Wells Reserves travelled to Timsbury hoping to reach their second cup final of the season. This time competing in the Division 2 Cup semi-final.
In front of a large crowd, which included a large contingent that had travelled up from Wells to cheer on the Blues, the pitch was in perfect condition for what turned out to be a good advert for local football.
Wells began kicking down the slope in the first half, and as early as the second minute a defensive mistake by Joe Grant allowed Timsbury’s No10 to get a shot away which was well saved by Mike Roper in the Wells goal. Both teams endeavoured to get the ball down and play football. On 8 minutes Wells had a free kick wide out on the left, Grant lifted the ball deep into the box , and Olly Bryant got a flick but the Timsbury custodian was equal to it and tipped the ball over the bar. The game continued to go from end to end and Wells persevered with the long throws into the box from Grant but all too often the keeper came to make easy catches but on a couple of occasions he dropped balls but Wells were not alert to the spills. Half time finished in stale mate at 0 – 0.
The second half started brightly for both sides but Timsbury took the lead when a high ball wasn’t dealt with by Charlie Crook, and his misplaced header left Roper stranded and the ball nestled in the bottom corner. This appeared to give Wells a wake-up call and on 55 minutes Wells equalised when Darren Maynard picked up a ball out wide on the right before cutting inside and riding two challenges before smashing the ball into the roof of the net to get his 26th goal of the season. It then appeared to be all Wells. On 65 minutes Wells made their first change replacing the hard working Scott Hurley with Dan Catley and his introduction proved important as with almost his first touch a deep cross into the box was met by the right foot of Ryan Crowther who poked home to make it 2 - 1. Wells then switched off and Timsbury equalised within 2 minutes. The game continued to be end to end but neither side able to get that all important winner so the game finished 2 – 2 and it went into extra time.
Wells were forced to make another substitution early into extra time when Fabio Ramos had to be replaced by Ryan Morris, this actually helped calm things down with the industrious Ross Padfield doing all the running in midfield. Wells again took the lead with 4 minutes remaining in the first half of extra time when substitute Catley scored to make it 3 -2, but again Wells failed to see the game out and a minute later conceded a third to make it 3 – 3. Jordan Bazley replaced Maynard at the beginning of the second half of extra time and could have been the hero when a ball over the top was taken down well but then his left foot shot was sliced wide. So it went to the lottery of a dreaded penalty shoot-out.
Wells’ Steve Emery despatched the first penalty and Timsbury’s first was smashed against the foot of Roper’s right hand post. Martyn Sheppard coolly planted his to make it 2. Timsbury then pulled one back. Dan Catley slotted home his to make it 3 – 1. Mike Roper then made a superb save which left it to Ryan Morris to score to win. He finished smartly to the keepers right. Wells won the game 4 – 1 on penalties to book their place in the second cup final of the season.
Man of the Match – Wells City’s Ross Padfield.
After the game Manager Mark Phipps said “It’s been an tremendous season so far and reach 2 cup finals far exceeds our expectations but the lads can’t afford to be complacent or they will be in danger of being also rans. On top of the cups promotion a still a possibility so it’s still all to play for.”