DIVISION 1 leaders Sudbrook CC enjoyed a brief break from league action to book a semi-final place in the Gill Cup with a 9-2 victory over Chepstow Athletic.

But it wasn’t as easy as the scoreline suggests, according to co-manager Daryl Cann.

“We lost our keeper Steve Hepple who was unavailable so Second team keeper Martin Norton made his first team debut - and did every well,” he said.

“We started strongly again with two goals in the first eight minutes from Zak Hitchens and Mark O'Hara.

“But Athletic pulled one back, Richard Lund made it 3-1, heading Darren Cleverley's quality cross before Chepstow again pulled one back to make it 3-2.

“We stepped it up and Oli Mottram scored from 25 yards, Stuart Cochrane headed his fourth of the season to put us in control at half time.”

Hitchens headed his 26th goal of the season, Lund added his second and with the win settled Cann went on as sub.

He set up a chance which Keenan Perrett tapped home and then was in the right place when Perrett returned the favour with a pin-point pass to register his second of the season.

Cann believes his squad is big enough to mount challenges in all competitions although he will not waver from the main aim – promotion to the Gwent County League.

“That’s our focus as a club,” he said. “The cups aren’t as much of a burden as they were last season because our squad is much bigger and a cup success would be a nice bonus.”

Sudbrook will go into the semi-final draw with Underwood – 7-0 conquerors of Undy – and Severn Tunnel who beat Mathern FC A 8-2 but the tie between Chepstow Town A and Caldicot Castle A was postponed.

Underwood, who are hoping to continue their Amateur Cup adventure with victory against County League Division 2’s bottom club Coed Eva on Saturday, had James McManus grabbing a hat-trick in their success over Undy.

“We were expecting a really hard game, especially as Undy are the only team we’ve dropped league points to,” admitted Underwood boss Sean Johnson.

“They battled right to the final whistle but our passing and movement was on a different level, the best it’s been all season.

“Mathew Seabourne, playing in a new central midfield role, was outstanding,

controlling the tempo and working tirelessly to regain possession.

”It was a great team performance. Without sounding arrogant, it will be hard for any team to stop the momentum we have at the moment.”