Whitchurch 3

Stockbridge 4

ONLY 10 days to Christmas but Stockbridge were celebrating early after beating a 10-man Whitchurch in a drama-packed finish at Longmeadow last Saturday for a place in the last four of the North Hants Senior Cup.

Whitchurch, who had defender Gary Shaughnessy sent off 10 minutes into the second half, looked as though they had won a typically fought local derby when Steve Caswell put them 3-2 ahead with only four minutes left only for John Mas and Graham Knight's JWL side to gift 'Bridge a last gasp-equaliser and then lose the quarter-final tie to a penalty in the dying seconds of stoppage time of a typical local derby.

Despite the heavy pitch Andy Shore's Gary sponsored Whitchurch, playing their first game in three weeks, started like a train and went two goals up in the first seven minutes, and could have had an even bigger lead as they dominated their Hants Premier opponents for the first 20 minutes.

The first goal came after five minutes when Whitchurch midfielder Ian Knight's curling cross from the left completely bamboozled Steve Whitcher in the 'Bridge goal to drop into the far corner of the net.

Two minutes later Ross Soper-Dyer raced away down the right before pulling the ball back to Jason Dinham and his cross to the far post was met superbly by the in-form Paul Clarkson to head home.

Whitchurch had other chances but failed to take them and were made to pay dearly as 'Bridge hit back in style to level terms with two goals either side of the break after taking command of the game in midfield.

'Bridge were back in the game five minutes before the break when Simon Poultney made a timely burst into the Whitchurch box and crossed for Sanders to sweep the ball home and a minute after the changeover 'Bridge were level after a delightful pass from Dave Allen in the heavy going sent Sanders clear to produce another clinical finish.

'Bridge, who were also playing their first game for three weeks, s took control after Shaughnessy's dismisal but it looked as though the 10-man JWL side were going through after Caswell burst through to put them ahead again with just minutes left to play. It should have been enough for the JWL side but they were made to pay dearly sloppy defending after twice giving the ball away.

With a minute left, Whitcher gathered a long ball and promptly returned it to the other end with interest for Mann to gleefully tuck away the equaliser in the ensuing goalmouth scramble.

Unfortunately, Whitchurch did not learn from that as they gave the ball away against straight from the restart and another early pass from the back ended with Sanders being upended in the box for Jon Sibley to slot the winner from the resulting penalty.

"It was never a penalty in a million years," grumbled Whitchurch boss John Mas, "but all credit to Stockbridge, they are a good side with a lot of experience."

Mas was unhappy at the way his side let 'Bridge back into the game at the death and also Shaughnessy's dismissal for allegedly elbowing 'Bridge birthday boy Colin Vince, who was celebrating his 21st. "The referee never saw anything and the linesman only re-acted after the player complained that he had been elbowed in the chest," summed up Mas 'Bridge boss Barry Andrews admitted that he thought they had thrown it away when Whitchurch went 3-2 up. "But we've got great spirit here at the moment and the lads battled it out," he said. "They came back and did the business to gain an excellent win - our fifth on the trot."

Whitchurch (4-4-2): Cann; Clayson, Shaughnessy, Hughes, Knight (K); Dinham, Knight (I), Stockwell, Caswell; Clarkson, Soper-Dyer. Subs: Povey (for Clayson 77 mins), Blenkarn, Restell (not used).

Stockbridge (4-4-2): Whitcher; Atkins, Allen, Savage, Smith; Vince (C), Poultney, Sibley, Barnes; Sanders (S), Mann. Subs: Butcher (for Smith 65 mins), Hibdidge, Andrews (not used).