Newark Town manager Luke Parsons on FA Vase second-round hero Eddie Cooper after penalty shoot-out win over Lichfield City

Newark Town FA Vase hero Eddie Cooper had quite the impact in his first appearance of the season.

Cooper made a crucial penalty save as the Blues beat Lichfield City 4-3 on spot-kicks after a 1-1 draw in Saturday’s second-round tie at the YMCA.

The Blues needed a goalkeeper with Josh Wilson out after dislocating his shoulder in the previous round and Jake West cup-tied.

Manager Luke Parsons approached Cooper, whose previous appearance for the Blues came in last season’s play-off final.

Back in the area for university, Cooper gladly accepted and had an outstanding game before starring in the shoot-out.

After three successful kicks apiece, Newark missed their fourth penalty.

Lichfield had the chance to seize the initiative but Cooper pulled off a brilliant save low to his right, with Parsons unable to watch.

Newark went on to score their next kick and when City missed the target, the hosts were through, extending their record-breaking run in the competition.

“I think I’ve watched his save back 100 times because I didn’t watch it at the time,” said Parsons.

“We’d just missed our penalty and I turned my back and thought, ‘I can’t watch this’.

“I went on the crowd’s reaction and what an important moment. It was incredible.

“It looked like his wrist was completely bent back, it was Gordon Banks-esque, absolutely brilliant, and I’m so pleased for him because he had a superb game.

“With Josh injured and Westy unable to play in the cup, I asked Eddie if he’d be interested in playing and he snapped my hand off.

“We got offered a few keepers for this game, by various people, because they knew we had to get a keeper in.

“But I didn’t want anybody else, I wanted someone I could trust, someone who knew the club, someone the players have played with before and Eddie was that man.

“For a big game like that, at least I know what I’m going to get with Eddie.

“I was offered some good keepers from the step above, No.2s and that, but you don’t know if they’re young lads, how much they’ve played and what they’re going to be like in a game like that, whereas Eddie played in the play-off final for us last year.

“He’s always been a relaxed individual. The first five or six minutes he was a bit shaky but he settled down and was just brilliant.”

Newark have been drawn at home to Daventry Town, of United Counties League Premier Division South, in round three.

The tie takes place on December 7.

“Any team left in this competition are rightly there,” said Parsons.

“The only thing I really wanted was a home draw because of what we’ve got down here, the crowd and how we play at home.”

It’s third versus fourth at the YMCA this Saturday (3pm) as Newark return to United Counties League Premier Division North action against Belper.

The sides only met at the end of October, with Newark winning 2-1 away in the FA Vase first round.

“These are the games, if we’ve got any ambitions of pushing for those play-offs, that you’ve got to look to win,” said Parsons.

“We go game by game but, at home, against play-off rivals, you’re looking to maximise your strengths and win those games.

“We beat them in the Vase a month ago on their patch, they’ll be looking for revenge but we’re full of confidence and we know our individual roles.

“At the same time, if one person falls off of that, we will struggle.”

Newark are holding their AGM after the game in the upstairs conference room (6pm). Fans are invited to attend.