Wrington Redhill 2 Wells City Reserves 2 (penalties 2 – 4)

Wrington Redhill were involved a Somerset FA Senior Cup tie at the Recreation Ground against fellow League 1 visitors Wells City Reserves. The two sides met only a couple of weeks before when Wells won with a goal in the last minute, so this was always going to be a competitive game between two evenly matched and talented teams.
After last week’s disappointing performance player Manager Leigh White expected a full response from his players and indeed, they all rose to the challenge. The hosts started on the front foot with high pressing and putting their visitors defence and goalkeeper under early pressure without converting into goals. Wells on a break won a corner and James Williams did very well to save a point-blank headed attempt. Shortly after a superb through ball from Ethan Johnson was met by George Fake who made no mistake in slotting the ball past the keeper to take a deserved 1-0 lead.
Wrington Redhill kept up the pressure without extending their lead. In one attack the ball was lost on the edge of Wells penalty area and a lightning-fast counterattack led to an equalising goal by Oliver Bryant from a tight angled shot from the left. Having most of the first half play it was disappointing to go into the break without a healthy lead.
The restart saw a similar pattern and dominance and midway through the half Josh Pitt was lively and latched onto a ball into the visitors’ half and rounded the keeper before calmly passing into an empty net taking a 2-1 lead. For all their efforts that elusive third goal to provide a cushion to see the game through would not come and proved costly. Wells were awarded a free kick which was not fully cleared, and a chance fell to Kieran Padfield who took advantage and found the net taking the game into a penalty shootout.
It was Wells who came out best converting four of their penalties to two by the home side to progress to the quarter finals of the competition.
Despite the disappointment of going out of the cup in this manner great heart can be taken forward as this was a very good all-round performance. This is the level the squad need to provide on a consistent week by week basis which will stand them in good stead for the remainder of the season keeping them in contention in the upper level of the league.
The Wrington Redhill player of the match was awarded to Dan Ferguson.

Team:
Goalkeeper: James Williams
Defence: Ollie Clements, Dan Ferguson, Ethan Johnson, Rory Thomas
Midfield: Reece Ferguson-Obamwonyi, Sam Parkinson, Leigh White, Cory Thomas-Barker
Forwards: Josh Pitt, George Fake

Substitutes: Ryan Pugh (for Reece Obamwonyi-Ferguson), Ethan Williams (for George Fake)