Dunstable ditched out of the Bedfordshire Senior Cup by awesome Ampthill

Molten Spartan SML Premier Division leaders Ampthill Town turned in a superb performance on Tuesday night to stun Southern League Division One Central high-fliers Dunstable Town 3-0 at Creasey Park and reach the quarter-final stages of the Bedfordshire Senior Cup.

Ampthill outplayed their hosts for long periods and got their reward with three second half goals from Dan Watson (61), Michael Lyons (67) and Phil Draycott (89).

The visitors richly deserved their win, playing excellent fast-paced football and maximising their opportunities with well-worked counter-attacking football, while dominating the midfield.

Ampthill were back to full strength after Christian Lester’s one-match ban and took the game to their hosts from the start.

The first period saw the better chances falling to the visitors, but they were let down by some errant finishing.

Warren Garcia and Watson worked hard to control the midfield for Ampthill as Dunstable, who were without a game on Saturday, struggled to find their rhythm and were well-contained throughout.

The relatively few chances the Blues did create resulted in only weak shots on target.

Watson had one or two first half openings, while Draycott also went close after a strong run.

The visitors looked more likely to open the scoring in an end-to-end encounter, while Ampthill keeper Martyn Conway was in good form as Dunstable were reduced to long-range shots by Ampthill’s well marshalled defence.

Ampthill took the lead when Watson latched on to a long through ball and rounded keeper Jamie Head to drill home the first goal.

Lyon increased their six minutes later when he drove home a tremendous 20-yard shot after Watson’s cross had put the home defence in trouble.

Nathan Frater had a golden chance to make it 2-1 but unaccountably put his shot over the bar from close range, following a parry by Conway.

This proved pivotal and Dunstable’s flagging hopes were finally extinguished a minute from time when Draycott fired the ball home after good work by Mark Bunker and Tyrone Taylor to earn Ampthill a tie against AFC Kempston Rovers in the next round.

Dunstable host Rugby Town in the league on Saturday and entertain Ashford Town (Middx) on Tuesday.

Blues: Jamie Head, Danny Hutchins, Damen Pickering (Danny Murphy, 73), Joseph Bruce, Marc Leach, Moses Olaleye (C), Adam Watkins, Jonathan Cooper, (Tony Burnett, 73), Lee Roache, Nathan Frater, Jerome Federico. Substitutes not used: Chris Marsh and Tony Fontanelle.

Town: Martin Conway, Chris Crook, Gary Ridgeway, Robbie Goodman, Steve Flux, Phil Draycott, Warren Garcia, Michael Lyon, Christian Lester, Dan Watson, Tyrone Taylor. Substitutes not used: Alvin Rajaram, Shaun Cooksey, Adrian Pitfield, Mark Bunker.

Referee: Wayne Cartmel.

Assistant Referees: Darren Knox and Justin Redmond.

Attendance: 75

>> Meanwhile, Crawley Green’s Molten Spartan SML Division One Cup second round tie at Risborough Rangers was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch and has been re-scheduled for December 3.