Asfordby FC U18s stun Melton Foxes in cup shoot-out

The Foxes were full of confidence after their sparkling opening display in the Premier against AFC Andrews as they set out for the Stuart Baldwin Cup tie.

Both teams struggled in the early stages, but the Foxes saw more of the ball without creating many chances.

Shaun Smith could not add the finishing touch to Marcus Rowland’s cross before Smith and Jake Dawkins fired overhead kicks over the bar.

With 24 minutes gone Foxes won a penalty when Smith was felled by the keeper after beign teed up by Alex Walker. Smith got up to convert.

Smith saw another shot deflected wide seconds later after good work by Harry Hall and Tom Dryell, but Asfordby had a chance when a long ball over the top found the centre forward who sliced his shot wide.

But within four second-half minutes the hosts equalised when Melton messed up a clearance. Keeper Chris Lovegrove then misjudged a long ball and it dropped into the corner of the net.

Foxes hit back when a superb passing move between Wilkinson, Walker and Smith put youngster Tom Dryell through and he calmly slotted the second.

Minutes later Foxes gifted Asfordby another equaliser when another loose pass left Wilkinson stranded and the ball was whipped in low for a tap-in.

The Foxes were down to 10 men when Wilkinson was forced off following a tackle, and Asfordby broke again to take the lead.

Walker replied with a 20-yard free kick which the keeper pushed out, and from Ainge’s corner, Dawkins got up well to head against the bar.

Smith fired agonisingly wide before Dawkins again got up well to a corner, but the keeper saved well.

Smith then headed Kotarba’s cross past the stranded keeper, but the linesman ruled the goal out for offside.

With 10 minutes left, Foxes notched a deserved equaliser when another corner was cleared to the edge of the area where Adam Lomas volleyed home via the underside of the bar.

The Asfordby keeper then blocked a low cross from Lomas and cleared two more dangerous corners before full-time.

After dominating for long periods the penalty shoot-out proved a nightmare for Melton with Lomas and Thorpe missing their kicks, while the hosts took all four of theirs with former Fox Jake Cox leading the way.

Foxes: C. Lovegrove, A. Kotarba, H. Hall, J. Dawkins, G. Wilkinson, C. Ainge, A. Walker, L. Thorpe, T. Dryell, S. Smith, M. Rowland, C. Steans, A. Lomas.