Brimscombe and Thrupp 1

Bristol Telephones 0

FORMER Forest Green Academy player Jonny Brodie struck the only goal as Brimscombe and Thrupp ground out a hard fought win against Bristol Telephones in the GFA Challenge cup.

The visitors applied early pressure but the Brimscombe defence handled the onslaught well and soon started to impose themselves on the game.

From a Brimscombe corner 'Telephones' broke forward with pace and Dhani Golding should have done better when he chipped Steve Sparrow in the Brimscombe goal but could only find the crossbar.

Tom Black tested Aaron Greatbanks with an effort but the Phones shot stopper was equal to it and up the other end good defending by Christien Turner snuffed out another chance for the visitors.

With 37 minutes gone Ollie Pitt nearly put the home side ahead. Simon Clarke was fouled 25 yards from goal and Pitt stepped up and bent the resultant free kick over the wall but it hit the upright and went out to safety.

Brimscombe had one last chance before the break; Clarke forcing a double fisted save from Greatbanks.

Thrupp couldn't quite get into their rhythm at the start of the second half and Golding nearly made them pay.

Finding space between Turner and Greenhough he choose to shoot rather than square it to Aaron Mcquaid, who was in a much better position and Golding's tame shot was comfortably collected by the grateful Sparrow.

Golding certainly looked the most dangerous player for the visitors but Turner and Greenhough, along with Johny Davis, who worked tirelessly in front of the centre-backs, marshalled him throughout the game.

The winning goal came in the 81st minute; Ben Snook, who along with Clarke up front had ran his socks off, picked up the ball on the edge of the visitors' 18-yard box. After working himself a bit of space with the ball he delivered a pin-point cross into the box where right back Brodie rose and headed the ball into the top corner of Greatbanks' goal.

For the last 10 minutes of the game the home side managed what they had failed to do in some of their previous games and they saw the game out with some keep-ball, which secured their place in the next round, where they will play AEK Boco at the Meadow on October 10.