Comet Sports reach Semi-Final with win at Bedfont.
Bedfont Sunday 1-2 Comet Sports
The FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup
Fifth Round
Sunday 20 February 2011
Bedfont Sports Club
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Comet Sports Club bounced back from 1-0 down at half-time to beat Bedfont Sunday and earn a place in the Semi-Final of The FA Carlsberg Sunday Cup.
Around 200 spectators turned up at the impressive Bedfont Sports Club to see the Middlesex outfit take on their Hertfordshire opponents, and it was the visitors who returned home happy.
Chris Marsh's half-volley sealed the victory to send his side into the last four of the competition after Nick Jackson had earlier drawn them level.
But it was Bedfont who had the best moment of the first period, despite Comets coming close to breaking the deadlock twice. After seeing his team's 13th-minute strike chalked off for offside, Bedfont's Mark Smith cleared a dangerous effort from the goal-line minutes later before Comet's Alfie Mullen also came close.
When Jackson had an effort saved by John Peacock in the home goal, Bedfont swept forward in a swift counter-attack. Even the best efforts of ‘keeper Liam Jahn couldn't stop captain Ricky Farnden converting Laurie Sheehan's cross to give his team a 26th-minute lead.
Bedfont made a change at the break, withdrawing Lee Morley and replacing him with Harry Driver, whose fine pass gave Sheehan a chance to extend his team’s lead early in the second half. However, the forward’s chip from 20 yards drifted wide of the goal.
Instead, it was Comets who scored twice in two minutes to turn the tie around. Winger Jackson was allowed time to charge down the right flank before cutting inside and firing across Peacock to level the match.
And before the Middlesex side could respond they found themselves behind to a textbook example of “route one” football. Comet defender Luke Wood took a goal kick, which bounced nicely for Adam Martin. He caught it expertly to send into the net.
Throwing men forward late on, Bedfont introduced Ben Buzzard as an extra centre-forward and he came within inches of levelling the match with eleven minutes left, his glancing header from Sheehan’s cross drifting agonisingly wide.
The action kept coming as Bedfont sought the equaliser, Comet were able to exploit gaps in their defence. Marsh almost sealed the win but saw his shot well-saved by Peacock, before another header was cleared off the line.
In injury time, Comet's Paul Hanafan was fouled inside the box by Peacock, but after the referee had awarded the spot kick, the 'keeper was able to make amends and prevent a 3-1 defeat, tipping the ball onto the post before gathering the loose ball.
Bedfont SundayJohn Peacock, Jake Saville (Ben Buzzard, 77), Lee Morley (Harry Driver, HT), Ricky Owen, Ryan Lake, Joe Johnson, Ricky Farnden, Dale Webb (Saman Kanani, 63), Adam Turner, Laurie Sheehan, Mark Smith
Subs not used Tom Owen, Terry Buss
Comets Sports Club Liam Jahn, Joel Williams, Scott Wood, Luke Wood, Stuart Denton, Alfie Mullen, Nick Jackson (Paul Hanafan, 77), Alex McCarthy (Dan Hartley, 86), Ray Wood (Luke Sharpley, 69), Adam Martin, Chris March
Subs not used Jack Wood, Shane Wood
