A place in the semi-final of the Division 2 Cup was up for grabs when Grey Horse Over 40’s travelled to play Hartlepool Station Hotel. Horse didn’t get off to the best of starts with players not getting to grips with their usual fluent passing play. The home team should have been 3 up on chances in the first twenty minutes and it was no surprise when they did take the lead with a curled shot from the edge of the box that sailed past keeper Shepherd. Horse began to steadily improve and equalised when man of the match Foster played a one two on the edge of the box before shooting home the return pass. The score line at half time was 1 - 1 and Horse were still in the game. In the second half the home team began to tire and the Horse started to take control of the game. Lone striker Bainbridge was bundled over in the box by a Station defender for a penalty which was dispatched by Bannister to give Horse the lead, from the collision Bainbridge sustained a rib injury and was unable to continue. Thompson scored a third after a dribbling solo run down the right took him past three defenders and then lifted his shot over the advancing home keeper. Another run by Thompson set up the unmarked Dixon who was able to control the ball on the goal line before tapping the ball into an open goal to make the final score 1 – 4. A game that was not going Horse’s way initially but a steady revival and persistence sees Horse book a semi-final place.
