Wanderers advance in gripping cup clash

With both teams going into the game side by side in Division 2, a close game was on the cards and that’s what we got. The home side, Clowne, took the lead after eight minutes when Brampton failed to clear the danger and Sam Lomas fired home at the back post. Both sides continued to battle it out and were unlucky when they each saw efforts strike the post. Rather harshly on the visitors, they went in two down at half-time when good work from Ryan Bannister saw his cross turned into his own goal by Brampton defender Paul Milburn on 44 minutes. Within 15 minutes of the re-start the visitors pulled a goal back with a superb strike from Dan Wooley, who picked the ball up 25 yards out and crashed his effort in off the underside of the bar. As the game hung in the balance, Clowne looked to settle it and it was Lomas who saw his curling shot pushed out by Brampton No. 1 Jamie Dudley.

It fell to Jordan Ide whose hard working morning was given some reward when he forced the ball over the line to reinstate the two-goal lead.

As the game opened up and tiredness became a factor, Milburn upended Lomas in the box and it was the fouled player who stepped up to take the penalty only to see his effort fly back off the bar. Brampton were not giving this game up and Connor Martin tested home custodian Danny Holleworth who held into the ball at the second attempt as it agonisingly approached the goal line.

With Brampton pushing forward a Clowne breakaway saw the ball crossed to Peter Roberts whose diving header looked to be goalbound only for Dudley to be on hand to gather the ball and deny the home side a fourth. So, in a tantalising cup tie, both teams deserved credit but it is Wanderers who advance.