Stone me!

Photo: PICTURE by CHRIS SUNDERLAND

GROUNDED: Rob Feilding, of Chaddertonians, slides in to dispossess Danny Armstrong.

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CARL STONE was the hero as Chaddertonians reached the quarter-finals of the Lancashire Amateur Cup for the second successive season.

Goalkeeper Stone’s spot-kick save proved decisive in the penalty shoot-out after the tie was deadlocked after 90 minutes and a period of extra time.

Despite fading light at The Lancaster Club, Stone saw enough of the ball in a tense moment to produce a magnificent one-handed save and send Chadds through.

Secretary Keith Hanley said: “All-in-all it was a fairly even game, with both sides enjoying some good moments.

“It was a brilliant stop from Carl and it is good to be in the last eight of this competition again.”

Martin Kitson stood out for the home side with several rampaging runs into opposition territory from his full-back position.

From one such sortie in the second period of extra time, the defender’s delivery for substitute Mark Thompson to score looked to have settled the tie in Chadds’ favour.

Thompson’s close range effort put them 2-1 in front but, with the minutes ticking away, never-say-die Rochdalians forced penalties.

It was Chadds who took the lead in the 21st minute when Anthony Corlett’s shot was parried, allowing Paul Preston to rifle home the rebound.

The visitors were all-square after 55 minutes during their best period of the last-16 encounter.

The two teams went on to share a goal apiece in extra-time, but it was Chadds, with Mark Radcliffe, Neil Sissons, Graham Preston and Kitson holding their nerve from 12 yards, who went through.

And, not forgetting Stone’s breathtaking save, as the Chadds camp went into raptures.

CHADDERTONIANS: Stone, Fielding, G Preston, Radcliffe, Kitson, Owen, Massey, P Preston, Sissons, Corlett, Sweeney. Sub: Thompson.