Gornal came out on top of a high scoring cup tie to advance to the next round of the JW
Hunt Cup. Another commanding second half performance saw the Peacocks again come
from behind to win.

The Peacocks started well with a couple of early chances. The first opportunity came as Jordon Sangha burst through the defence, his deflected shot almost catching the keeper out but he recovered to turn the ball around the post before a half chance saw Connor Lawrence’s effort rise over the bar.

Gornal continued on the front foot and the breakthrough would soon come. Bradley Maslen-Jones lifted the ball along the sideline for TJ Davies to run onto, his strike across goal tapped in by Lawrence at the back post for an early lead.

The game changed following the opening goal as Dudley burst into life. Ollie Sangha’s fantastic one-on-one save kept Gornal’s lead in tact but only momentarily as the ensuing corner was nodded back across the area and headed home from close range.

Dudley soon found themselves in a comfortable lead, first putting themselves ahead after Josh Godwin was adjudged to have felled the Dudley man bursting into the area, the resulting penalty struck straight down the middle. Then a cross from the right that was volleyed beyond Sangha to extend Dudley’s lead to 3-1.

Gornal responded well and Josh Godwin threatened to reduce the arrears as he headed a
crossed free kick over the bar. His goal would come soon after as Maslen-Jones’ strike forced the Dudley goalkeeper into a save that he could only palm into the path of Godwin who taps home to halve the deficit heading into half time.

The tone for the second half was set early on as Gornal immediately went in search of an
equaliser. The Dudley goalkeeper was forced into a smart double save from Sam Oakley and TJ Davies before Jordon Sangha sent a free kick wide of post.

Few chances went Dudley’s way in the second half but they almost got a fourth against the run of play, hitting the crossbar as they looked to put the game out of reach in the face of relentless Gornal pressure.

That pressure would soon pay dividends as Nathan Jones ran beyond the defence and calmly slotted home a low side foot finish to level the scores at three all.

Gornal went in search of a winner with the threat of a penalty shootout looming. Sam Bratt-Wyton’s cross from the left found Nathan Jones at the back post who turned the ball towards goal clipping the outside of post as it went for a goal kick.

The Peacocks’ fourth would eventually come from a wide free kick whipped into the penalty area from the right, Nathan Guest expertly dispatched a free header from eight yards out to put Gornal ahead.

Gornal put the game beyond doubt with a fifth and final goal of the game that mirrored the first. TJ Davies’ low cross for Connor Lawrence to nicely finish for his second of the game and complete another brilliant second half comeback.