St George’s Colts 0

Robin Hood 1

A strike by midfielder Shaun Brown helped Robin Hood reach the last four of the FA Cup after defeating St George’s at Wellington Oval yesterday.

Slippery conditions did not allow for flowing football though both teams stuck to the task under difficult conditions as the match started and finished in the rain.

The win was particularly pleasing for Hood who were without their two main strikers, top scorer Jesse Kirkland and Miles Brewer, while St George’s were able to call on two players from their Masters team, veteran defender Karl Roberts and midfielder Ryan Steede.

“The conditions weren’t ideal for a good flowing game of football, but we have to play in these conditions and not every day is going to be sunny,” said Kyle Lightbourne, the Robin Hood coach who is familiar with conditions like that experienced yesterday after his time as a professional player in England.

“I told my guys today is all about attitude and if you go out there not wanting to play you will get beaten. St George’s had their chances towards the end and didn’t take them.

“We scored from a ball put into the box, and we talked about that at half time with their goalkeeper who looks a good shot stopper but looks a little suspect when the ball is in the air.

“Consequently that’s how our goal came. I’m pleased that we are in the next round, it keeps our season alive, making it to the semi-finals.” Hood were forced to make a change after just 18 minutes when Alex Martin went off with a shoulder injury. The first real chance for the home team came four minutes later when Macai Simmons put a long range free kick just over the crossbar.

Hood came closest to breaking the deadlock two minutes before the break when Kenny Brown’s low shot from the left corner of the penalty box was smartly turned around the far post by the diving Charles Marshall. The game’s only goal came early in the second half when a ball into the box by youngster Kenny Brown saw Marcelos Thomas put the initial effort against the crossbar before Brown converted after St George’s failed to clear the danger.

Striker Gary Adams blew a good chance to double the lead five minutes later when he broke away from Roberts but with acres of space between himself and the goal Adams hurried his effort well wide.

St George’s made a double substitute minutes later, bringing on Jarizinho Bassett for Mitchell Tucker and Damien Mendoza for Wesley Stovell. The home side began to apply more pressure as they desperately looked for the equaliser. Mendoza twice went close late in the game as he had a shot saved by the Hood goalkeeper Jason Simons.

At the other end Hood had a couple of good chances themselves in the dying minutes as Marshall easily collected Marcelos’s attempted lob after he beat the offside trap on the right flank. Then teenager Liam Evans had a shot saved by Marshall at the near post after Lightbourne, on as a substitute, helped create the opening.

“The young guy Kenny [Brown] who came in today for Jesse, I thought he did well, he forced a good save out of the goalkeeper in the first half,” said Lightbourne.

“He looks like a confident player and if he can believe in himself a little more he could be a decent player for us.”