Ben Rhydding Vets 3 Harleston 0

This was a marvellous performance by Ben Rhydding's veterans and was sweet revenge for several members of the squad who had lost to the same opposition in the play-offs for National League status back in 1989.

This win earned them a home draw in the quarter-finals against Canterbury on Sunday, March 12.

Canterbury include among their players the gold medal winning 1988 Olympic GB centre-forward Sean Kerly.

Against a very good Harleston Magpies side the Ilkey team were well led by skipper Andy Locke, unlucky not to have earned an international cap in his younger days, and their talisman ex-Welsh international David Cutter, whose power and vision caused all sorts of problems for the Norfolk side.

Manager, Robin Snook, agreed to coach Mark French's visionary idea of playing former second team captain John Skinner at centre-back and he together with super vet Ali Woodhead and the steadfast Neil Horsman provided a solid defence.

However, Harleston managed to breach it on three occasions only to be denied by two marvellous saves by agile 'keeper Richard Terry and the woodwork.

The defensive base was aided by a tireless midfield with local GPs Andy Sumnall and the irrepressible Matt Milbourne being complemented by the cerebral influences of Brian Kempson and Jim Peters.

Jon Till came off the bench to give the midfield some much needed respite after a furious opening 20 minutes.

Ben Rhydding always looked dangerous on the attack with the awesome trio of Ian Cussons, Hugh Lambert and Cutter up front and indeed it was Lambert who converted his first of three goals with the Ilkey side's opening attack.

Cussons was unlucky to be denied by a miraculous double save and Cutter, a constant thorn in Harleston's side, unselfishly set up all Lambert's goals and was unlucky not to be awarded a penalty flick when he was fouled just as he was about to score.

In the second-half John Dowley proved a solid replacement for Woodhead and delighted the crowd with an outrageous piece of stick work in front of his own goal and Richard Thornton came on to rapturous applause from Rhydding's supporters to play a late cameo role.

So Rhydding march on into the final eight in the country for the first time in their history but there are clouds over the availability of one or two players for the next round as well as French's absence as coach.

Reserve 'keeper and ex-north coach Warwick Smither is set to take on that role as the Ilkey side attempt to progress to the semi-finals. Their achievements to date have been remarkable, a semi-final appearance would be truly incredible.