A dramatic evening at Baldock Town saw MK Irish battle their way into the Premier Division Cup semi-finals after a thrilling encounter that ended 1-1 in regular time, with Irish clinching a 4-3 victory in the penalty shootout.
Irish started brightly, asserting their dominance in the opening stages. James Meadows nearly put Irish ahead early on, picking up the ball at the edge of the area and spinning into the box, only to see his shot dragged wide of the post.
Irish continued to control proceedings, with George Shrieves at the heart of the action. Linking up with Ryan Smith just outside the box, Smith’s first-time strike flew over the bar. Moments later, Shrieves created another chance, cutting back for Mason Spence, whose effort was superbly saved by the Baldock keeper, a theme that would persist throughout the match.
Shrieves was relentless down the right, seeing a stinging shot tipped around the post before Spence played Kyle Boyce through on goal. Boyce skipped past a defender, but the keeper closed down the angle well, forcing a corner.
Baldock had their first significant opportunity when a poor clearance gifted their forward a chance to run at Tom Ladyman. The Irish keeper was alert, diving bravely to dispossess the striker and allowing the defence to recover and clear the danger.
Back on the attack, Irish were unlucky again when Shrieves, after some intricate footwork, fired a low shot past the wrong-footed keeper only to see it cannon off the near post and back to a Baldock defender to clear.
Despite Irish’s dominance, it was Baldock who took the lead in the 39th minute. A scrappy sequence in the Irish box saw a blocked shot fall kindly to a Baldock player, who finished clinically at the near post from close range. Baldock had the chance to double their advantage before the break, but Ladyman produced a fine save from a long-range effort.
HALF-TIME: Baldock Town 1-0 MK Irish
The second half saw Irish come out with renewed intensity. Early on, Ryan Smith tested the Baldock keeper with a sweetly struck volley from the edge of the area, only to be denied by a spectacular diving save.
Shrieves remained a constant threat, weaving through defenders before forcing another point-blank stop from the keeper. The rebound fell to Spence, whose effort was blocked heroically by a defender, and further attempts from Hunt were also shut down in a flurry of desperate defending.
Irish’s relentless pressure should have yielded an equalizer when Hirst played a low ball into the box. Spence connected well but sent his effort wide of the target from 12 yards. Shortly after, a long ball into the area caused chaos in the Baldock defense. The keeper spilled it, and the loose ball fell to Shrieves at the edge of the box. Yet again, the keeper pulled off a miraculous save to deny him.
The equalizer finally came in the 78th minute. From a corner, Ryan Smith headed the ball down to Oliver Coleman, who struck a sublime half-volley into the top corner to make it 1-1, a goal Irish thoroughly deserved.
With the game seemingly destined for penalties, Irish pushed for a late winner. Kelvin Osei-Addo fired a powerful shot at the near post, but the Baldock keeper once again pulled off a remarkable save to deny the visitors.
The full time whistle came shortly after sending the game to penalties.
Mason Spence missed Irish’s first spot kick, but fortune favoured the visitors as Baldock’s second penalty rattled the crossbar. Tom Ladyman then emerged as the hero, saving Baldock’s fifth penalty to hand Irish the advantage. Osei-Addo stepped up with the chance to send Irish through and made no mistake, calmly slotting his penalty into the bottom corner to secure a 4-3 shootout victory.
FULL-TIME: Baldock Town 1-1 MK Irish
Irish win 4-3 on penalties
Goalscorer: O. Coleman (78’)
