ALL HAIL HARRY AS ROVERS HERO
GREAT Wakering Rovers booked their place in the semi-finals thanks to a second-half Harry Talbot brace.
Rovers last won silverware in the 2017-18 season, while Falmouth Town had the chance to be the second side from Cornwall to progress into the last four since Truro City in 2007.
The size of the occasion was evident from the off, with 250 supporters making the 350-mile journey for the visitors.
Town posed the first real threat, with Cameron Hutchison jinking inside from the left and bending a curling effort just wide.
Rovers would respond with a chance of their own, a slick interchange from Jake Gordon to Ben Search, who slid Talbot through on goal but the on-rushing Morgan Coxhead gobbled up his effort.
Both teams were offering offensive craft in their own way. Rovers had a slight, quick-on-theirfeet, fluid front three who would harass and hunt offthe-ball and drift into vacated space when in possession. Their opponents progressed through simpler means, with Oliver Walker being the intended outlet in most attacks.
Walker was embroiled in a battle with Kingdom Dawson and his threat grew more prominent with Harrison Topliss taking the cynical route to limit the potential danger, earning a yellow card in the process.
Progression, however, was few and far between in the first 45.
Nonetheless, Callum Boylan and Talbot’s flair-driven link-up caused the away defence the odd scare. A move crafted by sheer ingenuity saw the aforementioned pair play a slick one-two only to be halted by James Ward. A quick succession of corners saw Coxhead called into action and answered with an acrobatic save to deny a Gordon volley.
The hosts’ intensity grew and 20 minutes after the interval, Gordon’s cross bobbled to the feet of an unmarked Talbot at the back post, who placed his finish from a couple of yards out.
Town’s attempts to revive themselves were scuppered when Gordon, once again, picked up the ball in the right channel before overhitting a lofted cross, which was wrestled back by substitute Max Gnandi. He was brought down by Jacob Grange.
Talbot took the ball and rifled the penalty into the bottom-left corner.
Talbot nearly completed his hat-trick with an audacious backheel flick from Jack Nolde’s cross but it only reached the gloves of Coxhead.
Speaking on his side’s initial 12/1 chances of winning the competition, manager Marcus Bowers said: “I don’t mind being the underdogs at all. If anyone can embrace being the surprise element, it’s these boys!”
Wakering will join Romford, Lincoln United and Worcester City in tomorrow’s draw.
STAR MAN: Jake Gordon (Great Wakering Rovers) ATT: 694
ENTERTAINMENT: ★★★★★
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