Wulfs progressed to the third round of the JW Hunt Cup after an uncomfortable evenings work against Staffs County League side Rugeley Rangers.
Manager Tim Tipton made four personnel changes, a couple of positional changes and a formation change from Saturday’s game at Pegasus Juniors but it didn’t seem to be causing too much of a problem as Wulfs took a 3rd minute lead when Tom Piggott swept home Danny Crudgington’s right wing cross.
Dave Asbury and Andy Mitchell then forced saves from the keeper before Mitchell extended the lead in the 21st minute when he slid home Chris Rabone’s excellent low ball in to the area.
After getting an early run-around, Rugeley began to get a foothold in the game and served a warning when Stuart Tapper fired just over after good work from Stephen Pears.
John Salt was next to breach the Wulfs back line but Asbury got back just in time to deflect his effort wide of the target.
The warnings weren’t heeded and Rugeley pulled a goal back on the stroke of half time when a deep corner from the right was headed goalwards by Tapper and John Hurley hooked in from 8 yards.
Rabone had the chance to extend Wulfs’ lead early in the second half when he latched on to Nathan Rose-Laing’s through ball and cut inside his marker before seeing his shot well saved by keeper Adam Hill.
The visitors were enjoying better possession and went close to an equaliser when Tapper flashed a shot across goal which was sliced behind by a defender for a corner.
Oli Meanley and Grant Joshua were introduced in place of the two goalscorers and Joshua went close to making an immediate impact when he picked up a Rabone pass and fired in a shot that Hill tipped over the bar.
With nerves still on edge, Wulfs finally killed the game off with a 3rd goal seven minutes from time. Joshua’s deep corner was headed back into the mix by Graham Ashton and Asbury’s shot was cheekily flicked home by Crudgington who was positioned just in front of the keeper.
Keeper Marc Evans had to push a late Tapper free kick over the bar but Wulfs held on to progress to the third round once again.
.
Back to Fixtures & Results
.
