A SPECTACULAR late show from Oak Lea powered them into the final of the Memorial Knockout Trophy and left previously unbeaten opponents Plough looking positive turned over.

With just six minutes remaining and leading 2-1, Plough appeared content to rest on their laurels and consequently paid the price as Oak Lea hit them with a match-winning double strike in the space of three minutes.

In truth Plough never gave Oak Lea the respect they deserved.

Boasting a 100 per cent league and cup record prior to the game, Plough approached the game as if victory was assured and failed to recognise the danger signs Oak Lea served up in the first half

Plough were unlucky not to grab the lead early in the game when Nigel Clarkson's shot was parried by Matt Wilson at the foot of the post and Alan Armer was only inches away from forcing the ball over the line.

Oak Lea responded in positive fashion and from Ben Greenwood's corner, Duncan Howard hit a half volley goal-bound that had to frantically cleared off the line.

As Oak Lea pushed forward, Ashley Henderson and Ian Spencer found openings but both lacked power and direction from good shooting positions.

Plough looked dangerous when Paul Houldsworth carved out chances for Clarkson and Neil Kennedy, both driving shots just wide of the woodwork, but the best chance of the half fell to Oak Lea's Duncan Howard who mis-timed Henderson's free kick and headed wide of the post from two yards out.

It then needed a brilliant fingertip save from Andrew Parkinson to flick Tony Rodia's 20 yard drive over the bar and from the resulting corner Jimmy Whitehead flashed a header agonisingly close as Oak Lea finished the half the stronger of the two sides. Two minutes after the break Plough went in front when Houldsworth out-jumped Wilson and steered his header over the line from Paul Walker's long throw.

Wilson denied Plough a second moments later, tipping Walker's 15 yard drive round the post and effectively keeping his side in the hunt as Oak Lea countered and from Spencer's cross Jimmy Whitehead stooped low to head the equaliser in the 53rd minute.

With nothing separating the two sides Plough regained the lead in the 67th minute and the goal owed more to good luck than intent.

From wide on the left Kennedy drove a free kick hard and low into the six yard box and looked to have taken a deflection off an Oak Lea defender as it spun into the net.

Ormerod should have made the game safe following up a great run and shot from Richardson that Wilson pushed into his path, but he somehow screwed wide from three yards.

It was to prove a costly miss as Plough sat back on their 2-1 lead and allowed Oak Lea to dominate midfield.

Oak Lea poured forward and gained inspiration when Parkinson was forced to claw Rodia's 25 yard drive over the bar at full stretch. From the resulting corner, Spencer hit a drive across the face of goal and Whitehead pounced, stabbing the ball home unchallenged.

Three minutes later, still reeling from a sense of disbelief, a static Plough defence had no answer to an inspired run from Rodia that took him past three defenders to the edge of the penalty area before laying a short ball off for Henderson to smash into the roof of the net and send his team into a frenzy of celebration.

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