Stacey Lawrence on East Harling's late comeback to book a spot in the Mummery Cup semi-finals
Stacey Lawrence says it was an ‘incredible moment’ which saw his East Harling side score two late goals to advance through to the Mummery Cup semi-finals on Saturday.
The Greens went into the 90th minute trailing 1-0 in their quarter-final tie at Church Road at the weekend, after Harrison Tooley’s early strike had given visitors Norwich CEYMS the lead.
But Lawrence’s men produced a memorable late comeback, with Asa McGeachy equalising on 90 minutes, before a 93rd minute free kick from captain Jordan Scent sent Harling through in the Fosters Solicitors Anglian Combination competition.
“To score two goals in the last three minutes, it was an incredible moment,” Harling boss Lawrence said. “Not an incredible game!
“It was one of them moments and we’ve been lucky enough to have had a few of them over the years.
“I think back to the Junior Cup at Fakenham and it was exactly the same with Webby scoring two.
“They’re the moments which stick with you for a long time. There’s plenty of bad moments in football, so those moments you’ve got to hold on to them.
“We weren’t the better team and we didn’t out play them. It was a nip and tuck affair.
“It’s the worst way to lose a game of football and it’s the best way to win, so I definitely feel for them.
“It’s amazing to still be in the cup. I’ve got to admit it’s up there with the poorest we’ve played this season and we gifted them a goal.
“They came out the traps quite early and we got caught in possession in our own half. It’s a horrible goal to give away, especially in a cup quarter-final.
“They’re the hardest working side I’ve managed against in a few years and they made us work really hard.
“I left it as late as possible before we had to go a bit gung-ho and we ended up playing a 3-3-4 and just tried to get the ball forward as early as possible.
“We then went 3-2-5 and Asa McGeachy has managed to get away and rounded the ‘keeper to put it in.
“We’ve then got a free kick on the edge of the box and the skipper has put the free kick away, and apart from the centre it was the last kick of the game.”
The draw for the semi-finals was made live on BBC Radio Norfolk on Thursday night, with Harling drawn at home to Division One outfit Wymondham Town, while Long Stratton will host Wroxham Reserves in an all-Premier Division tie.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Stratton booked their place in the semi-finals with a 4-2 win away at Beccles Town.
The Reds cruised into a 3-0 lead by half-time, with Sam Page’s sixth-minute opener followed by two goals in three minutes from James Bemrose.
The brace moved Bemrose on to 12 goals for the campaign, just one behind the Premier Division’s leading goalscorers, Joseph Clark, of Beccles, and Alex Balding, of Wroxham Reserves, on 13.
Sam Wenham made it 4-0 midway through the second half, before Beccles pulled two goals back through Robert Bishop in the final 10 minutes.
Harling and Stratton renew their Premier Division campaigns this weekend with their final home games of 2022. The Greens (3rd) host second-from-bottom Caister, while Steve Race and Damian Hilton’s Reds (12th) entertain sixth-placed Yelverton (both today, 1.30pm).