Drinkall finds his happy hunting ground

On the same ground ten months ago, he came off the bench to net a last-minute winner to give Pickering a 3-2 victory. And he did it again last Saturday, putting the Pikes through to the next round with the winner, eight minutes into extra-time, after coming on as a second-half sub.

He rifled a sweet right-foot shot into the left corner from just inside the box following some great work by Danny Brunton down the left.

It was no more than the Pikes deserved, but they will have been relieved to hear the final whistle against a hard-working Garforth side, determined to show their premier division credentials.

With a strong wind in their favour, Pickering held the upper hand in an uneventful first half. But for all their possession, the Pikes lacked penetration. Connor's free-kick on 25 minutes was tipped over by keeper Wilson on one of the few occasions he was tested.

Garforth's Bradshaw was booked for deliberate handball when a Pikes player would have been clear on goal. Minutes earlier, Scott Emmerson shot straight at the keeper when well-placed.

Garforth posed little threat in the first half, but started better after the break. Ryan Robinson failed to capitalise on a loose ball by the Pikes' Rob Eales when he blazed over from the edge of the box. But the first division side took the lead ten minutes into the half.

A long throw from Paul Robinson was headed on by Ryan Robinson in a crowded penalty area and Lee Ryan got the final touch over the line. It was harsh on the Pikes, but they were level within eight minutes, Peter Vasey getting on the end of a superbly-struck free-kick from Alex Willgrass. It was just reward for a composed display from Vasey.

Drinkall and Adam Russell were introduced after 69 minutes for Greening and Connor. It took just two minutes for Drinkall to make an impact when he found Gavin Dickinson in space on the edge of the left-hand side of the area. His well-struck shot was blocked by keeper Wilson before the impressive Bradshaw cleared his follow-up strike off the line.

It was the closest either side came to winning the tie in normal time, so the crowd braced itself for another 30 minutes in the freezing cold.

The Pikes pinned Garforth in their own half for most of the opening half and could have had more than the one goal. Vasey blazed over and sub Dutton shot straight at the keeper after persistent work by Brunton.

The diminutive left-back was impressive at both ends in extra-time. Almost immediately after setting up Drinkall for the winner, he was back in his own box, blocking a shot from sub Rowan.

Then, at the start of the second period, his pace saw him go clean through, but his fierce shot hit the post.

Earlier, Russell shot tamely when well-placed. Missed chances meant the Pikes had to play out a nervy last ten minutes. Kevin Martin made his only real save of the match when Kelly got behind the defence after MacAuley misjudged the bounce. His shot was well parried by Martin and Rowan skied the rebound.

The Pikes held out to deservedly go through against a plucky Garforth side. But they may need more of a cutting edge to go with their attractive build-up play if they want to go far in this competition.

Pikes' assistant-manager Sean McGinty said: "We never reached the standard of play we are capable of, but it was very windy and it was a bumpy pitch. Football became secondary, which didn't suit us, but we did enough."

He had praise for super sub Drinkall, who was returning to the squad, having been on holiday.

"His ball-winning and heading ability helped us. It was a great finish as well."

He added: "Alex Willgrass and Danny Brunton showed great work-rate, while Gavin Dickinson pulled the strings. Brian Dutton showed some nice touches when he came on. He is not the finished article but has great potential."

Team: Martin, MacAuley, Brunton, Vasey, Eales, Morton, Dickinson, Willgrass, Connor (Drinkall 69 mins), Emmerson (Dutton 85 mins), Greening (Russell 69 mins).

Updated: 12:11 Wednesday, November 19, 2003