Trafalgar battle back to pull off great escape

Traf went 3-0 down after a shocking start to the game at Staxton, but Billy Logan gave them hope with a goal before the interval, though the visitors then smashed in two quick goals before half-time and Liam Salt’s side looked set for a cup exit.

The player-boss was so angry with the performance he brought himself on up front at the interval to play alongside Logan up front, pushing Sean Exley into a wide role.

This switch paid instant dividends as he scored to pull it back to 5-2, then a thumping 30-yard shot into the top corner from Exley gave Traf fresh hope.

Logan pulled it back to 5-4, but Marton restored their two-goal lead soon afterwards.

Hot-shot Logan completed his hat-trick and then Lewis Taylor levelled with 20 minutes remaining.

Traf piled forward looking for the winner but Marton stood firm and the game went to penalties.

Keeper Liam Giles proved to be the shoot-out hero, saving all three Martin spot-kicks while Logan, Danny White and Taylor converted Traf’s to seal a 3-0 win and take them into the quarter-finals.

Salt said: “We were absolutely shocking in the first 45 minutes, I was so angry I decided to put myself on up front and after the interval we were much better.

“Liam had a bad game in goal but made up for his errors with his top saves in the shoot-out and we can now look forward to the quarter-finals.”

Trafalgar Reserves made it a cracking day for the club as they earned a 4-1 home win in the Goalsports Trophy at home to Ayton.

Tom Scales scored a brace for Traf, while a couple of Stu Wilson own goals completed the scoring for Traf, Mike Grayshan’s penalty the only consolation for Mark Plumpton’s visitors.

Player-boss Mikey Barker and Dave Bell were the star men for Traf as the centre-half pairing.

Cayton Corinthians joined Traf Reserves in the final four as they defeated Crown Tavern 7-1, the away side playing the hole second half with nine men.

The villagers were 4-0 up at the break thanks to goals from Jon Hodgson, Harry Sleep, Danny Collins and Scott Davison, Tavern reduced to 10 men just before the interval when player-boss Lee Donaldson was dismissed for dissent.

During the break Tavern keeper Liam Taylor also saw red for continuing to argue with the referee, and further goals from Sleep, Collins and sub Brad Marshall tied up the win for Cayton.

Dave Barber’s penalty-pulled it back to 5-1, the spot-kick being awarded when Neal Castleton was fouled.

Left-back Damon Cook, who was celebrating his birthday, was the Cayton man of the match while central midfielder Castleton was star man for Tavern.

Jacob Codling chipped in with nine goals as Newlands battered Itis Itis United in the Senior Cup.

Stew Bates banged in a hat-trick, with Tom Sutherland and Callum Myers also scoring for the visitors.

Codling netted the man of the match award for Newlands, while fellow youngster Mark Wade also impressed in central midfield with a battling display.

West Pier won 7-0 at home to a depleted Commercial, striker Rob Speight banging in a hat-trick for the victors.

Luke Delve, Cam Dobson and subs Kyle O’Toole and Martin Cooper completed the win, with central midfielder Sam Garnett the star man for Pier.

Commercial played most of the second half with only 10 men as Steven Barker was forced off with a back injury, Max Edwards was the man of the match for Geoff Osguthorpe’s side.

Fylingdales won 5-1 at Heslerton in the same competition to book their semi-final spot.

Dan Blanchard netted Heslerton’s only goal.

In the Scarborough News Sunday League second division Hull University won 3-2 at home to Barrowcliff Reserves, their first league win of the season.

Paul Hill headed in early on to put Uni ahead and then in the seventh minute man of the match Michael Stables doubled the students’ lead.

Sam Mahoney pulled a goal back before half-time and then after the break his cross set up sub Sam Chadwick to tap in from close range.

Both sides pushed on looking for the winner, but it was the home side who claimed the crucial third goal with a George Thompson penalty after Ed Burrows had been fouled.

Craig Spooner was named as the Barrowcliff man of the match.