Bluefin Supplementary Cup Semi-Final

Tuffley Rovers 1
Fairford Town 1
(Tuffley Rovers won 5-4 on penalties)
FORMER Cirencester Town captain Mark Pritchett was the hero for Tuffley Rovers as they knocked the holders Fairford Town out of the Bluefin Supplementary Cup at the semi-final stage after a penalty shoot-out.

It was a tense game at Glevum Park between the runaway Hellenic Div One West champions and their in-form Premier Division opponents.

Early chances came Fairford’s way with Evans denying Jason Milhench and Josh Morse for the visitors.

Player-manager Pritchett broke the deadlock with a precise low free-kick into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

Jonny Aitkenhead, included in the visitors’ line-up with Sam Ockwell away, then came to the rescue to deny Pritchett a second of the evening with a header off the line.

Fairford got back on level terms on the stroke of half-time with Milhench tucking away a penalty.

Chances came and went in the second period but the game went to extra-time and solid defending from both sides saw the scores remain level and the game went to spot-kicks, with the home side triumphing 5-4.

Again it was Pritchett, in his first season as manager, who struck the winning penalty.