Manor Farm edged out on penalties in thrilling cup tussle

BRISTOL Manor Farm’s bid to reach the fourth and final FA Cup qualifying round ended in heartbreaking fashion with a penalty shootout defeat to higherstatus Cray Wanderers at The Creek.

Lee Lashenko’s side produced an outstanding performance against their Isthmian League Premier Division opponents, battling back from a 3-1 half-time deficit to draw 3-3 and take the game to spot-kicks.

Ben Mundele and a free-kick from Freddie Parker put Cray two up inside 13 minutes, but Marcus Day quickly reduced the deficit.

In a chaotic end to the half, Parker made it 3-1 to the visitors and both teams were reduced to ten men as Manor Farm goalkeeper Ben John and Cray’s Mundele saw red following a goalmouth melee.

Manor Farm pulled a goal back early in the second half when Mike Bryant finished off a deflected effort from Lucas Vowles, and the hosts drew level on 70 minutes with a fine curling strike from Vowles.

Both sides came close to winning the tie in 90 minutes, with Luc Rees pulling off some good saves for Manor Farm.

Rees also saved the first Cray penalty, but misses from Vowles and Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist meant the visitors won the shootout 4-2.

Weston-super-Mare progressed to the next round with a 6-0 win against Larkhall Athletic, whose efforts deserved better than such an emphatic margin of defeat at the Woodspring Stadium.

Dayle Grubb, back at Weston following a stint in the Football League with Forest Green, hit a firsthalf hat-trick and winger James Waite, on loan from Cardiff City, also struck to make it 4-0 at the break. Waite struck again on 67 minutes with a superb shot into the top corner of the net, and completed his hat-trick with a tap-in during stoppage-time.

Bath City also won through to the fourth qualifying round with a 1-0 victory at Slough Town, thanks to a 49th-minute goal from on-loan Bristol City striker Freddie Hinds.