Saints and Sports bow out of the cup

Brackley Town Saints exited the UHLSport Hellenic League Perpetua Press Floodlit Cup on Wednesday.
Tom Kalugin puts Brackley Town Saints back in front against Flackwell Heath. Photo: Dale JamesTom Kalugin puts Brackley Town Saints back in front against Flackwell Heath. Photo: Dale James
Tom Kalugin puts Brackley Town Saints back in front against Flackwell Heath. Photo: Dale James

Flackwell Heath won the third round tie 4-3 at St James Park.

Flackwell began well, Charlie Samuel shot wide and Francis Amartey forced keeper Alistair Worby into action. Worby denied Elliott Carey before the visitors took the lead when Samuel was sent away down the right and deftly lifted the ball over the advancing Worby and into the empty net.

Heath should have doubled their lead when Dean Allen headed wide before Saints equalised when Tom Kalugin set up Chris Jordan who tucked the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Saints took the lead when Matt Johnson skipped past a challenge and rounded keeper David Lyons to stroke home. Defender Adam Dickens, who had tried to bring Johnson down, was shown a second yellow card.

Worby made three super saves before Dan Middleton fired over the bar from an acute angle.

Heath equalised after the restart when Samuel turned well on the edge of the area before smashing the ball past Worby. Just seconds later Kalugin put Saints back in front from close range.

A lapse in concentration allowed Charlie Malin to put Heatch back on level terms again and moments later Amartey put the visitors back in front.

Despite having Malin dismissed for picking up his second yellow card late on, the visitors held out to progress.

Easington Sports went down 2-1 at Thame Rangers in Wednesday’s third round tie.