SECOND SUCCESSIVE APPEARANCE IN FA CUP FINAL EQUIVALENT FOR TQEA-BASED CLUB

MUCH-CHANGED SIDE OF YOUNG COHORTS DESTROY LEWES HC AND BOOK SATURDAY SHOWPIECE IN NOTTINGHAM

Lewes HC 0 Atherstone Adders Men's Firsts 4 [HA Knockout Cup semi-final]

ATHERSTONE Adders are hoping within the next 100 hours to find a magic formula that will see them sipping from the winning chalice of hockey's Holy Grail. The sport's equivalent of the FA Cup final is within the TQEA-based club's grasp after a blistering second-half performance blew away the resistance of Lewes HC. The near 400-mile round trip to the Sussex stronghold proved no deterrent to an Atherstone side bidding for a second successive appearance in the Tier 3 England Hockey Cup final. They tore down the defensive ramparts of the south coast opposition in a one-sided semi-final that sparked into life after the interval. The 4-0 winning margin sees the Men's Firsts face a much shorter journey to Nottingham Hockey Centre on Saturday evening to take on a Southport side which defied the odds to twice come back from behind and edge a thriller 3-2 against Nottingham University. Atherstone began their second successive semi-final clash at Burgess Hill centre in a quiet vein. They appreciated the caliber of opposition was their toughest test yet in the competition. And it was a new-look Adders side, captained by Lloyd Crowley and featuring several cup virgins including a sprinkling of under 18s from the club's junior academy, that started the game well but lacking assurance. The home side certainly looked the more likely to score as they passed the ball around confidently. Although the Adders were taking time to settle – they slowly came back into the game and the midfield combination of Ben Matthews, Robert Currie and Keelan Ford began to assert themselves on the game. Up front, Atherstone's Will Currie and Josh Wagg were asking questions of the home side's defenders but neither goalie was really troubled or had to make a save in anger, although cup debutant Will Murphy had to make a couple of smart stops for the Adders. With the game goalless at half time the tension began to grow. After the interval, the Adders began to assert themselves on the game and with 10 minutes of the second half gone they opened the scoring when a great run from Will Currie ended with a tap-in for Josh Wagg. Less than five minutes later and the Adders were two up. This time it was last season's leading scorer Martin Webb who was the provider and Sean Hirons, back from injury, had the tap in. At this point the Adders were expecting a fightback from Lewes, but the goal seemed to deflate them and the visitors dominated possession and controlled the game with ease. Josh Wagg added his second and the teams third when he slotted home a well worked short corner and then Martin Webb blasted a shot into the net from a tight angle to put the icing on the Adders' cake and to give them a well-deserved 4-0 victory. Their opposition in final – which is being streamed live on Saturday by England Hockey's Facebook page – will be no pushover. Southport reached the Tier 3 final with wins against Buxton, Vikings, Triton and Stafford before wrestling with the scoreline against Nottingham University last weekend. They levelled after first going one down and then equalised after letting in a second –before triumphing 3-2 at the final whistle. Covid restrictions means the spectacle will be spectator-less. But the whole town is keeping its fingers crossed for the Adders bringing back a trophy to a club that nearly went out of existence in the late 1970s. Final push back is 5.45pm on Saturday.