Our season of cup success continued yesterday as the 2nd XI reached their second final in two weeks.
A fortnight ago they dispensed with fellow title contenders Sea Mills in the League Cup Semi Final and yesterday secured a victory in the GFA Cup that takes them through to a final with the same opponents.
Greyfriars Athletic worked wonders to get the game on at their Mile Straight Sport Club after a poor couple of days weather wise, but sadly for Greys the match ended in a four nil reverse. Cribbs goals coming via an own goal, Dan Burgan, Tom Headford and the senior member of the Clayton clan, James.
The final will take place at GFA HQ on 29 April versus the Millers.
The first XI who retain their own ambitions of GFA Cup success obtained three points away from home at Bridport.
The first half has been called dour in some quarters. It may have been so for the home fans, but not for the Cribbs followers who enjoyed their side having the better of the first half exchanges. Cribbs took an early lead with a goal from Jordan Lovibond and continued to hold the upper hand throughout the half. The defence was marshalled excellently by new loan signing Colin Mugoya-Tabingwa, he and fellow centre half Ryan Crouch making some excellent interventions and blocks throughout.
The second half continued with the same pattern of play and Cribbs should have secured the points a lot earlier than they did. Lovibond, Harry Simons and Greg Andrews formed a great combination of youth and experience in the middle keeping things tight, with George Kellow a constant menace down the right.
With quarter of an hour to go, manager Tony Beacham decided to give Dan Dyke a run in central midfield following his return from injury. On 83 minutes Dyke pinged a ball out to Sol Wanjau-Smith on the left and the pacey forward worked his way into the box where he was upended by the onrushing goalkeeper. A yellow card and a penalty being a fair response from the referee.
Wanjau-Smith dusted himself down and slotted the penalty away. Two Nil.
Bridport then saw Matt Condliffe sent off for a second bookable offence. He had been tormented by Kellow for much of the afternoon and tapped Kellow's ankles as he broke from midway in is own half. No other option for the man in black.
It wouldn't be the same without giving the Cribbs fans a scare though. Keeper Archie Watts who had enjoyed a good afternoon until that point decided to come out for a cross, but the ball spilled to Bridport forward Sam Clark who turned and shot into the bottom right hand corner of the net.
The referee then went into 'Fergie' time, but the boys held on for what was a fully deserved victory and a scoreline that flattered the Bees.
No game for the Third XI this week, but a special mention goes to the 4ths who sadly couldn't keep their fantastic GFA Cup run going as they lost out to Downs League Sneyd Park in a ten goal thriller. Great effort from Harry's lads as it is the furthest they have gone in our history and adds to their solid league season, sitting 5th of 12 in Bristol and District Division Four.
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