Kay steered Lions Vets into AFA Trophy semis

Buoyed by this, and with Richard Baum starting to get on the ball, Lions really pressed. Danny Sugarman and Adam Kaye combined to pull the ball back to Paul Lenchner on the penalty spot. Back to goal he spun and dug out an audacious curling attempt that crashed back off the post. And luck deserted Lions again just moments later when a mazy Baum run saw him leave three defenders for dead and the keeper on his back side. Retaining his balance he clipped the ball back across goal where Pearl nodded the ball home, only for the score to be ruled out for off side despite all those in blue insisting the ball was played backwards.

And as is the want of the football gods within a minute Civil Service, who had started to threaten, fashioned a fine move that led to an equalising goal. Neat passing created space down their left, the winger cutting inside before curling to the far post where the ball was headed back for the forward to half volley home, this time the goal allowed to stand despite loud Lions claims for offside.

The game became very open, both sides having great chances to add to the scoreline. Service capitalised on a slip by Pete Lazard but blazed over, then fired from the edge of the box wide. For Lions Kaye did all the hard work in rounding the keeper, but with two waiting for a pull-back and a tap in he slipped and only succeeded in finding the keeper's arms.

And then a terrific run from Sugarman afforded him a sight of goal but he sliced wide, meaning the sides went in level at the interval.

The pattern of the game continued, but Tony Gold and Lazard, ably assisted by the disciplined work of Nathan, Gordon and skipper Craig Henry kept Lee well protected in the Lions goal. At the other end Kaye beat two, cut inside and fired the sweetest of strikes that this time crashed back off the post.

Lions were starting to dictate play and, on the hour, forged ahead. Radford’s long throw found Lenchner on the edge of the box. He did brilliantly to first hold off the Service skipper and then, with a cheeky back heel, find the run of Barnett into the box. His fierce shot brought a fine save from the keeper, but there was the livewire ADAM KAYE on hand to prod home the rebound to send Lions 2-1 up.

Service of course came again and had their chances. Lee only half dealt with a long-range shot, but was then up quickly to bravely divert the follow up onto the bar while late on a ball across goal was somehow prodded wide. But had, late on, the big skipper headed the ball in for an equaliser all hell would probably have broken loose as, 10 minutes earlier, he should have been sent off. Barnett was sent through by Pearl with a clear run on goal that would have settled the tie. Just about to shoot as the keeper advanced his legs were crudely scythed away from him – the referee inexplicably awarding only a yellow and a free-kick on the edge of the box.

Thankfully though Lions were able to see the game out, Radford running the ball into the corner to bring about the final whistle after seven minutes of injury time.

It was a day for the senior players to stand up and be counted, and not one failed to do so. Defensively all five were superb, Lazard and Gold mountains in the middle. Up top though Jacobs had challenged the front-line to set the standards and that’s exactly what they did. Lenchner and Kaye ran tirelessly for the cause and it was great to see Barnett back in a Lions shirt doing the same. Kudos though to the entire 13.