THIRD Division sides FC Box Steam Brewery and Melksham Town A advanced to the last four of the EJ Shanley & Son sponsored Spring Cup after victories over respective second division opponents Trowbridge Wanderers Reserves and Trowbridge Rangers in their quarter-final encounters.

Phil Webb’s Brewery Boys had enough chances to win their tie at home to Trowbridge Rangers a few times over but in the end, dreadful finishing and some fine goalkeeping from Ben Forester meant they had to settle for a nervy 2-1 win, which was only achieved through a fluked Nick Gleeson goal.

Jason Povey had the first sight of goal for the Brewery Boys’ but his effort in the opening 10 minutes cannoned off the post.

However, with 15 minutes on the clock, Povey rifled home a stunner to give his team the lead. Povey was then guilty of missing a couple of sitters that would have put the game to bed before half-time.

Trowbridge Rangers got themselves back in the tie in the 70th minutes. Poor defending by the Brewery Boys allowed Cameron Thomas in to square things up at one apiece.

Phil Webb then made a couple of changes, bringing on Duncan Frew and Jason Hughes, and it was the former who played a huge part in getting his team over the line.

Taking control of the midfield battle, Frew was instrumental in anything that was good for the Brewery boys and from a move that saw him surge into the Rangers half, he was upended ,and from the resulting free-kick came the winning goal, although it owed more to good fortune that skill.

Gleeson launched the set-piece into the area looking for the head of Matty Hall but the ball sailed over Hall and everyone else into the back of the net beyond a bemused Forester.

The goal knocked the stuffing out of Rangers and put life back into the Brewery boys who went close to adding a third but only a brilliant save from Forester denied Povey from making the result look a little more comprehensive.

Box Steam Brewery will travel to fellow third division side Aces next weekend as they do battle for a place in the final.

Barry Holloway’s Melksham Town ‘A’ side, who are favourites to win the competition, breezed into the semi-finals where they will host second division Worton & Cheverell after ending the hopes of Trowbridge Wanderers Reserves.

Jordan Kirk gave Melksham the lead, Dan Moore made it 2-0 and the tie was over when Nick Ridout and Callum Demkiv netted before half-time.

Second half goals from Demkiv and JKirk made up Melksham’s half dozen before Ben Rogers scored a late consolation for Matt Rusling’s Wanderers side as the tie finished 6-1.