Percy Main 3 Forest Hall 4 (AET)

By Norman de Bruin

A second cup exit.

For the second week in succession, Percy Main were on the wrong end of a 4-3 scoreline, although this time extra time was needed, before Forest Hall eventually prevailed to put The Main out of the League cup at the first round stage. It was at times, a fiery game, which threatened to boil over on occassions and saw a series of rash challenges from both sides, with 5 yellow cards brandished, 3 of those going the way of the home side.

Last weekend, Paul Dunn netted an 89th minute winner against The Main, to edge home for Seaton Delaval in the Challenge cup, while this time around Marc Atkinson scored for Forest Hall at exactly the same stage, to level things at 2-2 and take the game into extra time. This when Percy Main had been 2-0 up, only 20 minutes earlier, but undoubtedly the visitors finished the fitter and stronger and deserved their cup passage.

A scrappy start saw both sides test each other out, Kieran Tubman in an unfamiliar role up front for Percy Main went close within the first minute, while Lewis Marshall tested Rob Rodgerson in the home goal and Jack Pinchen volleyed over the crossbar. Just past the quarter hour mark, Adam Green headed over from Ryan Laws left wing centre, before Percy Main took the lead 22 minutes in, as Green crossed for Jack Armstrong who headed home.

The nearest Forest Hall came to an equaliser during the first period, came as Aaron Wright's well delivered free kick, was glanced inches the wrong side of the post by Pinchen, minutes before half time.
Both goalkeepers, who hadn't previously had too much to do, distinguished themselves after the interval as Rodgerson saved well from Marshall and Jonny Storey tested Ian Todd at the other end.

On 68 minutes, Percy Main doubled their lead and to all, it looked as though it would be the goal which would go some way to sealing the game as Robert Hamilton intercepted a kick out by Todd and quickly played in Ryan Richardson, who went on to finish well, but the 2 goal cushion was to last only 8 minutes as Pinchen fired home a free kick from out wide of the angle which went in off the far post.

As the game reached the end of normal time, Joe Liddle headed just over for Forest Hall, before perhaps inevitably, Atkinson converted a deep free kick from the right to restore parity at 2-2.
Visibly buoyed by that late vital goal, the visitors went ahead for the first time in the match just after the start of extra time as Thompson's effort was parried by Rodgerson and the un watched Pinchen was left with the simplest of tasks to slot the ball home into an empty net.

Richardson scored his second of the afternoon for Percy Main to pull his side level once more, as Green claimed another assist, but Joe Thompson was to have the final say on 106 minutes for the visitors as he converted a cross by Allan Connor.

Newcastle University away on Wednesday night.....