BOSS John Edwards admitted to anticipating a sting in the tail as Littleton scalped Bromsgrove Sporting in a madcap penalty shoot-out on Tuesday.
The Ton Boys spurned a series of chances to race away with the Polymac Packaging League cup tie, failing to add to a second-minute rebound converted by Matt Edwards.
Off-colour Sporting sent on big guns Robbie Bunn, Jason Cowley and Sean Brain just past the hour but it had little effect until Bunn’s deflected shot from outside the box snatched a 1-1 draw eight minutes from time.
Home keeper Reece Francis saved the first three Littleton penalties from Dale Edwards, Dave Edwards and Jordan Jones but after three apiece it was still only 1-0.
Joe Adams levelled with Connor Deards blazing over and successful efforts from goalkeeper Brendon Bunn, Steve Roche and Shay Palmer proved enough to progress 4-3 when Jack Wilson’s spot-kick was saved.
“I have not seen anything like that. When the keeper makes three saves it is usually all over, maybe it was meant to be,†said Edwards.
“I have a lot of respect for Bromsgrove, they have a top side. We did not quite dominate the game but I felt we were deserving winners and I was disappointed that it went to penalties.
“We controlled the game for 75 minutes, they had a little spell but we got our rewards in the end.
“I always felt we would need more than one, even more so when we kept creating chances in the second half. You got the feeling they would nick one, they have too much quality not to create.â€
Victory fired Littleton into the last eight on the back of turfing out Worcester City in the previous round but Edwards insisted there would be no change of focus at Five Acres.
“The League Cup has been something for us to enjoy and it appears to be working well. There are a lot of good sides still in there, we will just take it as it comes and see where it takes us.
“When we took over three games into the season the squad was not good enough. It was always going to be difficult with getting lads in at that time in the season. Gradually, we have drafted in a few and got the players fit so it is coming together. The most important thing is to finish as high as we can in the league.â€
The midweek success followed on from Saturday’s 5-0 win at Nuneaton Griff in Midland League Division One, extending to six matches Littleton’s unbeaten run.
Top marksman Dan Carter made it 26 goals for the season with a hat-trick and was joined by Dale Edwards and Palmer on the score sheet.
The Ton Boys have no match this weekend and while John Edwards is no fan of blank Saturdays, he does see it as a chance for Carter to get over the dead calf picked up at the Victoria Ground.
“It was more of a kick than a pull,†said Edwards. “Dan said his calf felt dead so from his point of view not playing on Saturday might be a blessing.
“He has been brilliant this season, his record speaks for itself so the rest might do him a bit of good.â€
Report courtesy of Andy Mitchell (Evesham Journal) |