After their League 2 encounter 7 days ago, which saw Rovers come out on top by 3 goals to 1, Beck Row Reserves FC were back at the heath to contest a League 2 Cup semi-final match, with an evening out at Ram Meadow awaiting the victors.
Paul Jeavons made several changes to last week's squad as Dave Clarke, Rob Green, Ben Cole and Andrew Clarke all returned from being rested.
As a week earlier, Rovers started very brightly and went looking to put pressure on the visitors from the off. They should have taken a very early lead when Geoff Green found himself with a free header at the far post following a free kick out wide on the left but the Rovers centre half could only glance the chance wide when it looked easier to score.
The Whites continued to press early on but were unable to make any of their pressure count and after 10 minutes of being on top, suddenly it was Beck Row who got on top and who started to threaten the Rovers' goal.
As the sun beat down on the Heath, it was Rovers who toiled in the very warm temprature, as the visitors took the game by the scruff of the neck and came close to breaking the deadlock on several occasions.
Rovers managed to get to the break without conceeding, with their early spell of dominance in the game a far and distant memory.
Paul Jeavons used the break to re-group and re-focus his side, making one change as he brought on striker, Dave Clarke for the injured Ben Cole.
The 2nd half began far more evenly as both clubs came out looking to book their place in the final.
The game only had to wait a few 2nd half minutes before the deadlock was broken when the visitors lashed home a ball from 12 yards out. A flowing move, which caught Rovers on the break, was confidently finished giving Scott Glacken no chance, as Beck Row got their noses in front.
The game continued to be a much tighter, even affair after the goal but niether side were able to effect the scorline.
Jeavons threw on striker, Andrew Clarke and defender, Rob Green, both who were returning from long term injury, in an attempt to shake things up in the final 30 minutes.
Rovers got lucky just after the hour mark when Geoff Green got caught in possession of the ball leaving the visitors' striker clean through. The centre half's desperate lunge brought down the Beck Row striker but luckily for him Rob Green had made up some ground and he was now the last man, resulting in just a yellow card for the fortunate defender, when a red one had looked a distinct possibility.
As the half progressed, Rovers began to throw more and more at Beck Row, as they looked for a way back into the tie.
With a couple of half chances gone begging, it was substitute Andrew Clarke who was Rovers' saviour as he used his strength in the visitor's area to hold off a couple of challenges and lob the ball past the keeper to level the scores with only 2 minutes of the match remaining.
Rovers nearly won the match in the very last minute of added time when Dave Clarke burst into the area with the ball at his feet. Unfortunately though the Rovers' frontman could only see his fierce strike fire wide as he tried to win the match with the last kick of the ninety minutes.
The equaliser so late on in the game sent Rovers into the 1st period of extra time very much with their tails up and full of belief again and they seemed to have the upper hand in the early exchanges. Despite creating the better chances though during the 1st period, Rovers were unable to make any of their possession count and the 2 teams were still locked at 1-1 as the 1st 15 minutes came to an end.
The game swung the way of the hosts 5 minutes into the 2nd period when Dave Clarke latched onto a long ball over the top of the Beck Row defense. Clarke was bundled over from behind before he could get his shot away and Rovers were awarded a penalty. Just as Geoff Green had been lucky not to see red earlier in the game, the offending defender can count himself fortunate too not to have been dismissed from the field, as he was the last defender.
Top scorer, Lee Glacken stepped up to take the spot kick and he made no mistake from 12 yards out to score his 19th goal of the season.
As expected Beck Row tried to pick themselves up and throw all they could at Rovers in the final 10 minutes of the match but it was Andrew Clarke who went closest to putting the ball in the net again when he unluckily saw his attempted lob of the visitor's keeper, sail just wide of the post.
Rovers held out to reach the first final of the club's short history and book themselves a showdown against bogey club, Wickhambrook FC, at Ram Meadow on April 12th.
Paul Jeavons was delighted with the result and his side's never give up spirit which saw them win in extra time for the third time in the competition.
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