The B’s had racked up emphatic home victories on route to their semi-final clash in midweek, defeating Banstead Athletic 8-2 in the first round back in early December, before seeing off East Preston 5-0 at the beginning of February, a memorable night at Meadowbank concluding with first year academy student Donnell Fitzgerald and U16’s forward Blaise Weller scoring their first ever B team goals late on.
B team top scorer Ollie Rawlins, currently on 31 goals in 24/25, had netted a hat-trick and a brace in the two previous ties respectively, but would unfortunately miss out on Tuesday’s semi-final due to sickness. James Laws and Jacob Todman would instead lead the line, the in-form duo collectively scoring 27 goals for the B’s throughout 24/25, and elsewhere in the side captain Neo Wooster would play just in front of the defence rather than in his usual role on the right side of the back three, whilst Carlos Richards and Lucas Elliot would get the nod over Joshua Hebert and Zac Cahusac in the wide positions.
On balance Infinity had the stronger chances across a competitive, hard-fought 90 minutes, particularly during the first half where a snap-shot flew just wide of the post inside the opening sixty-seconds, before Bradley Gale then side-footed an effort narrowly wide of target after play was recycled from a corner.
Laws powered a shot just wide in the early going but Wanderers efforts by contrast were more speculative; central midfielder Max Holland and skipper Wooster both firing strikes from distance high and wide, neither keeper brought into action.
Chances for both sides were at more of a premium through a progressively more tense second forty-five; Infinity applying early pressure around the Wanderers penalty area before going very close to making a breakthrough with twenty minutes remaining as Wooster produced a key block and defender Luca Fulco cleared the follow-up effort off the goal line, keeper Louie Sullivan then diving well down to his left to push away a free kick from Angelo Harris.
On the verge of entering stoppage time, it was Wanderers though who managed to make the breakthrough; Todman getting on the end of Richards cross from the left and guiding the ball home to an eruption of noise and celebration from the bench and pockets of support dotted around The Edgar & Wood Stadium.
However, the positive feeling was cut short almost immediately as Infinity found an equalising goal just a minute later; Tayo Adekoya, who scored the late equalising goal in the 3-3 league draw at Meadowbank just a few weeks ago, directing the ball home from several yards out as Wanderers failed to clear their lines.
Heading straight to spot kicks, after Todman’s penalty was well saved by Infinity goalkeeper Stephen Douglas, Jay Richardson, Wilf Douglas, Carlos Richards and James Laws all made no mistake with theirs, and with Infinity striking the crossbar and then the outer frame of the goal from two of their attempts, Wanderers came through the shoot-out victorious .
Manager Charlie Dunne said post-match:
“We’ve had three real tests against Infinity this season – they are good guys who do things right and we hope they reach the play-offs in the league. In terms of us, I couldn’t be any more proud of the boys, we’ve battled so well, don’t know if we necessarily would have done this tonight if the game was played at the start of the season, but that’s testament to the growth and the character this group have built up. The pitch made it more long-ball and direct, but it was still a good game of football, we’ve managed to get through on penalties and we look forward to a final to round off the season.”
That final will be against current league leaders in the Southern Combination Division One, Seaford Town, with the date and location of the final to be confirmed in due course.
Still chasing down both Seaford and second placed Forest Row in the league standings as they strive to finish as high up the table as they can, the B’s return to league action on Saturday March 15th, travelling to Worthing United in a 3pm kick off.
