PERSHORE TOWN booked their place in the final of the Worcestershire Senior Cup after the Plums fairy tale run continued with a stunning 3-2 win against Redditch United.
Despite a gap of three divisions between the two teams, and falling behind to Charlie Williams’ goal on 24 minutes, Danny Janes’ side hit back through Josh Willis’s penalty two minutes later.
And second-half goals from Scott Hammond on 46 minutes and Aidan Clark on 68 minutes secured a memorable win for the Plums despite Ryan Boothe pulling a goal back with 10 minutes left to play.
Victory for Pershore means they will play either Kidderminster Harriers or Worcester City in the final, as they bid to win the competition for the first time in the club’s history.
The Plums were fortunate not to fall behind early on when Redditch striker Dan Sweeney headed against the bar before Luke Cox’s follow-up was superbly headed off the line by a Pershore defender.
And Redditch continued to test the Pershore goal when Tiago Nassunculo was denied by Town goalkeeper Eddie Cox.
However, the visitors spurned a golden chance to take the lead when Sam Clark was superbly denied by Reds goalkeeper Kieran Boucher when one-on-one after being played through by James Baldwin.
Moments later, Pershore were awarded a free-kick on the edge of the penalty area which was sent over the bar by Hammond.
Redditch made Pershore pay for those missed chances when Williams jinked his way into the box and found the right corner of the goal from Lewis Hudson’s lofted pass.
However, the away side responded immediately when Sam Clark was fouled in the box by Ryan Wollacott as Willis stepped up to score the resulting penalty, finding the right corner of the goal.
The home side had one final chance in the half when Cox pushed away Jamie Ashmore’s effort after the defender picked up a loose ball before driving forward to send the team into the break level.
And Pershore made a dream start to the second period when Hammond headed home from close range after he was left unmarked in the box to convert Baldwin’s hanging cross.
The Reds had chances to draw level with a pair of free-kick’s from the edge of the penalty area soon after only for Sweeney and Ryan Boothe to see their efforts comfortably held by Cox in the Pershore goal.
And the visitors extended their lead when Clark produced a sublime turn to beat his marker and fire a low effort into the bottom right corner from the edge of the penalty area from Jake Cavens’s pass.
Pershore rode their luck from the restart when Cox pushed Boothe’s header at the back post onto the woodwork with the ball rebounding kindly into the keepers’ arms.
And Redditch almost reduced the deficit again when Cox made an instinctive save with his head to turn Aram Soleman’s effort around the post after a defensive mix-up.
The home side eventually found a way back into the game when Boothe headed in at back post from Ashmore’s cross to set up a grandstand finish.
However, the Plums saw out the remainder of the game to spark wild scenes of celebration between the Pershore fans and players as supporters invaded the pitch at full-time.