Knaresborough Town have reached their second final in two years after a semi-final win last night (April 1).

The Manse Lane side beat a strong Penistone Church team 5-4 on penalties after a gruelling 0-0 draw in the JCP Construction League Cup.

The two sides are within a few points of each other in the league, which was reflected in the tight match.

After 120 minutes of scrappy action, it was clear to see neither team was prepared to lose.

The Boro had the best of the first half, although the away side had what was probably the chance of the game – a scramble in the Knaresborough penalty area which resulted in the ball being narrowly cleared off the line by a Town defender.

The attritional second half saw few chances carved out, with much of the action happening in the middle third of the pitch. Neither team saw prolonged periods of the ball, which was rarely on the ground for long. 

The two sides cancelled each other out and with the score 0-0 at full time, another hard-fought 30 minutes followed.

As they went deeper into extra time, tackles became stronger, and the referees whistle became more relentless.

With 10 minutes to go, both teams seemed reluctant to commit too many players to attack.

Eventually, after an intense but uninspiring 120 minutes, the final whistle blew and the match went to penalties.

Both teams scored their first four, giving the goalkeeprs little chance.

There was an air of nervousness surrounding Penistone’s captain, Daniel Howes, as he stepped up for the crucial fifth penalty and he sent the ball high over the crossbar.

The chance to win the match fell on Knaresborough’s number 15, Ezio De Santis, who drilled the ball hard and low past the keeper to send them through.

Assistant manager Colin Heath oversaw the match, with manager Simon Parkes serving a suspension. He told the Stray Ferret what it meant to the club:

Knaresborough reached the West Riding County Cup final last year but fell victim to a humbling 4-0 defeat against Pontefract Collieries. Heath said that they hope to go one step further this time.

Of the possible opponents, fifth-placed Beverley Town will host league winners Silsden AFC in the other semi-final next Tuesday (April 8).

Both teams are strong, but that does not phase Boro. Whilst Heath acknowledged that it would no doubt be a hard game, he said that Knaresborough have taken points off almost every team in the league this season, and that they “won’t be fearing anyone”.

The final will be played on May 6.

Player of the match

Knaresborough – Ben Parkes

Knaresborough’s captain had a solid game in midfield and held his own in an intense midfield battle. Despite not being the tallest player on the pitch, the number 8 won most of his headers and did not stop running throughout the game, still chasing down the keeper with five minutes of extra time to play. His leadership and communication shone through and proved to be vital in keeping Boro concentrated throughout.

Penistone Church – Carlton Pownall

The right back had a solid game, up against a tough opponent in Knaresborough’s Dom Creamer. Despite his electric pace, Penistone’s number 2 kept him quiet all game until his substitution in extra time. His forward passing was strong, and he put a few teasing balls into the box for target man Wayne Hughes to attack.