Upwey & BROADWEY 2

Poundbury ROVERS 2

(after extra-time)

A HEAVILY depleted Upwey side produced a workmanlike performance to secure a replay against Poundbury Rovers in the second round of the Dorset Senior Trophy.

With 10 players unavailable due to injuries and a stag party, Steve Reynolds feared the worst at the beginning of the tie but his Dorset Senior League outfit should have won in the end after leading twice and seeing Sean Zima squander a great chance in the dying seconds.

Goalkeeper Anthony McLucas was forced to play outfield at left-back and it was his long ball that led to Upwey’s opener, which saw Justin Crawford tee up Ethan Devaney, who applied a clinical finish.

Division One high-fliers Poundbury then levelled after the break to take the game to extra-time where the hosts forged ahead once again with Crawford forcing the ball home following a goalmouth scramble.

It appeared that would be the winner but when Phil Anderson got dismissed for Upwey for a second bookable offence it enabled Rovers to apply some late pressure, which was rewarded with a leveller from a set-piece move.

But there was still time for one last chance and it fell to Upwey with Zima cutting in from the left and striking a post when a pass across the box would have provided the impressive Dan McDonald with a simple tap-in.

Reynolds said: “The lads that played worked their socks off for two hours. In fact it was unbelievable just how well they did against a decent Poundbury side.

“There were chances at both ends throughout but we should have won it right at the death when Sean ran through and hit a post when he really should have played Dan in.

“I don’t think it was a case of him being greedy, he just did not look up and see him but all credit to the lads because they really ground the result out and I certainly will not be making wholesale changes next week.”

Reynolds went on to add: “I was particularly impressed with Dan, who never stopped running all game and must have covered every yard of grass on the pitch. But to be fair everyone played well and now we have managed to stay in the competition, we might as well look to go on and try and win it.”

Upwey: Coltart, Porteus, Anderson, D McLucas, A McLucas, Zima, Purnell, McDonald, Devaney, Aplin (Smith 91), Crawford. Sub not used: Reynolds

* Chickerell United Reserves and Portland United Reserves both crashed out of the Dorset Senior Trophy. The Chickens lost 1-0 against Bere Regis while the Blues suffered a 6-0 hammering at the hands of Tintinhull.