STAR GAME

Stonehouse 2

Ruardean Hill Rangers 2 (4-3 on penalties)

STONEHOUSE progressed to the second round of the Les James Cup after a penalty shoot-out thriller against Ruardean Hill Rangers.

The game finished all square and had to be decided from the penalty spot, with Alex Lumsden’s side holding their nerve to win 4-3.

Earlier, Ruardean were 2-0 up before having Kane Fellows sent off.

Stonehouse had an early chance when a ball knocked into the box was headed goalwards by Lee Keveren but straight at keeper Aaron Underwood.

Rangers first attack on eight minutes saw a goalmouth scramble, where home keeper Robert Beebe saved the ball ran loose but somehow scrambled away.

Rangers were unlucky not to have gone one up in the 18th minute when a fizzing shot from Luke Brown struck the bar.

A minute later Town’s Tom Beard cleared off line from a Luke Johnson effort.

Fellows got his 30 yard free-kick on target, but it went straight to keeper Beebe.

A tremendous shot from Luke Johnson on 32 minutes was pushed around the post by Beebe.

At the other end Underwood saved well from Barney Jones free-kick over the wall.

On the cusp of the break a poor ball out from Beebe was intercepted by Luke Johnson who coolly slotted the ball home to give Rangers the lead.

Rangers got off to a flyer in the second-half and increased their lead in the first minute when a shot on goal was poorly dealt with by the Town defence and Johnson was on hand to net his second.

Town looked to get back in the game and pulled a goal back on 54 minutes - Underwood parried the first shot, but Barney Jones fizzed home.

Then four minutes later, Fellows was sent off and Town started to put the pressure on. Liam Walsh went close with a dipping shot that went just over the bar and then Rangers scrambled the ball away from another Town attack.

Town were on level terms in the 76th minute, Lee Keveren knocking the ball in after Underwood only managed to parry the first shot on goal.

NEXT UP: Stonehouse travel to Gala Wilton in the GFA Trophy on Saturday, 2pm.