In a last minute switch Lion travelled to Gt Wryley for this entertaining if somewhat wind dictated cup tie. Starting with the favour of both slope and wind Lion came roaring out of the blocks. In the 2nd minute Sam was tripped in the Blowers box and got up to convert the resultant penalty. It was all Lion attacking and in the 10th minute Steve Hill fed Pitchy in space on the left whose cross was easily converted by Sam to give a 2 goal advantage to Lion. More was to follow three minutes later when Steve Hill found Pitchy free on the left for him to strike number three. Three goals to the good and coasting Lion then decided it was time for late Christmas presents. In the 22nd minute Tom Brambleby wrestled a Blowers striker to the ground in the penalty area. Blowers made no mistake from the spot. Three minutes later Lion decided to pass the ball around in their own penalty area instead of row Z tactics. Surprisingly one of the passes found the Blowers striker a yard from goal. who gleefully smashed the ball home. Blowers then played the better football for ten minutes or so and were unlucky not to level. However on 39 minutes Phil Crozier broke out of defence with the ball and found Pitchy in front of goal who coolly slotted home for Lion's 4th.
If Lion dominated the opening minutes of the first half then Blowers dominated most of the second half. They battered the Lion goal relentlessly continually putting the ball in to the dangerous penetrative positions out on the flanks. On 57 minutes a corner on the left was met by the Blowers midfielder on the edge of the box to net with a thunderous drive and reduce Lion's advantage to one. Two minutes later the scores were level following a hectic scramble in the Lion's goalmouth. Lion tried manfully to create another goal but their persistence to try the long ball over the top instead of their normal passing game led to them constantly losing the ball. Another attacking move on 70 minutes saw Blowers hit the bar. Somehow or other Lion kept the Blowers at bay and indeed could have won it right at the death when another frenetic scramble took place in the Blowers penalty area.
The first perod of extra time was just a repeat of Blowers domination with Dan Cushen making a wonderful effort to tip over a goalbound effort on 99 minutes. The second half of extra time played out with a little less pace but with less than 10 minutes left a flowing move by Lion deserved a goal but was brilliantly saved by the Blowers goalie. The game was played out with Lion doing most of the attacking but defended efficiently by Blowers.
In the penalty shoot out heart break for Lion with their first and last penalties being saved. It was left to the last Blowers player to score and put them into the next round.
Another loss for Lion but at least they scored 4 goals and had it not been for 5 mad minutes in the first half they would have won comfortably. If you want to play football play it in your opponent's penalty not your own!
