Second Division Cup semi final:

Hakin United 2nds 1-2 Prendergast Villa

It will be Prendergast Villa against St Clears in the Second Division Cup final after stunning strikes from Curtis Elliott and Ashton Plunkett gave Damian Ellis' side a 2-1 win over Hakin United 2nds at The Conygar Bridge Meadow Stadium tonight.

It was Elliott who curled in the opener 13 minutes in, before three minutes into the second period Plunkett scored in similar fashion. And despite some heavy Hakin pressure in the final quarter, Villa held on as Gareth Fawcett's last gasp goal for The Vikings came too late to effect the outcome.

The Villa went in as the only side to beat The Vikings in Division Two this season after a 2-1 win back in October, but they were still widely considered outsiders for this semi final with coaches Scott Davies, Leigh Broome, and Anthony Mayhew having seen their side open up a 14 point lead at the top of the table.

And sure enough, Villa keeper Thomas Phillips was called into action in the opening two minutes, beating away Gareth Fawcett's powerful left foot shot after he'd been teed up in the area by Camron Thomas.

Hakin threatened again with a quickfire attack as Louis Thompson skipped past Josh Wilmot, only to be tripped by the Villa centre back - who duly became the first of three yellow cards for his side in the opening 45 minutes with Jake Davies and Lucas George also later booked.

But after weathering early pressure, Ellis' side began to threaten themselves as striker Ben John showed quick feet in taking on Adam Collins, before his low cross was nearly sliced into the net by Hakin centre back Ewan Findlay.

And just moments later Villa led, and they did so in style.

Left back Curtis Elliott cut in from out wide, and with seemingly little on, curled a brilliant 25 yard angled shot that sailed over Hakin keeper James Manson and went in off the post.

The goal spurred on the underdogs and Paul Jenkins linked with John on the edge of the area, but the return pass was crucially cut out by a sliding Findlay.

But as the half wore on, it was The Vikings who tried manfully to break down a hard working Villa side, and Facwett was in the thick of things, heading wide from a corner before seeing his first time volley from 'Jonty' Bennett's floated cross palmed away by Phillips.

And the big striker then went even closer when presented with a free kick on the edge of the box, blasting a shot that cannoned back off the bar after Phillips did well to get a touch.

His mishit shot across goal also fell into the path of Thomas, but he couldn't divert the ball into the net, and then from a long ball forward Paul Thompson couldn't get his hurried effort on target after a stranded Phillips had misjudged his dash off his line.

But any notion that Villa were going to try and hang on to 1-0 was dispelled early in the second half.

And they got their second in similar circumstances to the first, but this time it was Plunkett who dribbled down the left wing before turning onto his right foot, and like Elliott earlier on, he curled a superb effort that beat Manson and dipped into the far corner.

It prompted an intense period as Hakin tried to respond, and Villa looked to counter with the inevitable extra space.

Thomas' low 20 yard shot was gathered by Phillips, before the midfielder's cross narrowly evaded Findlay in the six yard box.

Then in a breathless 20 seconds, John went close to putting the tie to bed when his 15 yard shot was beaten away by Manson, and from the loose ball Hakin launched a counter attack that culminated in Facwett forcing another save out of Phillips.  

Tempers began to fray as tackles flew in, with Andrew John and Plunkett becoming making it five Villa bookings, and still The Vikings could not find a way through as an onrushing Phillips denied Fawcett on the edge of his box.

Prendergast centre backs Simon Ellis and Wilmot were tested to the full in the final 10 minutes as Hakin attacked in waves, and yet again Fawcett went close when his downward header from James Trueman's chipped cross was too close to Phillips.

But just when it seemed the job was done for Prendergast, Fawcett did get his goal in injury time with a driven 20 yard yard that found the bottom corner - but it came too late as Ellis and co booked their place in the final against St Clears.

Hakin United: James Manson, Jay Power, Ewan Findlay, Alex Greenish, Adam Collins, Paul Thompson, Jonathan Bennett, Louis Thompson, Dan Evans, Camron Thomas, Gareth Fawcett.

Subs: Leigh Broome, Garin Gardner, James Trueman.

Prendergast Villa: Thomas Phillips, Andrew John, Josh Wilmot, Simon Ellis, Curtis Elliott, Paul Jenkins, Gary James, Jake Davies, Lucas George, Ben John, Ashton Plunkett.

Subs: Liam Arnold, Stef Atyeo, Giac Malvisi.

Referee: Steve Williams.

Assistants: Barry Evans and Niall Anderson.