Horsforth St Margaret's 3

Burley Trojans 3

(Horsforth won 3-1 on penalties)

Trojans emerged bloodied and beaten but with heads held high following a titanic semi- final struggle with holders Horsforth St Margarets on Saturday.

Two hours of cut and thrust cup football could not separate the sides and the home side's greater composure in the penalty shoot out ensured that it was they who would go forward to meet Pool in the final.

Trojans can count themselves unlucky as they twice led against their higher ranked opponents and were denied victory in extra-time by a controversial refereeing decision which gifted Maggies an equaliser which they barely merited.

The visitors roared into an eighth minute lead as centre-forward Chris Connolly flung himself forward to head Phil Constantine's teasing free- kick past David Bramhill in the Maggies' goal.

The home side created very little in front of goal and were restricted to shooting from distance with both Elliott Beddard and Darren Currie off target.

Trojans looked far more dangerous going forward and Connolly spurned the chance to double the lead, heading over with Constantine again the provider having turned Marek Liebig inside out. Connolly then saw a shot cleared off the line by Paul Scott with Bramhill beaten and skipper Nick Quaife dragged a shot wide as the West Yorkshire league pacesetters were made to look second best in all areas.

Quaife and Jono Hughes held their own in the centre of the park and Stuart Dibb superbly marshalled his defence to leave the Maggies' forwards frustrated. This threatened to boil over as Trojans' midfielder Grant Dyson was taken to hospital with a suspected broken nose after colliding with Beddard's elbow and the same player was then cautioned as he appeared to aim a headbutt in the direction of right-back Ian McKain, with referee Trevor Pearson deeming a yellow card sufficient punishment.

Bramhill had to race from his line to deny Constantine after Connolly had repaid the compliment before Maggies restored parity five minutes before the break.

Keeper Chris Hargreaves was unable to hang on to Richard Smith's long throw and Darren Currie pounced on the loose ball to drive home from close range.

Hargreaves atoned for his error almost immediately, diving to his left to deny Richard Ramsden to keep the scores level at half-time.

The second-half was much more even with few chances at either end. The closest Trojans came was when Constantine just failed to connect with Connolly's cross at full stretch and at the other end Patrick Flaherty had the ball in the net but the assistant referee had flagged for a clear off-side.

Calamity struck for Trojans on the hour when they failed to deal with a Currie corner and the ball fell kindly for Liebig who drilled home from 12 yards. The visitors must have feared the worst as in last year's competition they had led for an hour and then been overrun in the latter stages. Trojans, however, are a much different proposition this season and Liebig was forced to prove his value in defence, heading a Stuart Dibb header off the line.

Referee Pearson was kept busy as the tackles started flying in and Trojans centre-half Kieren Hanogue was cautioned for blocking the run of Flaherty but when Maggies' Robert Sanderson committed an identical foul on Constantine later he escaped punishment despite already being on a yellow card.

Maggies combative midfielder Smith was fortunate to stay out of the referee's notebook until midway through the second-half, committing a string of fouls on the Trojans' midfielders as the home side battled to defend their slender lead.

With ten minutes remaining the irrepressible Connolly burst clear and Smith clearly fouled him before compounding his sins by allegedly standing on the Trojans centre-forward as he lay on the ground. The offences were seen by assistant referee Tony Brown who signalled for a penalty. Smith escaped further punishment but Connolly exacted revenge by coolly despatching his spot kick past Bramhill to send the tie into extra-time.

Trojans were quickly out of the blocks and regained the lead within 90 seconds. Substitute Paul Chapman did well on the right and from his deep cross Matt Hawnt picked out Connolly whose instant control gave him space to fire in a left foot drive that was too good for Bramhill to complete a sensational hat-trick.

The tie then turned five minutes later on a controversial decision from referee Pearson. From Currie's driven cross Hanogue, trying to clear only diverted the ball towards 'keeper Hargreaves who gathered.

Following concerted appeals from the home side, Mr Pearson then amazingly adjudged Hanogue's intervention to be a back pass and awarded an indirect free-kick eight yards from goal despite the protests of the aggrieved Trojans players.

As the visitors' defence grouped on their own goal-line Currie's driven shot entered the net off the unfortunate Hanogue.

Constantine had a golden opportunity to put his side back in front within minutes as he burst clear but Bramhill did superbly well to block with his legs.

Smith then thumped a 30 yarder against the bar and from the rebound Beddard's angled drive was tipped over by Hargreaves who fully deserved his Man-of-the-Match award.

Both sides tired visibly in the second period of extra-time but Constantine, the oldest player on the pitch, belied the years as he continued to give Liebig a torrid time.

One of his runs late on resulted in a superb cross from which Hawnt powered a header narrowly over with Bramhill beaten and so the tie went into a penalty shoot out.

Hanogue netted for Trojans but misses from Connolly, Hughes and Lockwood saw the hosts win the shoot out 3-1.

So close but so far for Trojans who were a credit to themselves and the Harrogate league and more than matched their opponents throughout.

They must now continue to perform at this level for the remainder of their league campaign to ensure that they do not end the season empty handed.

l Trojans are in cup action again this weekend entertaining Premier Division leaders Beckwithshaw in the second round of the league Cup, kick off 1.30pm (Players should meet at the Cricket Club at 12.45pm).

Rangers and Rawdon

into Sunday Cup final

In the Airedale International Wharfedale FA Sunday Challenge Cup semi-finals Yeadon Park Rangers beat Horsforth Rangers 7-1.

On target for the Yeadon side were Steve Banks (2), Darren Auton (2), Phil Robinson, Lee Poole and Tim Brierley. Horsforth's consolation goal came from Phil Morton.

Rawdon AFC had a 5-3 win over Yeadon Westfield with strikes from Andy Waterfield, David Gilks, Stuart Clarke, Richard Machell and Chris Thompson. For Westfield scorers were Craig Jackson, Steve Sutherland and Oliver Seed.

Fancy Saturday football?

IF you are interested in joining an afternoon football league for next season, why not join the Leeds Red Triangle Invitation Football League, who have two divisions, four cup competitions and regular inter-league matches.

If you are an established club wishing to change from Sunday football, or just starting a team, ring Brian Radcliffe on 0113 2853800 for full details and an application form.