BENEVOLENT CUP QUARTER FINAL
Baston welcomed back wingers Jono Howard and Greg Rawlinson for this Benevolent Cup Quarter Final, but were still without striker Craig Bullivant.
CK Dons took an early lead as their left winger cut inside Medler and fired a shot below Rob Clarke and into the net.
Baston started to get more into the game and were unlucky not to be level after 20 minutes as Sam Baines’ pinpoint cross was headed towards the top corner by Jon Howard only to be tipped brilliantly onto the bar by the keeper.
Greg Rawlinson had a great chance to score soon after as the keeper scuffed a goal-kick straight to him outside the box, but he hammered his shot over the bar. Baston’s last chance of the half fell to Ben Hudson who raced onto Simon Ward’s through ball, but his shot went just wide of the post. Baston ended the half with a series of corners but couldn’t grab an equaliser.
Despite a motivational half-time team talk from Baston supremo Phil Davies, CK Dons doubled their lead straight after the break, with Matt Medler guilty of overplaying the ball in the full back area and the goal coming from this mistake.
Baston continued to dominate; Hudson squared for Howard, who picked out Greg Rawlinson inside the box, but his shot was blocked bravely by a defender. It was CK Dons who took advantage of Baston’s poor finishing as they countered to score their third. It was kept to just three by a quality save by Rob Clarke soon after with the striker favourite to score the one-on-one.
Baston’s cup run seemed to be coming to an end, but the turning point they needed came with just 18 minutes left on the clock as Ben Hudson was tripped in the box for a penalty. Baston skipper Tom Bedford stepped up and tucked the ball into the bottom right corner to give Baston a chance at 3-1.
Sam Baines was tripped for a free-kick by the right touchline, Ross O’Loughlin sent over a perfect cross which Rawlinson and Medler both failed to knock in, but Liam Davies thumped the header in at the back post to make it 3-2.
With 10 minutes left on the clock, Baston were in complete control and restored parity as Ben Hudson headed home from Jon Howard’s corner.
With the game destined for extra time, Ross O’Loughlin looped a hopeful ball over the CK Dons defence; Ben Hudson raced onto it, outpaced his marker and slotted the ball in the bottom corner to put Baston through to the semi-final.
Man of the Match – Ben Hudson
Baston: Clarke, Medler, Bedford (c), Davies, Bull, Baines, Ward, O’Loughlin, Howard, Hudson, Rawlinson
