CONNOR COLLINS’ first-half penalty proved decisive as Droitwich Spa beat Wyrley United 1-0 to advance to the semi-finals of the League Cup.
Collins finished through the body of Wyrley goalkeeper Adam Jenkins on the stroke of half time after the visitors were penalised for handball.
And that goal was enough to secure the Saltmen’s passage to the last four at Malvern Town’s HDAnywhere Stadium in what was the second of three midweek games Spa are playing at the venue due to flooding at their Walshes Meadow home.
Droitwich had the ball in the net early on through Collins only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
And the home side then flashed two balls across the face of goal as Spa twice failed to sort their feet out in the box to turn the ball home.
At the other end, Wyrley almost capitalised on some lapse Spa defending when Luke Harrison burst into the box before squaring to Tom Duffy who was denied by an excellent save from Droitwich goalkeeper Matt Oliver from close range.
And the visitors broke down the right again soon after with Harrison and Duffy combining only for the former to shoot well wide from the edge of the penalty area.
Spa then tested Jenkins in the Wyrley goal when Lewis Phillips fired a low effort at the keeper’s near post that was comfortably saved.
And Spa continued to find room in the channels when Collins drilled a ball across the box with no one in red and black waiting to pounce to turn the cross home.
However, Andy Crowther’s side looked vulnerable at the back when Adam Prosser was played in-behind and crossed for Duffy who headed off target having been left unmarked 10-yards from goal.
The Saltmen were awarded a penalty on the stroke of half time when Jack Davies’ shot was blocked by a Wyrley arm as Collins converted through the body of Jenkins to hand Droitwich the lead at the break.
And Droitwich dominated the early exchanges of the second period with Collins shooting wide and James Lemon off target with an acrobatic effort at the back post.
Spa should have doubled their lead when Luke Molloy had a tame effort cleared off the line before the same player saw another effort tipped behind by Jenkins.
And Jenkins then made a stunning double save to first deny Collins before somehow keeping out substitute Haydn Morris’s follow up from point blank range.
The visitors almost drew level when Oliver made another superb save to deny Alex Antoniou when one-on-one before Alex Dugmore made a crucial block to deny the follow up effort.
Crowther’s men looked to put the game to bed in the closing minutes only for Jenkins to make another save low down to his right before sub Perry Moss had a shot cleared off the line.
Droitwich saw out the final few minutes with relative ease despite Jenkins coming up for a late corner before the Wyrley keeper made another save with his legs to deny Connor Baker when one-on-one.
