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Poor first half costs town a place in the last eight.
A game of two halves was certainly relevant in this East v West cup-tie. In the first half, Trowbridge failed to find any of the form that has taken them to the top of the Western Section of the league and in form Badshot took advantage of this. They dominated throughout and Trowbridge failed to create a goal scoring opportunity. There was a chance in the first minute, Badshots' top scorer Bradley Smith heading towards goal and Craig Guthrie saving well. Badshot piled on the pressure and a completely unmarked Smith opened the scoring in the 19th minute heading home a free kick at the back post. Trowbridge failed to learn from their mistake, Smith headed another chance wide after 22 minutes but then made no mistake, again unmarked to make it 2-0 in the 37th.
The half time break gave Neil Kirkpatrick a chance to try to repair the damage and his team showed great character in the second half. Attacking from the off, Steve Bryant pulled a goal back in the 53rd minute. An Adam Nunn corner attacked the near post and Mark Shaw failed to take the ball low enabling Bryant to force the ball home from close range. Two minutes later a good move on the right saw Dave Percival pass to Matt Cooper and Gavin Eyre just failed to get enough on Coopers' cross to claim the equaliser. In the 67th minute Cooper latched onto a long clearance from Craig Guthrie and struck a fine shot from the edge of the area that beat Shaw but a defender headed the ball off the line. The ball went back to Cooper and his bullet header from just inside the penalty area flew into the top corner and Trowbridge were level. Badshot went back into the lead seven minutes later. Darren Blake gaining possession and striking a good low shot that Guthrie tried to push wide but the ball crept just inside the post. Trowbridge went looking for an equaliser in an exciting finish. With five minutes remaining, Gavin Eyre created a chance for Adam Nunn to lift the ball over Shaw but the effort went agonisingly wide and Badshot were through to the last eight of the competition.
Report by Robin Sims
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