Amateur Cup Quarter Final - Sudbrook CC 1 Villa Dino 5

SUDBROOK’S Amateur Cup dreams were dashed in five second-half minutes on the 3G at the weekend.

Trailing by a single goal scored in the 40th minute, Sudbrook were still well in the hunt to add a famous scalp in their cup quest.

For those 40 minutes, Sudbrook – the Gwent County League Division Three leaders – had  matched Villa - the Division Two leaders – in virtually every department.

Neither team had been able to dominate and the play swung from one end to the other with both keepers called into action.

But Villa had Ricky Napper, a tall, powerful No 10 who broke the deadlock, latching onto a loose ball and poking it past Sudbrook keeper Craig Brimble.

Even that setback failed to faze Sudbrook who almost equalised a few minutes later when Ben Miles’ 30-yard effort crashed against Villa’s bar, Richie Lloyd unable to sort his feet out in time to score what would have been a deserved leveller.

But it was the 50th minute that would decide this match.

A cross from the right touchline was headed back past Brimble by Jake Wainwright,  and the relief of gaining a two-goal advantage was plain in the way Villa celebrated.

They knew they were playing a tough and skilful team and needed that cushion.

As it was, Mark Millinship added a third and Napper capped an impressive performance with his second and third goals so that when Keenan Perrett scored in the dying minutes, there were no celebrations.

Despite the bitter disappointment, Sudbrook’s assistant manager Drew Main said he and manager Daryl Cann saw a number of positives in the team’s showing.

“While it’s disappointing to lose a quarter final, Daryl and I were proud of our players,” he said later.

“It was evenly matched and we were very unlucky to go into half time 1-0 down.

“We had three good chances and if we had taken at least one of them, which we would have done in other games, it could have been a lot closer.

“Conceding within the first five minutes of the second half changed the whole outlook and from then on we were chasing the game.

“We changed our formation to try and push on to score a goal but Villa’s quality came to the fore and they dominated until the final whistle.

“We were pleased how we responded to going behind, happy we scored because we deserved at least one goal, and that every player in the squad gave their all.

“We couldn’t have asked any more and it just shows our team spirit that we battled to the end even being 5-1 down.

“Villa Dino are a much changed team this season and have several ex-Welsh League players.

“They are easily going to win Division Two and they have aspirations to be in Welsh League in two years’ time so, to have competed against them for most of the match just shows how much we have progressed as a team and puts us in a good place for the second half of the season and hopefully secure promotion to Division Two where we also believe we will be competitive.”