NORTH FERRIBY FC PROGRESS TO THE FINAL OF the EAST RIDING SENIOR CUP after a stunning 4-0 victory over hull united.

A brace from Luke Lofts and further goals from Levi Tarbotton and Joe Dale secured the Villagers’ place in the final, with United finishing the game with ten men after Josh Dennett’s stoppage-time dismissal.

It was a very even contest in the first-half as Ben Kinsley saw his dangerous cross cleared by Tarbotton, before Will Annan saw his shot blocked by Scott Freeman. A quick North Ferriby free-kick then brought the first save of the match as Dale’s cross found the head of Lofts, but his effort was held by Liam Gordon.

A lovely team move by Ferriby between Annan and Lofts then saw the latter fire a dangerous cross for Brody Robertson, but Dennett was there to clear, before the Villagers took the lead. Another great team move on the left allowed Lofts the space to rifle his effort into the bottom corner and leave Gordon stranded. Laurence McKay was then unlucky not to double his side’s lead as his cross clipped the top of the crossbar.

For Hull United, their most dangerous form of attack was through Dennett’s long throw-ins and one forced Tarbotton to clear as the Villagers counter-attacked, with Dale rounding Gordon and crossing the ball for Annan at the back post, but the winger’s header was blocked by the recovering Dennett.

Another Ferriby counter-attack then released Robertson, but his shot was blocked by Paul Goldie, before Robertson and James Piercy failed to convert their respected chances as the Villagers held a 1-0 lead at half-time.

In the second-half, Gordon had to be alert to punch Eddie Birch’s corner before McKay volleyed the rebound wide while at the other end, another Dennett long throw wasn’t cleared by the Ferriby defence, but Lewis Poucher fired the loose ball wide. Jordan Douglas was then called into action to hold Kinsley’s free-kick before Tarbotton volleyed Birch’s corner narrowly wide.

The Villagers then doubled their lead just before the hour mark as Annan picked out Lofts and the midfielder’s fantastic lobbed effort beat Gordon to secure his brace. United threw more men forward and another Dennett throw saw Freeman head his effort at Douglas before Dave Brooks produced a vital challenge to block McKay’s low cross, which was intended for Lofts.

However, from the resulting corner by Birch, the delivery evaded everyone and Tarbotton poked the ball home at the back post to score Ferriby’s third. Shortly later, it was 4-0 as a short corner routine wasn’t cleared by the United defence and Dale unleashed a low drive which flew into the net.

For Hull United, it just wasn’t their day as another Dennett throw found the head of Jason Weighman, but his header was cleared off the line by Piercy before fellow substitute Tresor Kalilwa curled a shot narrowly wide.

Ferriby had a chance to add a fifth goal late on as Gordon flicked away Annan’s precise cross, with Gary Bradshaw arriving at the back post, before Hull United was reduced to ten-men in stoppage-time as Dennett lunging challenge caught McKay and referee John Blades had little option, but to show a straight red card to the fullback.

After this result, North Ferriby will face Hull City Academy respectively in the final of the East Riding Senior Cup after the Tigers defeated Sculcoates Amateurs 2-0 in the first semi-final.

TEAMS:

NORTH FERRIBY FC: 1. Jordan Douglas (GK), 2. Ben Leyland, 3. Laurence McKay, 4. Levi Tarbotton, 5. James Piercy (C), 6. Joel Shortland (15. Jamie Forrester 87’), 7. Will Annan, 8. Eddie Birch, 9. Brody Robertson (14. Gary Bradshaw 46’), 10. Luke Lofts, 11. Joe Dale. Subs Not Used: 12. Tom Corner, 13. Lewis Exall (GK), 16. Louis Kirk.

HULL UNITED AFC: 1. Liam Gordon (GK), 2. Josh Dennett, 3. Paul Goldie, 16. Dan Nichols, 5. Dave Brooks, 4. Scott Freeman (7. Jason Weightman 68’), 15. Grant Mullins (9. Sam O’Malley 60’), 8. Lewis Poucher (C), 10. Callum Staves, 20. Mike Rustill, 16. Ben Kinsley (11. Tresor Kalilwa 57’). Subs Not Used: 6. Tom Barnwell, 14. Matt Walker.

MATCH OFFICIALS: John Blades (Referee), Anthony Brockwell & Chris Caskey (Assistant Referee’s), Luke Tompkin (Fourth Official).

North Ferriby FC Manager Chris Bolder:

“Obviously, the result is the most important thing. The performance wasn’t great to the high standards we set and that’s no disrespect to Hull United who I thought gave a really good account of themselves, but at the end of the day, we’ll take a 4-0 win and it progresses us into the Final in the club’s first year of it’s formation.

“I think our all-round play was disappointing to be totally honest. I think the fact is we went in at half-time 1-0 ahead and I was actually pleased that we were in front, because we weren’t anywhere near our most fluid or our best and I thought Hull United worked really hard and caused us a few problems from the long throws especially and for the first ten minutes, we kind of got caught cold at times, so it was just pleasing to get in there at 1-0 and then in the second-half we took our chances a little bit better.

“It was pleasing to share the goals around the team and it makes a change from Tom Corner, who has scored the majority of our goals of late. It was good for Levi (Tarbotton) and Joe (Dale) to get on the scoresheet alongside Luke (Lofts). As well, it’s another clean sheet. We continue our impressive defensive record regardless of who we play so that was pleasing to see also and we’ll look forward to taking this form back into the league.”

Hull United AFC Manager John Duffill:

“We’re disappointed to lose, but I thought Ferriby deserved the result to be fair. I thought we battled hard first-half and came out in the second-half and tried to be a little bit more attacking. They scored a good second goal and then after the third goal from a corner, we was too leggy and too tired and we was chasing the game and I thought Ferriby was a class above us to be fair today.

“I think we stepped up to the work rate and matched Ferriby’s desire and I think we wanted it as much as they wanted it to be fair. I don’t think there was much in the fifty-fifty challenges, but I thought quality wise, we was a little bit poor on the ball and they was better than us, but I thought we matched them pretty much for the first forty-five minutes.

“In the second-half, once we started chasing the game and took that extra man out of midfield, with their extra quality and extra legs, I thought Ferriby came out a lot stronger and they showed their quality and showed why they’re up where they are in the NCEL.

“We’ve got another cup game on Saturday against Pocklington Town, which is a tournament we won last year, so we want to defend that and I think we have six or seven league games left, so we’ll just try and continue and aim to finish as high up the league table as we can."