However there seemed to be more a determination about the squad this week than perhaps how things finished last week and the good start we made to the game was rewarded as soon as the 7th minute when not for the first time during the evening the front pairing of Smy and Baldry linked up well with the latter driving into the area down the left before firing left-footed across goal with the ball striking the far post before entering the net. Soon after a good move down the right saw Culf cross to the onrushing Roots whose sweetly struck left foot shot was superbly saved by the Cornard keeper. At the other end Barton and Thickett were keeping the Cornard strikers away from our goal but when called upon U16 keeper Beard was alert to the dangers and came bravely at times to collect through balls to thwart danger. After making an impressive debut last week at this level, Beard continued to look the part when he saved at point blank range from a far post header and from the resulting corner kick took the ball cleanly in a tightly contested area to encourage further confidence throughout the team.

Despite having an extra man in midfield, Cornard found it tough going with Culf and Roots supporting the work in the centre of Smith and in particular Caraccio who worked tirelessly throughout. This did not change even with Smith and Culf swapping places later in the game and it would be fair to say that most of Cornard’s joy was in the wider areas attacking our fullbacks. For our own part we continued to try and play throughout the team and there were several passages of good play with most resulting in the front pairing of Smy and Baldry giving the Cornard backline a scare here and there as they had the beating of them with their movement and inter-play. Both had chances before Cornard managed to get themselves back on level terms 5 minutes before half time when they caught us out down the left with an extra man over who finished well across Beard giving him no chance.

We started the second half as well as we did the first though and we regained our lead when a quickly taken free-kick saw Smith advance down the right and his low centre was converted at the near post by the onrushing Caraccio who had made a smart run to meet it. Cornard upped their game but were restricted to shots from distance and set-pieces in the main but the biggest scare saw a cross from the left travel right across the front of our goal with several players swinging legs at the ball with it eventually missing everyone and going wide. However they did draw level on the hour when their striker capitalised on some hesitancy although it looked a foul from the sidelines and for the next few moments they looked dangerous. Woodbridge managed to weather the storm though and again came out the other side looking the side that was going to win the game with Seaman now on adding extra pace and width to our game. It was from one of his runs down the right that brought the next opportunity with Smy firing over and not long after Barton strode forward from the back evading several challenges before a shot got lifted over near the penalty spot.

Extra-time proved just as exciting as normal time with again Woodbridge in the ascendency and creating the better chances. Smy and Baldry threatened throughout as Cornard legs were visibly tiring and it was also not without incident. Woodbridge throught they had regained the lead when Seaman struck a free-kick from the edge of the box which rebounded out from the keeper with us getting first to the rebound but celebrations were cut short by the referee who despite blowing his whistle said that he was not ready and that he was blowing to get the wall further back. It was harsh on our lads but all looked well when with just 5 minutes remaining another great little move saw the ball worked intot he centre for a rampaging Caraccio who despite being sandwiched between 2 opponents got a shot in that looked destined for the bottom corner. However it hit the inside of the post and rolled agonisingly across the line and out the other side with the keeper beaten and the visiting bench practically on the field ready to celebrate what would have been a great move to win the game. However we had to suffer the heartache of the shoot-out but could take great credit for the performance on the night.