Lincolnshire Sunday County Cup
Semi-final
Cleethorpes Town 1
Ropsley Fox 3
Ropsley Fox took on the mighty Cleethorpes in a bid to become the first team from Grantham to win the highly competitive Sunday County Cup which started with more than 100 clubs in the hat back in August.
The visitors who came out of the blocks firing. A poor kick from Miles Fenty in the Cleethorpes goal put his backline under pressure and Nick Hardy pounced, dispossessed the defender and drilled the ball into the net with only only seconds on the clock.
Foxes kept the pressure on the hosts and some good flowing football found Hardy in space. He fed Steven Young down the right, who picked out Joe Clarke with a pinpoint cross and he struck an unstoppable half-volley into the net from the edge of the box to put the Foxes two up at the break.
Ropsley started the second half on the front foot again with the lively Barry Payne hitting the post and the strikeforce of Hardy and Young causing havoc. They looked to have sealed the tie when a long thrown-in from Clarke was headed in by man-of-the-match Barry Payne with 25 minutes remaining.
The third goal forced Cleethorpes to up their game. They got their reward with 15 minutes remaining when they beat the offside trap, but it was too little, too late.
Foxes will meet Lincoln Premier Division side Ivy Tavern in the final at Sincil Bank.
Ropsley Foxes: Davies, Currall (c), Watson, Stubbs, Spearink, Clarke, B. Payne, Warner, Glencros, Hardy, Young. Subs: Lewis, Robinson, Brown,Winters, Collins.