Giant killing Cup run continues

Wells travelled to division 1 high flying Wrington Redhill, knowing nothing less than a top performance would see them progress to the quarter finals of the Somerset Senior Cup. This was always going to be tough, Wrington having been unbeaten in the league this season.
In blustery conditions, with Wells kicking down the slope into the wind, the teams cancelled each other out with no real clear cut chances coming until the 20th minute when Pete Vowles upended the Wrington No9 inside the box. The ref pointed to the spot without hesitation. The striker picked himself to take the kick but a low drive to Mike Roper’s left saw the keeper make a superb save. This spurred the home side on but they were unable to break down a resolute Wells defence of Joe Grant, Martyn Sheppard, Pete Vowles and James Russell and the teams went in 0–0 at half time.
The second half continued much the same, again with Roper making 2 or 3 critical point blank saves. Wrington finally broke the deadlock when a long free kick eluded the Wells defence and the No9 despatched his drive into the bottom corner. This seemed to spur Wells on, who began find space and play some nice flowing football, with Olly Bryant and Dan Catley creating space down the flanks. Wells then made two substitutions, with Liam Chant replacing Joe Grant followed soon after with Scott Hurley replacing the hard working Ryan Morris. This new energy began to pay dividends and with 4 minutes remaining Wells got the equaliser when Darren Maynard found that killer instinct and coolly slotted home. This took the game into extra time.
Wells again took the game to Wrington and pressure in the midfield from Charlie Crook and Hurley was causing mistakes from the Wrington defence. On 95 minutes Wells took the lead when a precision floated free kick from James Russell found the head of Ryan Pledger who found the net from 10 yards. This just sparked Wrington into life and within 3 minutes they equalised again, when the No9 again left Pete Vowles wanting and struck a low drive wide of Roper. The game then changed dramatically when Ryan Pledger was shown a straight red card for stamping on a Wrington defender, but Wells managed to see out the remainder of the first half of extra time to go in at 2 -2.
In the second half of extra time with Wells kicking up the slope with the wind, the fitness of the Wells side began to show and a challenge for a loose ball by Hurley fell at the feet of Maynard who lashed it home. Wells continued to control the game and with 5 minutes remaining Maynard completed a good display by scoring his third, a deft lob from 10 yards over the keeper, and Wells’ fourth to wrap the game up.
Joint man of the match – Mike Roper and Darren Maynard.
This increases Wells’ unbeaten run to 8 games in all competitions and put them in the draw for the last 8.
After the game, assistant manager Julian Coppell commented, “this was an absolutely brilliant performance against another higher division opposition, made all the more difficult when we went down to 10 men, but the rest of the lads dug deep and got their reward for all the hard work.