Last-gasp Town progress to semi-finals

STRATFORD Town booked their place in the semi-finals of the Birmingham Senior Cup with a last-gasp 2-1 victory over Rushall Olympic at the DCS Stadium on Tuesday night.

With the score locked at 1-1 and the game seemingly heading to a penalty shoot-out, substitute Jamie Sheldon scored with virtually the last touch of the game to seal progress.

Simeon Tulloch’s left-footed cross hit Jamie Sheldon on the knee on its way to goal. Rushall goalkeeper Jonathan Brown fumbled the ball and then failed to stop it going over the line.

The goal had more than a touch of good fortune about it, but Town were certainly due some luck after a barren spell of eight games without a win.

Rushall had taken the lead on 34 minutes when a Jordan Fitzpatrick free-kick into the danger area was headed home by Josh McKenzie.

Town hit back within ten minutes when Jack Roberts’ searching through ball found Kieren Westwood in space. The full-back coolly directed his shot past Brown into the corner of the net.

Stratford had the better of the second-half chances, with Fagan, Tulloch and former Pics midfielder Michael McGrath all going close before Sheldon’s late winner.

Town’s semi-final opponents will be Solihull Moors, who were reinstated to the competition after Redditch United were removed for fielding an ineligible player.

Full match report in this week’s Herald