After the unexpected reversal of last week, Blues
got back on the winning trail, but once again, they were far from
convincing. Although they are creating the chances, they are no longer
putting them away with the same fluency of last season.
As in the previous encounter between these two sides, this was
far from a pretty game. Bulldogs once again were content with trying
to stop Blues from playing rather than
attempting to win the game themselves, and as before, Blues
failed to come to terms with their opposition's tactics.In the event,
though, Blues went in at the break with
the comfort of a two-goal cushion.
Oliver Edwards scored a very
scrappy first goal, when the loose ball eventually fell to him in
the six-yard box, to ease Blues' tension. However, there was nothing
very scrappy about their second, as Sam Hall
stroked a superb shot from beyond the corner of the penalty area,
and it flew in, giving the keeper no chance.
But Blues didn't have things all
their own way, and but for a goal-line clearance from Mitch Shenton,
and a shot fortunately hitting the bar, Blues
could have gone into the interval on level terms.
In the second period, Blues were
rarely troubled, and but for some abysmal finishing, they would have
scored many more. As it was, they had to be content with just the
one more goal, scored by Matt Anderson
from the penalty spot, after Oliver Edwards was brought down by the
keeper.
Blues now go into their second semi-final
of the season, where they will meet the winners of the Alton and Newcastle
tie.
The match was sponsored by Protech Electricals
and The Britannia Building Society.