After being knocked out of the County Cup at Bedmond last week, the Lion's again had to raise their game against Propak, who are currently third in Division One, in Round One of the KLM Challenge Cup. Today's referee was Mr Dowden.
Lion's starting eleven: Sanchez, A.Jefferies,French, Fildes, Abrahams, Crisp, Burnage, Pearson, Dye(C), D.Jefferies, Canning.
For the first five minutes the ball never got out of the Propak half as the Breachwood Lion's started the most livelier of the two teams. Early shots from Danny Jefferies and Ian Canning were an early warning of what was to come. The Lion's began to play some of their best "Crisp" football of the season. Even Centre Back Andy Fildles tried an audacious overhead kick from a Burnage Corner.
Despite all of Lion's early possession, it was the Division One side that took the lead after several counter attacks down the left wing. The Propak forward stabbed the ball home from six yards after the Lion's failed to clear a crossed ball. Propak threatened most from set pieces. Adam Jefferies cleared a powerful header off the line from a corner. On another occasion Sanchez was able to get down low to save after a shot took a tricky deflection.
Robby Pearson worked hard down the left wing. An inspired Danny Jefferies picked up the ball on the edge of the Propak penalty area. With one turn he was able to curl the ball ,with plenty of lift, into the top right corner of the net to put the Lion's back in the game with the equaliser.
Some fine tackling from both Captain Danny Dye and fullback Ian Abrahams, stopped Propak from finding their rhythm. Lion's took the lead when a quick square pass from Burnage on the right wing, found Graham Crisp in space thirty five yards from goal. Without hesitation he thumped the ball low into the bottom right corner of the net with his left foot to put the Lion's into the lead at 2-1.
Propak managed to show their pedigree on the counter attack and had a penalty claim turned down after an Abraham's tackle, but the Lion's pressure was relentless. A quick thinking Danny Jefferies, who had noticed the Propak defence was positioned high up the pitch, played a defence splitting pass to Adam Burnage on the right. Burnage carried the ball thirty yards before going one on one with the keeper. He kept his nerve to slide the ball into the net to put the Lion's firmly in the lead at 3-1 for half time.
The second half was what good cup tie's are made of. Not long after the restart, Ian Canning saw the Propak keeper off his line and cheekily lobbed the keeper from just inside the Propak half to give the Lion's a 4-1 lead.
Propak were by no means beaten and fought back strongly. They scored their second with a whipped in corner to the back post for a headed goal to make it 4-2.
At the other end Danny Jefferies and Ian Canning kept the Propak keeper busy with several efforts. Jefferies was denied a penalty claim after being simultaneous tackled by three Propak defenders. With fifteen minutes remaining the Lion's looked to shore up the game when Harrison ,with his aerial presence, replaced the young battle weary Rob Pearson.
The game was set for a tense finish with ten minutes remaining. Lion's were unable to properly clear a throw in deep into the penalty area. This time the outstretched leg of Adam Jefferies was unable to keep the shot from going over the line into the net for 4-3.
Experienced defenders French, Abrahams and Fildes thumped clear every ball that Propak pumped into the Lion's penalty area.
Then with minutes to go Adam Jefferies carried the ball out of defence. A fine one two between Danny Jefferies and Adam Burnage on the right gave Burnage the space to whip in a cross to the far post. Ian Canning arrived right on queue with some composed control and eyeballed the keeper before slotting the ball home from six yards to seal the win for the Lion's .
The Lion's now go into Round 2 of the KLM cup for the first time.
Ian Canning was the Manager's Man of the Match and wins a free meal for two in the Red Lion.
Substitutes not used: D.Farr, P.Farr.
Another big thank you to the travelling Lion's Supporter Club who inspired today's performance:The Jefferies Family, Ash, Laura, Mel ,Beeny and Steve.
