East Gwent Senior League

Division 1

ALL four of this weekend’s Gill Cup semi-finalists warmed up with victories and all have the credentials to book a place in the final.

Underwood, 7-3 victors against Tintern Abbey A, are due to take on Chepstow Town who won 1-0 at Caldicot Castle in the first semi while Sudbrook CC A striker Rob Thorn scored four in their 12-2 defeat of Thornwell Red & White.

Their opponents in Saturday’s second semi are Severn Tunnel, 6-1 winners at Chepstow Athletic.

Sudbrook co-manager Daryl Cann has compared the title run-in to a series of cup finals while Severn Tunnel boss Steve Duddridge admits his side will start as underdogs after suffering heavy defeats at Sudbrook’s hands this season.

“The two meetings between have been one-sided with an aggregate score of 17-0,” he said.

“But we will go there with the intention of making the season’s first cup final and who knows what could happen!”

Tunnel’s goals came from Oliver Jones (2), Sam Barrett (2) David Scanlon and Darren Poultney.

“We dominated the first half and led through two Oliver Jones goals and would have been further ahead had it not been for Athletic’s keeper who made some good saves.

“Scanlon headed our third and we had a penalty appeal turned down before Athletic’s appeals were granted and they made it 3-1 from the spot.

“But we killed the game off with Darren Poultney getting our fourth and two Sam Barrett strikes sealed the three points.”

The Thornwell v Sudbrook match was scheduled as a Thornwell home match but the pitch was declared unfit and eventually, the match was switched to Sudbrook.

Rob Thorn (4), Keenan Perrett (3), Richard Lund, Tom Stuart, Mark O'Hara, Stuart Cochrane and Cann himself, accounted for the scoreline.

“ We did what we had to do against a stronger than usual Thornwell team so now there are just three “cup finals” left,” Cann said.

Meanwhile Underwood boss Sean Johnson praised both teams for producing a great game full of end-to-end action with both teams giving their all.

“Tintern took the lead in the first 10 minutes, against the run of play,” Johnson explained.

“I was glad in a way because it ignited our fighting spirit which we haven't needed for a few games and we lacked that in our previous two cup losses in extra time.

“Going forward we looked the best we've been all season but also looked vulnerable at the back and we conceded two soft goals.”

Underwood’s goals came from James McManus (4), Josh Downing (2) and Mathew Seabourne while Tintern’s scorers were Geraint Reynolds (2) and Joe Whitehouse.