(aet) Hampshire Senior Cup

In the end, this turned out to be a remarkable game, though no-one would have believed that until the last ten minutes of normal time.

Spurs started off dreadfully, poor defending gifting visiting striker Danny Turner two goals in the first ten minutes.  The game then meandered on for the next seventy minutes with Fleet unable to break through and North End happy with their two-goal lead.  The main incident of note in that period was an unfortunate injury to home keeper Andy Hunt, who was stretchered off with an achilles injury.

However, 10 minutes from the end, Adam Crittenden pulled one back for Fleet Spurs and Sam Knowles, on as a makeshift defender following Hunt’s injury, appeared in the Farnborough box to nod home the equaliser.  Spurs might even have snatched victory, as Crittenden headed against the post and John Finnieston blazed over.  North End were then reduced to ten men as defender Peter Milton Lee was carried off with a leg injury, the visitors having already used their three subs.

Both sides tired in extra time, and it looked as if the game was going to go to penalties – and probably past 10.30 – until Chris Maunder scored the winner with a well placed header into the corner of the net, though he was left totally unmarked.  Spurs again came back, and Ashley Pullinger had to make a brilliant double save to keep them out.  There was still time for North End to go down to nine men, as substitute Luke Wheeler was given a second yellow card for a reckless challenge on Jon Tanfield. The referee not being Graham Poll, Wheeler had to walk.

Praise for Matt Voyce, who took over in goal for Spurs and made a number of good saves and no mistakes.

Spurs boss Neil Baker said: “Our defending in the first few minutes was terrible, and after that, it was always an uphill struggle.  We’ll need to do a lot better on Saturday, when we entertain unbeaten Fawley.”