at the Windsor Food Service Stadium
Toolstation NCEL League Cup 5th Round
Handsworth Parramore (2) 3
Kieran Wells 15
Ash Burbeary 45
Danny Buttle 58 pen
Cleethorpes Town (2) 3
Jack Richardson 35
Brody Robertson 45, 118
Marc Cooper 62
Caine Winfarah 93
Cleethorpes won 5-3 after extra time
Admission £5,. Programme £1.50. Attendance 99
This is the third time that Cleethorpes Town have faced Handsworth Parramore at the Windsor Food Service Stadium this season, on their previous visits they defeated their hosts in the FA Vase when they visited Sandy Lane back in December, before the two teams picked up a point apiece in a rather feisty league encounter last month.
At the weekend, both of these sides had home games, with Handsworth seeing off Armthopre Welfare by five goals to nil, while Cleethorpes beat Worksop Town three nil.
By a twist of fate, both of those beaten sides (Worksop & Armthorpe) face each other on this very ground on Wednesday night this week, on the same night that Cleethorpes are back on home turf against Thackley and 24 hours later Parramore are in action on their own pitch when Clipstone are the visitors.
Parramore are at Brigg Town on Saturday, while 'Clee' travel up the east coast to Bridlington Town.
It's all go, eh!?
Some clubs, like Handsworth have that extra touch of class and good manners... and you can't help but warm to them as a consequence.
I did a double take when I first saw Handsworth's team sheet tonight, wondering if I had accidentally turned up at the wrong ground, and an Under 19 fixture was about to take place. I may have lost count over the course of the night, but I reckon that 7 of the Ambers all conquering youngsters took part in this game, which they kicked off with four teenagers (two aged 17 and two 19 year olds), lining up in defence in front of 'Archie' Sneath, who by comparison is almost a veteran at 23 years old.
The home side came out of the starting dates quickest and by the time that Keiran Wells had fired them in front on 15 minutes, they had already peppered the Owls goal with a string of chances and only moments before Wells found the net, he had taken a long pass from Colin Marrison down on his chest and volleyed the ball just inches over the bar on the turn.
Cleethorpes got more to grips with the game in the second half after Marcus Newell's interval team talk, but despite lagging way behind in the percentages stakes, chances wise, during the first half, they were on level terms after 35 minutes, when Jonathan Oglesby's right wing corner was only cleared as far as Jack Richardson who drilled the ball through a scrum of players to claim an equalizer for the Owls.
One such example being late in the first half, when Danny Buttle took on Tim Lowe, took the ball off of him and delivered an in perfect ball to Marrison, who nudged his shot wide of the post from close range.
The Ambers were back in front on the stroke of half time, when Ash Burbeary opened his goalscoring account for his new club, with an emphatic finish. But more drama was to come in stoppage time, when Pete Winn hooked a left wing cross into the path of Brody Robertson six yards out... and the Owls were level again.
HT: Hansdworth Parramore 2 v Cleethorpes Town 2
Nobody ever scored five goals away from home against a team of Handsworth's standing, without working hard for it and having enough quality to pull of such a result.
At half time, I won a stonking great big tin of Quality Street in the half time draw, which I shared among everybody in the main stand, including a guy sat the back in a Sheffield Wednesday hat, with massive hands who I think may have been called Arthur Tinn, before returning to my seat with the Blonde Beelzebub and that nice Mr and Mrs Bates who we used to work (and socialise) with at another NCEL club, which I had to leave during the closed season because of work commitments.
Winn combined with Liam Dickens to thread the ball through Robertson, whose immediate path to goal was blocked by Tyler Bates, so he knocked it sideways to Caine Winfarrah who shot over from an angle.
Alex Rippon, who was covering a lot of ground tonight all over the midfield, linking up with the attack, played the ball wide to Wells, who left two defenders in his wake with a burst of pace, but was denied by Liam Higton, who gathered the ball to his chest, with the kind of text book stop that coaches drill into kids from a very early age. He's obviously been taught well.
Billy Wright did enough to unsettle Robertdon as he cut inside the Ambers area from the left flank and he scuffed his shot into the side netting.
Marc Cooper picked up a long pass, turned well but directed his shot wide of the left hand upright.
The Owls were enjoying a good spell, but as so often happens when you don't take your chances... Tom Claisse chested the ball down into Burbeary's path but as he took aim, the Ambers front man was upended and the referee Ian Dudley was presented with the easiest call he'd had to make all night.
Buttle stepped forward and as Higton went to his right, the Handsworth winger struck the ball straight down the middle to put the home side ahead for the third, but final time.
Handsworth breathed a sigh of relief as Robertson cracked a shot just past the post of of Winfarrah's neat pass. The tide was turning and the Humber Estuary was on it's way in waves as the Ambers were beeched at Sandy Lane..
Hey look! I left out all of the donkeys, ice cream and fish & chips puns, so cut me some slack here.
Just after the hour, the visitors equalised yet again, through Marc Cooper, who poked the ball towards the goal inside a crowded goalmouth. I was sat in line with his shot and it was destined for inside the right hand side netting anyway, when Tyler Bates got a despairing touch the ball on the line in a last ditch and desperate attempt to prevent Cooper scoring.
I have seen several versions of events... and some credit Cooper, others gave it as an own goal and another third party awarded it to a none existent player called Brody Cooper!
But, to settle this debate once and for all, it was Cooper who scored, because... I SAID SO!
While we were discussing the merits of the Cooper or Bates OG saga and a greedy 'pig' from the back of the stand was poncing more chocolates's from us... "They're not for me, I'm taking them home for the kids", he must live with feckin' Old Mother Hubbard! 'Clee' broke forwarde from the restart and Richardson zipped a shot inches wide of Sneath's goal.
Play switched and Higton saved from Wells again as he attacked the Owls goal in tandem with Buttle.
Rippon headed the ball into the roof of the net as Handsworth went for broke and through Jon Froggatt into the mix, as Higton saved brilliantly from Wells, tipping a close range header over bar. Games turn on moments like that. Well done Liam!
Robertson picked out Richardson as this end to end, do or die, 100 mph game turned towards the Glassworks End again, but he shot straight at Sneath.
Micky Godber and Mark Ward, sent on Ryan Lee and Mitch Dunne, in place of Burbeary and Wells.
A bit of a baptism of fire for the young duo, but they weren't found wanting.
Richardson released Oglesby in the Ambers area and he sprinted past Sneath, but when he tried to nudge the ball into the unguarded goal, Billy Wright had burst a lung to get in the way and he cleared Oglesby's 'must score' effort off the line.
With five minutes of normal time to go, Cleethorpes were piling on the pressure, but Sneath saved from Cooper after Robertson had fed the ball in to him.
In stoppage time, Sneath saved twice from Robertson and Wright did his last ditch party piece again to thwart the Owls right at the deat.
90 minutes: 3-3
Extra time to be played.
Extra time was just 3 minutes old when Winfarrah put a lot of back spin on a right wing corner kick and Sneath could only get his fingers to it as the ball went in directly... 3-4.
Another 'Whodunnit?' debate required. No! Bugger off! Winfarrah scored it, now shurrup!
Rippon almost replied immediately, but the Cleethorpes fans cheered loudly as he curled his shot wide of the target.
Cooper shot from 30 yards... it was worth a go, but he missed his intended target by a few feet.
Sadly, there was a lengthy stoppage to the game, when Cooper and Sneath raced to challenge for a loose ball on the edge of the box and the latter didn't get up from the ensuing collision.
Thankfully, after having been to hospital it was reported that although the Ambers keeper had suffered concussion and had a back injury, nothing was broken or fractured. Get well soon Archie.
ET HT: 1-1
The second half of extra time was understandably a bit one sided, but the youthful Ambers side were battling to keep one of the most lethal strike forces in local non league football at bay, while briefly they almost had hopes of taking the game to penalties, when Ryan Lee's thumping shot was well blocked by Higton and Marrison went close from the rebound.
Tyler Bates pulled off a worldly save from Cooper, while Robertson shot wide. But with two minutes remaining, Robertson went through one against one, with the young 'outfield' keeper and the Owls were through to the final for sure now.
FT: Handsworth Parramore 3 v Cleethorpes Town 5
