Wasteful Racing need extra time to see off Bromyard

After extra-time; 1-1 after 90 mins

RACING Club made heavy weather of getting past Bromyard in the FA Carlsberg Vase first round on Saturday, needing extra-time to finally see off the West Midlands (Regional) League visitors.

In a one-sided first half, Myron Semper alone had eight attempts on goal without scoring, with the first coming just 21 seconds into the game following a misplaced back-pass.

The visitors were not so profligate, opening the scoring in the third minute with a neat finish from outside the box.

Reece Lynch nudged a long ball past the advancing keeper and in off the post to bring Racers level six minutes later and from then on in, it was a question of not if but when the hosts would put the game to bed.

However, despite a double change at half-time which saw Semper pay the price for his wastefulness, Racing continued to spurn chances after the interval.

Adrian Neil sidefooted wide with the goal at his mercy after a fine run from substitute Danny Lennon, who also brought out two fine saves from the visiting keeper.

A rare Bromyard attack failed to find a finish with keeper Paul Hewitt exposed in the home goal, but with Bromyard tiring, Racers were the team looking the most likely to conjure up a winner.

Michael Batchelor was denied by an instinctive save from the visiting keeper in the final clearcut opportunity of the half and, as the game entered extra-time, Luke Fuller was denied by another acrobatic effort.

Lennon brought out another full-stretch save in the second period of extra-time before finally settling the tie with seven minutes remaining.

The striker showed good strength to force his way into the box before rifling the ball into the roof of the net.

A minute later, Lennon flashed another fierce shot across the face of goal, but with Bromyard showing very little attacking intent, the one-goal margin was always going to prove enough.

But despite seeing his side progress to a first-round tie at Stratford Town on October 22, Racers manager Lee Knight was once again left frustrated by his side’s inability to finish sides off.

“I didn’t enjoy it,” said Knight. They should have been dead and buried in the first half-hour - we should have been three or four up.

“Not taking our chances puts the pressure on and you’ve always got that fear factor. It’s going to cost us at some point.

“We’re still winning games but we could make it easier for ourselves.”

Knight has put in two seven-day approaches for forwards and has spoken to one already with the hope of boosting his strikeforce ahead of Saturday’s trip to Bloxwich United.

However, his move into the transfer market was not a direct response to Saturday’s failings in front of goal, with Knight having made the approaches prior to the Vase game.

“It’s not a knee-jerk reaction,” he said.

“It’s something that was playing on my mind so it must be playing on the mind of the strikers, especially with the chances we are creating.”

Knight will again be without Tom Farmer on Saturday, with the keeper ruled out due to a dislocated shoulder.