Avro progressed through to the final of the NPL West playoffs after a close match against Lower Breck on Tuesday night
It was non-stop action in the first half for both sides, with Breck getting the early chance. The ball was played in behind the defence for Sam Burn, who attempted a shot on goal, but got zero power behind the shot, so it was an easy save for Cam Mason.
Only a few minutes after Lower Breck’s chance, Darrhyl Mason was set through the back line and found himself in a 1-on-1 situation with Theo Roberts. Unfortunately, his shot was excellently saved by the Breck keeper.
Around the 35th minute, a mistimed clearance in the box allows Lower Breck to get a chance on goal, but luckily, the Ro’s number one Cam Mason saved the effort.
In the 50th minute, Avro had multiple shots on goal, with one of them hitting the post, but that shot ricocheted back out into the box for Jake Cottrell. The Ro midfielder then slotted the ball into the right-hand side of the net to make it 1-0 in the playoff semi-final.
Around the 60th-minute mark, Lower Breck had an amazing chance to get the equaliser through Jordan Barrow, but just as Barrow let his effort fly, Avro captain Jack Kenny slid in to prevent the chance from endangering Cam Mason.
With five minutes added on to the normal time, it looked like the Ro had secured their place in the playoff final, but in a moment of pure shock, the visitors sprung one last attack. Pushing down the left flank before squaring the ball into the box for Lewis Buckley, who at the first time of asking, converted the shot, making it 1-1 and taking the game to extra time.
Not long into the first half of extra time, Lower Breck found themselves with a corner. Once they took it, they sent the ball towards the near post where Jordan Barrow was. Barrow won the header and sent the ball into the net to put Lower Breck ahead for the first time this entire game.
In the 116th minute, Darren Ehimamiegho charged down the left-hand side, before cutting into the box and squaring the ball into the centre of the box. Fortunately, either an Avro player or a Lower Breck player managed to put the ball past Roberts for the equaliser, and sent it to penalties.
After initially missing the first penalty, the Ro never gave up, converting every other penalty and praying that the visitors would mess up or Cam Mason would make the necessary saves. Well, luck was on the side of Avro as Breck missed their fifth penalty and their sixth penalty ended up hitting the crossbar, meaning the hosts went flying into the final to face Stalybridge Celtics on Saturday, 2nd May.
Lineups
Avro – C. Mason, Kershaw (78” Ehimamiegho), Owen, Hickman (96” Morrow), Fitzpatrick, Kenny, Dyson (63” Smith), Cottrell, D. Mason (74” Molloy), Salt (74” Hawley), Simms
Subs not Used –
Lower Breck – Roberts, Fitzgerald (85” Kay), Lowey, Cookson (90” Murphy), Cooper (81” Corness), Millington (89” Edmondson), Cherera, Barrow, Buckley, Burns, Morris
Subs not Used – Hughes
Written By: Ross Lunt
