On Tuesday night Holyport took on Wallingford Town in the first round of the Banbury Litho Floodlit Cup at Summerleaze Village. The home side started well, putting the visitors’ goal under pressure and they got their rewards after 5 minutes when George Lock, brother of Bracknell manager Sam, smashed the ball in after a good team move. The forward didn’t last much longer as an injury forced him off the field and Holyport into an early substitution.
After the initial flurry from Holyport the game became more even with both sides pressing but neither troubling their opposing goalkeepers too much until the half hour mark when Wallingford drew level through Sam McDermaid. Wally broke through the defence only to be denied by a great save from Fred Chapman in the Holyport goal, but an attempted clearance was sliced, and the ball fell to McDermaid who slammed the ball home.
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Wallingford were ahead before half time when a cross from the right was punched out by Chapman, only to find Charlie Silkstone in the centre of the box, and the striker hit the ball first time into the corner of the net.
The second half started in scrappy fashion with Wallingford looking more likely to add to their advantage but with an hour gone Holyport started to get back on terms and they found an equaliser on 67 minutes as Wes Sutherland got goal side, held off the defender and then poked a shot under the onrushing keeper to make it 2-2.
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Both sides were now pushing for a winner and, with the game getting more stretched, Silkstone found some space on the edge of the Holyport box and put the guided the ball into the bottom corner to give Wallingford the lead once more with 15 minutes to go.
The lead lasted less than a minute as Steven Deverall got down the right and crossed the ball into the centre where Daniel Rapley got onto the of the ball into the box to head the ball in to make it 3-3. Both sides continued to push for a winner in the last 15 minutes with Wallingford coming closest as Aitchinson flashed a shot just wide.
The game finished all square and went straight to penalties. The two sides were finally separated after 6 penalties each as Garry Aulsberry saved Holyport’s sudden death penalty to send Wallingford through to the next round.