Knights sunk by Skegness in Senior Cup

Pinchbeck United have been dumped out of another cup competition by Skegness Town, with their Lincolnshire Senior Cup bid ending by the seaside the same way as their FA Cup campaign.

The Knights were much improved in the first 45 minutes from previous performances but were still comfortably seen off by fellow United Counties League side Skegness.

New signing Caleb Pipes-Goulsbra saved a penalty from former Spalding United and Pinchbeck United forward Jonnie Lockie in the 34th minute of his debut for the Knights, but that was as good as it got for the away side.

By that point they were already 1-0 down thanks to a brilliant long-range effort from Ben Davison in the 15th minute.
Pinchbeck had started well and only a fine save had denied Enoch Opayinka after being put clean through following good work down the left.

Haydn Havard also had a good opportunity but his effort was well saved after a mazy run by Opayinka.

“We were much better in the first 45 minutes than we have been of late,” manager Lewis Thorogood said. “We had two or three really good opportunities but we didn’t take them.

“Even if we’d have taken them 1-0 down we’d have been in with a chance but then we gave away a stupid goal and that’s really disappointing.”

That goal came from one of several chances Skegness created from set-pieces.

It was in the 52nd minute as Pinchbeck’s defenders watched a free kick not far from the half way line into the box, they stood static to leave Davison completely unmarked to poke home and make it 2-0.

Pinchbeck went close from their own free kick but on 62 minutes it was game over as the Knights failed to clear another free kick into the box and the ball was worked across to the back post where Davison tapped in for his hat-trick despite the defenders’ appeal for the offside flag.

Thorogood described the goal as ‘just bad officiating’.

Pipes-Goulsbra made a couple of good saves late on as Pinchbeck exited the competition.

Knights: Pipes-Goulsbra, Worthington, Robson, Peasgood, Fixter, Spafford, Gagyi, Melson, Opayinka, Johnson, Havard, Stevens, Baldock-Smith. Subs not used: Moyses, Holland.
* Attendance: 100