73 minutes, Mallinson and Martin Wilson combining for Porter to notch his second. Sub Ian Hillier was next to test Johnson, sending a raking cross inches past the post, and was instrumental in Newark’s third goal on 81 minutes, his cross from the right being spilled by Johnson, Wilford marking his return to the side by slotting home the loose ball. With Town now looking like scoring every time they went forward, the overworked keeper pulled off two more fine saves from Mallinson, then Porter. The Blues wrapped things up three minutes from time, Wilford looping a super shot from the edge of the area, which dipped under the bar, taking Newark through to a quarter-final tie at Station Road against Retford United.

Tony Joynes was delighted with the win. “Both sides were short of players tonight, and this shows the value of having a strong squad. It was a great achievement to come back twice, and we were on fire at the finish, we really kept attacking right to the end. I’m looking forward to playing one of the big boys now, it will be a good measure of how far we’ve come this season”.