Burley Trojans 2

Upper Armley OB 4

BURLEY Trojans approached this County Trophy fixture with some trepidation missing four key players against opponents who are unbeaten in their own league this season and who recently netted 17 times in one match.

Trojans made light of the absence of twin strikers Chris Connolly and Phil Constantine, influential skipper Nick Quaife and defensive lynchpin Chris Lockwood to more than match their visitors.

How refreshing that manager Chris Worts should choose to focus on the positive aspects rather than trot out the tired excuses of player unavailability as his side were unable to hang on to a two goal lead and were overrun in the closing stages.

Worts said: "At this level of football there will always be occasions during the season when key players are unavailable for a variety of reasons but this is when the club gets a chance to prove its strength in depth and for fringe players get a chance to prove themselves."

On a damp Autumn afternoon and on a decent surface, with The Rec bearing up well to the recent rainfall, both sides cancelled each other out in a rather turgid first-half which saw little in the way of goalmouth action.

It was unsurprising then that the breakthrough on the half hour mark should come from an own goal. Right winger Jonny Lofthouse prompted the move and from his cross an Armley defender turned the ball past 'keeper Martyn Trueman.

Stuart Dibb showing his versatility by standing in up front could have added to the tally but was unable to convert when well placed.

The second-half continued in similar vein with the visitors unable to convert their possession into goalscoring opportunities and Trojans finding it difficult to exert any real pressure on the Armley backline.

It was against the run of play when Lofthouse doubled the lead midway through the half. A spell of Trojans pressure resulted in midfielder Jono Hughes crossing into the danger area and when the ball was only partially cleared it fell kindly for Man-of-the-Match Lofthouse who smashed his shot low and hard into the corner of Trueman's net.

The visitors' reply was instant, if somewhat fortuitous. Chris Hargreaves rushed from his goal to head clear from a long through pass and was bundled over by an Armley striker.

As the 'keeper lay prostrate one of the visiting midfielders gathered and lofted his shot into the unguarded net from 30 yards.

Referee Suttle was unimpressed by the protests of the Burley custodian and Hargreaves was still clearly unsettled 30 seconds later as he remained rooted to his line as an Armley forward equalised with a stooping header from ten yards.

Undeterred Trojans fought back and, with Armley defending very high up the field, were twice denied by the off-side flag when first Dibb and then substitute Tom McDermott tried to find a way through.

As the second-half wore on the visitors began to look much fitter and stronger, forcing Trojans to hang on for grim death. Just when it looked like the tie may need extra- time to decide it a lapse in concentration allowed a visiting forward space at the far post to head home. Armley rubbed salt into the wound by adding a fourth in stoppage time when Mark Thompson's late run into the box wasn't tracked and he flicked the ball over Hargreaves to give the scoreline a slightly flattering look for the visitors who now progress into the third round.

Trojans (home to Bedale Town, meet at Cricket Club 1.30 pm for 2.15 pm kick-off): C Hargreaves, I McKain, C Lockwood, G Dyson, S Dibb, K Hanogue, J Lofthouse, J Hughes, C Connolly,N Quaife, P Constantine. Subs. M Hawnt, T McDermott, P Dodsworth.

Reserves (at Hampsthwaite, meet at Cricket Club 1 pm for 2.15 pm kick-off) from: M Sant, J Mutton, M Steer, T Fendyke, A, Wheeler, C Owen, S McDonald, M Carroll, I Gibbons, T McMahon, R Wheeler, G Shankland, D Bates, M Robinson.