Bramford Road Old Boys 1 Haughley United 0The luck of the cup was non existent for Haughley at Whitton Sports Centre this afternoon.
Despite overwhelming their Division Two opponents in the first half and carving out several good chances in the second, Haughley's Omnico Cup hopes were ended by an own goal.
Haughley put their poor Senior Division record to one side with a fine first-half performance during which they were in full control but unable to gain fruit from their dominance.
And they were made to pay four minutes after the interval when Dean Offord's free-kick into the six-yard box looped into the net off a defender for the only goal of the game.Ash Hawes tested home goalkeeper Daniel Wilson after eight minutes with a shot which he was unable to hold but the loose ball was fired over the bar.
Hawes then headed over James Nickless' far post cross before a fine tackle robbed Nathan Smith with the goal beckoning.
Wilson pulled off a good save to keep out Smith's 18-yard effort after 16 minutes but could only watch 14 minutes later when James Garnham chipped the ball narrowly over the bar.
Haughley came closest to finding the net after 34 minutes when a corner was only cleared to the edge of the box and a shot struck Ali Mayhem but he was unable to divert it on target. Aaron Robinson sent another chance over the bar from the corner of the penalty area before the hosts went close with their best chance of the half after 41 minutes. Luke Garnham evaded three challenges on a charge from his own half but when he pulled the ball across the face of goal, no-one was able to get a decisive touch.
The Old Boys took the lead early in the second half and could have doubled the lead soon after when Offord's defence-splitting pass released Garnham but Arron Mayhew blocked well.
Haughley substitute Jason Woods had a good chance to equalise after 66 minutes when he was released by Callum McLuckie but Wilson was equal to his shot. Wilson knew little about Hawes' close-range shot son after which hit his chest in a goalmouth scramble and then Hawes had a header cleared off the goal-line as Haughley pushed hard.
Mayhew pulled of a magnificent close-range finger-tip save to deny the hosts a second goal after 71 minutes.Defender Shaun Taplin wasted a glorious chance to score after Smith's surging run took him to the goal-line but when he pulled the ball back, Taplin's six-yard shot flew over the bar.
But it was the Old Boys who came closest to grabbing the game's second goal in the first minute of stoppage time when they broke from prolonged pressure from the visitors. Matty Sharland looked to have beaten Mayhew with a fine chip but the goalkeeper managed to get his fingers to the ball to push it onto the bar and the rebound was hacked clear.
Despite three minutes of additional time, Haughley were unable to find a way back and it was the hosts who moved forward to face Division One high-fliers Wickham Market in the quarter-finals.
Bramford Road OB: Wilson, Kersey, Thornton, Stollery, Padmore, Taber, Hammond (Sharland, 82), Johnstone, M Smith, L Garnham (Forbes, 86), D Offord.
Substitutes (not used): Godbold, C Offord.
Haughley: Arron Mayhew, Nickless, Lewis, Ally Mayhew, Taplin, Firman, Hawes, Robinson, N Smith, J Garnham (Woods, 61), McLuckie.
Substitute (not used): Anderson.
Stowmarket Striders runner Tamara Jordan notched up an impressive scalp on her way to victory in the third leg of the Suffolk Winter League Cross Country meeting at Nowton Park, Bury St Edmunds. 
