THE FENMEN booked their place in the Cambs Invitation Cup final with a well deserved win against a side containing five former Wisbech players plus former boss Iain Benjamin last Tuesday night at the Nest.
It was also a first win for the new manag
ement team of Steve Appleby and Chris Dear after two narrow defeats in the league.
Soham started the game the better in the first 15 minutes and there were half chances for Furnell and Ogbonna but as the game continued, Wisbech, again adopting the 4-4-2 tactics, started getting into the Soham area and keeper Ian Pledger was quickly off his line to deny Mark Jimson and at the other end Napier was denied by Alex Street.
The deadlock was finally broken after 40 minutes when Billy Smith's shot beat Pledger, but came back off the inside of the post and Mark Jimson forced the ball in at the far post.
Soham hit back with an equaliser in the final minute of the half with former Fenmen Scott Carter beating Street at his near post.
It took just one minute of the second half before Wisbech restored their lead with Darren Jimson heading Stuart Cobb's corner at the near post. It was almost 3-1 soon after when Mark Jimson shot narrowly wide.
But the third goal did come after 71 minutes when Smith, a constant threat to the Soham defence, broke into the penalty area and was taken down by Tom Liberatore. The defender received a straight red card for a professional foul and Robbie Harris made no mistake with his spot kick, sending Ian Pledger the wrong way.
Soham pulled it back to 3-2 with a goal in injury time from Carter.
Appleby commented: "We had deserved more from our two previous games but we did get the result our performance deserved this time. I told the players before that if they kept doing the things they have been doing they would turn things round and they went out did it perfectly."
Appleby also revealed he had rested Mark Jimson from the game at Kirkley, for this cup-tie.
He said: "Mark has not been long back from a injury and to ask him to play Saturday and then Tuesday would be asking a lot. I wanted him to add some steel to the midfield for this game and as usual he put in a good performance with a goal too."
Wisbech will now meet either Mildenhall or Cambridge City in the final at the Abbey Stadium on April 29.
Wisbech: Alex Street, Stuart Cobb, Anthony Reeve, Paul Cousins, Charlie Defty, Lewis Thompson, Robbie Harris, Robbie. Harris, Mark Jimson, Billy. Smith, Darren Jimson, Jordan Yong. Subs: Scott Cubberley, Rory Harper, Ryan Howell.
