Welsh Veterans Over 40s Cup quarter final: Hakin United 1–1 Ferndale and District (Hakin win 5-3 on penalties)

It went to the wire – but Hakin United are into the semi-finals of the Welsh Veterans Overs 40s Cup by beating Ferndale and District on penalties.

It appeared The Vikings had won the tie in normal time through Paul Jones’ late spot kick, only for Mark Jones to level for the visitors.

But Gary Dawes’ team kept their nerve to convert all five spot kicks, with Matthew Price placing home the winner to seal Hakin’s place in the last four.

The first 45 minutes were tight, and Hakin went close went Nigel Delaney’s free kick was flicked on by Richard Nash into the path of Stuart Macdonald – but he couldn’t convert from a tight angle.

At the other end Ferndale forward Jones forced a diving save out of home keeper Jason ‘Bomber’ Morgan.

The visitors were dealt a blow before the break when regular keeper Paul Beese was forced off injured, with Lee James going in-between the sticks.

And straight after half time James was tested as he pushed a Leigh Walters header over the bar.

Sub Matthew Price also forced the new keeper into a smart near post save and as the second half wore on, tempers flared with referee Paul Rooney twice having to separate melees.

But with time running out The Vikings began to press and with less then 10 minutes left, it seemed like they had found the winner.

A Paul Jones cross rolled across the face of goal but in the scramble that followed, Michael McCarthy’s shot was adjudged to have hit the hand of a Ferndale defender and Rooney pointed to the spot.

It looked harsh, but ‘Jonah’ made no mistake with the penalty.

The scorer then nearly turned provider as his low cross was diverted wide by Nash, but in the dying moments the visitors levelled.

Home keeper Morgan completely miskicked as he tried to clear upfield and Jones took advantage to run in and slot the ball into an empty net.

It eventually mattered little however as Delaney, Nigel Armstrong, Michael McCarthy and Jones again all clinically scored from 12 yards, with Ferndale only converting three of their first four – before Price found the bottom corner to send Hakin through.

Hakin United: Jason Morgan, Nigel Delaney, Richard Bland, Nigel Armstrong, Adam Collins, Shaun Mills, Richard Nash, Michael McCarthy, Stuart MacDonald, Leigh Walters, Paul Jones. Subs:  Jamie Phillips, Matthew Price, Gerrard Grey, Gary Dawes.