Young Robins progress in FA Youth Cup

Cheltenham Town’s youngsters booked a place with the big boys in the FA Youth Cup third round after a 3-2 victory against Farnborough last night.

First year scholar David Waters was the hero, scoring a delightful 77th minute goal to put the Robins in Friday’s draw alongside the likes of Premier League giants Manchester United and Chelsea.

The Robins surged into a an early two-goal lead with Kyle Haynes’ fifth goal of the competition and an own goal, before Farnborough hit back to level in the second half.

Haynes and Waters who operated either side of the profligate Jake Lee in a three-pronged forward line both gave lively performances..

It was the young Robins side that fashioned the first chance in the eighth minute, when Waters’ neat cross gave Lee the first of many missed chances of the evening.

Haynes did better three minutes later, heading home past a helpless Ashley Scott from eight yards out from another pinpoint Waters cross.

Lee fashioned himself a chance on the quarter-hour mark, firing wide of Scott after out-muscling Farnborough skipper Alex Frostick in the inside right channel.

Frostick was enduring a torrid evening and it was his shins that got the final touch on Ryan Keen’s goalbound header from Josh Quaynor’s free-kick at the midpoint of the half.

After sustained pressure from the Robins, Farnborough hit back in the 39th minute, when the tiny figure of Jordan Carter somehow escaped his marker to nod home from Scott Costello’s cross.

With rain lashing down, Cheltenham fashioned the first chance of the second half when under 16s midfielder Matthew Williams headed wide from Haynes’ right-wing cross.

Lee then wasted two more guilt-edged chances. First latching onto a through ball, but Scott was off his line quickly to clear at the striker’s feet and then blazing over after Quaynor’s free kick found him six yards out.

It looked to have proved costly as minutes later Adam Beale’s cross was diverted in to his own net by Ryan Keen at the near post with Perry stranded.

It took a special moment from 17-year-old winger Waters to book Cheltenham’s place in the third round.

Picking up a long diagonal ball on the left, he cut inside his marker and curled a delightful right-footed shot across Scott into the corner of the net.

Farnborough pressed in vein for an equaliser and Perry had to be alert to turn away a Scott Costello thunderbolt in the final minute.

Cheltenham Town: J Perry, S Rawlings, R Keen, J Saunston, J Quaynor;,,M Williams (73 J Turley), C Tosh, J Fawke; K Haynes (64 J Egan), J Lee, D Waters.

Subs not used: L Barnfather, C Hamilton, B Hadley,

Farnborough Town: A Scott; T Woods, B Shenton, A Frostick, N Hutchings; J Brown (46 A Cappalonga), J Carter, L King, S Costello; A Beale (76 D Kelly), P Maderner.

Subs not used:, J Somerville, J Hills, K Perkins,

Referee: J M Law

Att: 213