Dergview Reserves 2 Enniskillen Town 3 (aet)
It was a game between two sides who would have had aspirations on having a successful cup run but it was the Enniskillen side who came out on the right side.
Their manager, Rory Judge, knew it was always going to be a tough assignment against the current league leaders but he felt it helped get his players in the right frame of mind for the game.
“Dergview are the best team we have played this year and always have pushed us to the pin of our collar.
“A fixture like that in the first round focusses the mind pretty well. We prepared fairly well and it helps having a bit of focus instead of maybe going to a team in the second division and you take your eye off the ball.”
Looking back at the game, Judge felt the conditions had a big say on it: “I think the conditions really dictated the way it went and the way it actually ended up as well.
“I think it equalised it a wee bit. We went in 2-0 at half time and we just had the feeling that two wasn’t enough and the second half proved that.”
However, he felt his side learned from that period and proved their quality in extra time.
“I thought in extra time everything that was missing in the second half of normal time we seemed to regain that. We had a wee bit of composure particularly against the wind in the second period.
“We were able to get one or two more passes in and we weren’t rushing clearances and we just able to spend more time in their half.
“I thought we managed that part of the game really well,” he added.
Early Town pressure saw Callum Jones have a header saved before the deadlock was eventually broken with Frank Wallace thumping home to make it 1-0.
Andy Sproule and Brendan Lilley spurned chances for their respective teams as the half wore on. Lilley really should have done better as he failed to hit the target from five yards.
It was Town who doubled their lead in speculative fashion when Gary Stewart’s cross found made it all the way to the net to leave it 2-0 at the break.
Dergview needed a quick response and with an hour of football played they had pulled a goal back courtesy of Timmy Crompton as he flicked home a near post cross.
The home side pushed for that equaliser and right at the death they got their rewards when Dylan Aiken left Gary Doherty with no chance in the Town goals with a strike from 20 yards and the game was going to extra time.
The winning goal game at the end of the first period of extra time when Conor Watson’s cross was bundled into the net by super sub Beresford and it was to be enough for Town as they kept their nerve for the remainder of the game to book their place in the next round.
Town will be looking to keep their recent form up when they travel to Lisbellaw on Saturday in the league.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here