With Town's performances improving week on week and Retford struggling in recent games the home side knew this would be a good opportunity to overcome the opposition they shared the spoils with on the first day of the season.

As expected, it was the home side who started the game the brighter and dominated the first 20 minutes. A Luke Blondel cross was headed over by the reserves' top scorer Jack Baxter who whilst backpedalling was unable to get over the ball and headed over the bar.

However, it was the visitors who took the lead when their winger persued a lost cause down by the right byline. Laying the ball back to a team mate on the edge of the area, his shot was palmed into the path of the oncoming forward who fired past the Horncastle defenders on the line.

But Town responded well and their hard work was rewarded when Jack Baxter's clever dribbing was too much for the Retford defender, who could do nothing but bring the striker down and concede a penalty. Luke Blondel stepped up to the spot and sent the keeper the wrong way to level the game on the half hour mark.

Horncastle had a couple of chances in the remainder of the half which fell to Blondel and Burchnall but their attempts were comfortable saves for the opposition keeper so the half time whistle blew with both sides level at 1-1.

The second half started very much like the first with Town controlling the proceedings. Ryan Nunn was the stand out player so far in the match, working tirelessly from box to box in the centre of the pitch for the home side.

Horncastle were forced to make their first change of the match when Luke Blondel had to leave the field with an injury to his arm. James Parkinson replaced him for his first appearance of the season.

Town took the lead for the first time in the game on the hour mark when they broke with pace down the right. Jack Baxter unselfishly rolled the ball into the path of Josh Cheetham who confidently converted the chance beating the keeper at his near post for his first goal of the season.

The home side thought the game was dead and buried when Burchnall put Town 3-1 up. Substitute James Parkinson's effort was blocked but fell to the feet of Lewis Burchnall who made no mistake in smashing the ball past the Retford defenders into the back of the net.

However, the game was far from over and as Town began to tire in the last fifthteen minutes they were made to defend the rest of the game in their own third as Retford piled on the pressure in search of the equaliser which would take the game into extra time.

Retford threw everything they had at Town but thanks to some last ditch defending and a small slice of luck Town stood strong.

The visitiors came close with an effort from the edge of the area which was pushed over the bar by goalkeeper Liam Smith, and came even closer when another effort was turned onto the post by the Town number 1, but the whistle blew and Horncastle deservedly held onto the their lead to secure a spot in the semi finals of the competition.

Town will now play The Blues Club for a place in the final of the cup, but firstly have to focus on league matters as they face Rustons Sports Reserves on The Wong on Saturday (2:00pm kick off).

A visit to hospital the next day also confirmed that Luke Blondel suffered a break of both bones in his lower arm and will face up to six weeks on the sideline.

Smith, C.Low, Porter, J.Blondel, Bodily, Cheetham (Bullivant), Nunn, Maplethorpe, L.Blondel (Parkinson), Burchnall, Baxter.

Click here to view a video with some of the highlights from Saturday's game, including Blondel's penalty in the first half of the match. (via The Horncastle News' website)