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Edgware
Edgware claimed a
home tie with Northwood in the quarter-finals of the Middlesex Cup on
Tuesday, putting out neighbours Wembley in a penalty shoot-out after
their second round tie had ended deadlocked after extra time writes John
Comfort.
It was an eventful match of highs and lows for the visitors. They could
have had things signed and sealed by half time after dominating the
first half, and yet could so easily have lost it in the second half when
Wembley were just as clearly in the ascendancy.
The Lions also had the better of extra time, and even when the home side
were reduced to 10 men by the dismissal of striker Paul Shelton, they
still came close to snatching victory and only Vince Rispoli's goal line
clearance ensured that matters were to be settled by the shoot-out,
where Edgware's nerves held better to see them through.
On a frost bound Vale Farm pitch, Edgware got off to a good start,
taking the lead after just six minutes. Referee Aiden Farrelly played a
good advantage when Ross Christie was fouled by Daren Butler just inside
the Edgware half and the Wares swept upfield, Steve Brady putting Greg
Ngoyi away down the right. He squared the ball to the supporting Adam
Wallace, who slotted past keeper Mark Jessop from close range.
Soon after Ngoyi had a rising strike palmed over the bar by Jessop, and
Densil Davidson's effort from a short corner by Fabio Valenti received
similar treatment.
Keeping up the pressure, Christie lofted the ball over an open goal from
close in, while Kristian Hale's blocking challenge denied Davidson as he
looked to shoot home following a good exchange with Wallace.
The inevitable second goal finally arrived on 21 minutes. Wallace
smartly dispossessed Hale then broke down the right and his fierce,
angled strike was carelessly fumbled into the net by Jessop at the near
post.
Edgware were coasting and Wembley had hardly had a look in. But,
incredibly, with virtually their first serious attack on 27 minutes, the
home side pulled a goal back. Andrew Walker found Shelton on the right
and his cross to the far post saw Jumo Mitchell racing in to fire past
Rob Blackburne.
With Steve Brady, Davidson and Ngoyi all missing good chances, Edgware
still had just a single goal advantage at the break, with the meagre 2-1
scoreline being far from reflective of play. However, the tables turned
dramatically in the second half as Wembley suddenly came alive. But,
like Edgware, their finishing was equally inadequate.
Butler put a good chance over after Rispoli lost possession, then a
great save by Rob Blackburne denied Wembley player manager Ian Bates
when he got free on the left.
Blackburne again came to the rescue to thwart Shelton when he got clear,
though the striker was left red-faced when he followed up and put the
loose ball over an open goal.
Later Jeffrey Dalton-Brown's neat chipped shot was cleared off the line
by Chris Ingham, and Shelton was again denied by Blackburne when he just
had the keeper to beat.
Although Wembley always threatened to draw level, Edgware, with Jason
Ferneé outstanding in defence, appeared to have weathered the storm as
the match went into stoppage time. But a controversial six extra minutes
had been played when Shane Sinclair's cross dropped beyond the Wares'
defence, and Bates glanced a header past Blackburne to give the home
side a last-gasp equaliser.
Even then Mr Farrelly remarkably managed to find a further four and a
half minutes before blowing for full time. Where was the justification
for ten and a half added minutes?
Wembley had the better of extra time without reward. Shelton was unlucky
with a good strike against an upright and the striker was also denied
when going clear, Blackburne leaving his goal to desperately tackle the
ball away from him.
Shelton's interest in the game ended in the second period when a foul on
Rob Blackburne gave him a second caution and he was sent off. But the
10-man Lions still should have won it in the final minute when Mitchell
went clear and rounded Blackburne and to have his goal bound shot
cleared off the line by Rispoli to ensure the tie went to spot kicks.
In the shoot-out, Edgware made Wembley pay for their profligacy with
some clinical penalty taking. The Lions only netted twice through Erald
Kuniqi and Dalton-Brown, with Mitchell hitting the bar and Marc Talbot
having his penalty well saved by Blackburne.
Ingham, Stuart Blackburne, Brady and Rispoli all scored for the Wares to
see them through to the last eight.
Edgware: R Blackburne, Brady, Valenti (Hart), Rispoli, Ingham,
Fernee, Marks (Llewellyn), Christie, Ngoyi (S Blackburne), Wallace,
Davidson.
Other subs:
Cain, Bonfield.
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