Town reach Lancs Trophy semis with shootout victory at AFC Fylde (From The Westmorland Gazette)

Town reach Lancs Trophy semis with shootout victory at AFC Fylde

11:50am Wednesday 7th December 2011 in Sport By Patrick O'Kane, Senior News/Sport Reporter

Lancashire FA Trophy, quarter final
AFC Fylde 1
Kendal Town 1
(K Town win 5-3 on pens)
CRAIG Dootson was Kendal Town's hero as they defeated AFC Fylde on penalties to reach the semi finals of the Lancashire FA Trophy.

The match was all square after 90 minutes after Ciaran Donnelly cancelled out a Keigan Parker strike for the hosts.

And with the competition going straight to penalties, it was Dootson who became the hero for Town as he saved Joe Booth's weak effort to the left.

Shaun Gray put Town ahead on penalties before Dootson's save and after Donnelly, Kieran Walmsley and Danny Williams had all scored, it was left to Peter Wright to send Town through by firing under keeper Danny McDonald for a 5-3 shootout win.

On a blustery evening on the west Lancashire coast, it was Evo-Stik Division One North Fylde who broke the deadlock with just 11 minutes on the clock.

Picking the ball up in midfield, Parker cut inside his marker and set his shot before curling the ball over Dootson to give the hosts the advantage.

It proved a short-lived lead though as Donnelly squared the match up just seven minutes later.

A quick, flowing move saw Jordan Connerton feed Mark Jackson, who laid the ball off for midfielder Donnelly, and after dancing past two defenders he stroked the ball beyond McDonald.

Town took the game to their hosts as they gained the ascendancy and they should have been ahead from a Walmsley free kick.

Setting the ball down 20 yards out after a foul on Wright, Walmsley struck a sweet shot around the keeper but a deflection took it onto the post and behind for a corner, which was eventually cleared.

Jackson also fired wide from distance while Fylde winger Michael Barnes caused havoc all evening.

The pacy winger played two superb balls across goal as the half drew to a close, but his attacking support lacked and Town were able to clear.

As conditions worsened in the second half, Fylde made two substitutions to get back into the game, but Town were resilient in defence and happily stroked the ball around the park.

Donnelly controlled the game from midfield, ably supported by the ever-dangerous Ashley Dunn, while there was good movement from the front duo of Jackson and Connerton.

Marc Joseph led his defence well and some important, last ditch tackles from Gray and Williams ensured a penalty shootout and Town are now just 90 minutes away from a cup final, to be played at Bolton Wanderers' Reebok Stadium.

HOW THEY RATED: C Dootson 8, K Walmsley 7, D Williams 7, S Gray 8, M Joseph 8, D Wisdom 8, C Donnelly 8, J Connerton 7, P Wright 7, A Dunn 7, M Jackson 7.

Subs: N Fairhurst, R Winters, G McEvatt, A Taylor, J Tucker.

Star Man: Ciaran Donnelly - his role on the wing suited his play and he was able to control much of the play Att: 128