22nd January 2012.
Holbeach Yellows (0) 5 ; Stamford (0) 4
After a false start last week the Yellows started 2012 with a Lincs County Cup match against Stamford, Lewis Pryke was still struggling with injury leaving Holbeach with a thirteen man squad to select from. Stamford were going well in division three of the Peterborough league so a close encounter was expected.
A strong wind blowing almost straight down the pitch was always going to make things difficult for both sides and Stamford who had the wind at their backs during the first half over hit two well placed free kicks in the first ten minutes.
Holbeach worked hard into the wind and created two good chances in the space of five minutes, firstly skipper Ben Nottingham playing in a midfield role picked out Luke Want whose effort was well blocked by the visiting keeper and then a good move starting with Marcus Clifton and involving Alex Vassalo and Chris Briggs saw Danny Wilshire out pace the Stamford defence and fire just wide into the side netting.
Marcus Clifton kept the Yellows in the tie with three wonderful saves in the last fifteen minutes of the half firstly diving low to his right to palm away a well struck effort and then pulling off an almost identical save just six minutes later and from the resulting corner tipping a goal bound effort over the crossbar.
The Yellows had two good chances in the dying minutes of the half, Ben Nottingham saw his free kick scrambled away by the Stamford defence and Kiran Bhondi had a close range effort cleared off the line as Holbeach were probably the happier of the two sides to see the half end with the scores still level.
Stamford came close to breaking the deadlock in the very first minute of the second half but Shaun Weightman was on hand to clear off the line, but with the wind now behind them it was Holbeach who looked most like scoring.
Luke Want saw his lob drop just over the crossbar and Matt Rose had a well struck left foot free kick saved by the Stamford keeper. Jamie Casey also had a goal bound effort deflected wide by a Stamford defender and Luke was just inches away from latching onto a George Groves cross. Stamford did have a late chance to snatch the win but the ball ended up in the grateful hands of Marcus Clifton and with time up and no extra time to be played the dreaded penalty shootout awaited.
Jamie Casey, Ben Nottingham, Craig Weightman and Matt Rose all converted their spot kicks to leave the scores level after the first five penalties and the tie went to sudden death. Luke Want strode confidently forward to smash home the Yellows sixth penalty and Marcus Clifton sealed the win and booked the Yellows a place in the next round by diving low to his right to pull off another fine save to keep out the sixth Stamford spot kick.