Benevolent Cup quarter-finals

Chepstow Town 1 Sudbrook CC B 2

NINE-MAN Sudbrook hung on for an unlikely victory in this all-Division 2 tie, writes Bob Cypher.

Both teams contained a mixture of youth and experience and both Sudbrook’s goals were scored by players who have won this trophy in the past.

Switched from Town’s pitch to the former Mathern FC ground, the action was fairly even in the first half with both keepers, Town’s Nathan Fieldhouse and Sudbrook’s Sam Atkins, called to deal with a stream of crosses and shots.

Atkins was the first to concede when he was beaten from the penalty spot after Mark Davison had handled on the line.

Davison was dismissed and Matt Owen’s kick was hard and low to Atkins’ right.

But Sudbrook equalised soon after the break when Rob Thorn scored from Neil Richards’ free kick

Play swung from end to end from then on with neither team able to dominate.

That changed when Sudbrook’s Lance Johnson was shown a second yellow card and another spot-kick was awarded.

Matt Owen stepped up again but his second penalty was high to Atkins’ right and the ball glanced off the crossbar and away to safety.

Sudbrook manager Gary Vaughan made changes, bringing on Ben St John in midfield and sending Richard Lund up top - a plan which paid dividends when the speedy and tricky player sealed victory.

Town boss Dennis Morgan also rang the changes in a bid to gain extra time but Sudbrook held out for the victory.

Vaughan was pleased with the way his men fought for the result.

“It was a great cup-tie for a neutral,” he said.

“Mark’s dismissal was a big blow for us but the ref had no option.

“Lance’s second yellow was given for an accumulation of offences so we can’t have any moans about that.

“I switched things around in midfield after the second dismissal, brought Ben St John on and put Lundy up front.

“We didn’t really want another half hour’s extra time so we had to go for it and we could have scored one or two more.”

Town boss Dennis Morgan was disappointed with some of his players.

“I had a couple who didn’t perform to their best today and if you don’t put enough in, you don’t get enough out.

“We had youngsters mixed with veterans and against nine men for 30 minutes we should have won it.

“We weren’t innocent and are lucky we didn’t get one or two yellow cards, but the penalty miss was a killer.

“I would have liked extra time because I think we would have won it without needing penalties, but that’s the way it is.”