Rangers through to final after penalty shoot-out

9:19am Monday 31st March 2008

Westbury Rangers A have kept alive their dreams of ending their 35 year wait to lift the presstoprint-sponsored Eric Hughes Memorial Knockout Cup after they defeated Premier Division rivals Dog and Fox Ashley to set up a meeting with Second Division Crown Cosmos at Chippenham Town's Hardenhuish Park on Sunday April 20.

The match was played in glorious sunshine at a very damp Melksham Town ground in front of healthy crowd of over 100 supporters and although the football might not have lived up to pre match expectations they certainly got value for money as the game needed extra-time and a penalty shoot-out before Rangers progressed to their second final in four seasons.

After 120 gruelling minutes the score was tied at 1-1 before Rangers triumphed 4-2 on penalties.

Westbury manager Shaun Gardiner was forced into making a couple of changes after he lost Paul Beavers and Dave Whyte through injury and although it was the Dog and Fox who applied the early pressure to Nathan Taylor's goal it was Rangers who slowly started to gain the upper hand as the first period progressed.

Nick Mead's timely challenge denied the Dog's Mark Gerrish the chance of an opener in the first five minutes and although the Dog and Fox played a the long ball over the top on a slippery surface Rangers were able to deal with any threat.

In the 10th minute Tim Combes and Marc Lanfear combined to cause the Dog and Fox a few problems, with Lanfear falling to test the Dog's goalkeeper Craig Guthrie with his final effort.

Two minutes later Guthrie produced a fine save to deny Nathan Hallett from long range.

The Dog and Fox started to come to terms with the tricky conditions and only excellent work from Nick Mead saw him cover well for Rangers shaky defence.

The second half of the first period belonged to Rangers, with the odd attack from the Dog and Fox, and after 26 minutes Nathan Hallett went close to breaking the deadlock with a diving header that just missed the target.

Minutes later Hallett shot across the face of goal and had one of the incoming Rangers players been able to apply a final touch Rangers would have been ahead.

With half-time approaching Rangers were in the driving seat but any clear cut chances were at a premium and both teams were more than happy to leave the field for their half-time cup of tea with the scoreline goal-less.

Rangers were quicker out of the blocks at the start of the second half and Sam Gooding couldn't believe his luck when his header on 48 minutes rebounded off the bar to Marc Lanfear who was denied by a great stop from keeper Guthrie.

Guthrie was called into action again after 55 minutes when he tipped Mark Young's long range strike over the bar. At this juncture the Dog and Fox were content to soak up the pressure and hit Rangers on the break but they were almost caught out in the 65th minute when Mark Young's 35 yard shot sailed inches over the bar.

Rangers finally broke down a stubborn Dog and Fox defence after 74 minutes.

Having been award a free kick 20 yards from goal, Pete Ayton tried his luck and his low strike saw Guthrie fail to hold onto the slippery ball and it squirmed under his body and into the net.

Ricky Trott went close to squaring thing up for the Dog and Fox in the 81st minute and with time running out it was looking as if it was job done for Rangers. But with two minutes of normal time remaining Mark Gerrish shot from 12 yards and the ball took an eternity to cross the line to give the Dog and Fox the equaliser and take the game to extra-time.

Chances were few and far between in the extra half hour, with Rangers Sam Gooding having their best opportunity to score a winner in the very first minute of added time and Marc Lanfear having their last in the dying moments as both teams were resigned to the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

Pete Ayton was first up for Rangers and he calmly slotted past Craig Guthrie to make it 1-0. Ricky Trott's spot kick sailed wide of the target and Rangers took a 2-0 lead when Chris Story made no mistake from the spot.

Mark Gerrish stepped up to take the Dog's second penalty and like Trott before him he sent his effort wide of the mark. Nick Mead saw his effort saved by Guthrie and when Steve Roddy fired his effort home the Dog and Fox were back in the contest.

Sam Tucker made no mistake with Rangers' fourth and Steve Latham kept the Dog in the game when he drilled home their second successful kick.

All the pressure was on Dog and Fox goalkeeper Guthrie to save Matty Smith's penalty but Smith made certain that the Dog didn't have to take their fifth spot kick as his effort from 12 yards hit the back of the net to scenes of jubilation from his team-mates and supporters.

Rangers know that they are just 90 minutes away from lifting the Knockout Cup for the first ever time but they will be well aware their opponents Crown Cosmos, who were last term's beaten finalists, pose a serious threat to their hopes and they will have to raise their game if they are going to end their 35 year wait for cup glory.