AN extra time double moved Ely City through to the next round of the Ridgeons League Challenge Cup on Tuesday night.

Football

March Town United 2

Ely City 4

(AET)

Austen Diaper and Taz Chisango struck in the first five minutes of extra time to take the sting out of the tie, with a wearying March side unable to respond.

The win moves the Robins through to the next round of the cup, where they will take on Premier Division rivals Dereham Town.

Boss Alan Alsop said: “We should have wrapped it up before injury time to be honest but they scored right at the death and forced it into extra time.

“I think our superior fitness and quality told in the end, they fell away a little bit towards the end and we could have scored a few more.”

A long clearance from Lee Pacey resulted in the opening goal for Ely early in the piece as an under pressure March defender headed through his own goal.

United were quick to restore parity however, as Luke Pepper curled home a free-kick from outside the box on 26 minutes.

Pepper’s brilliance was more than matched by Ely’s Josh Bridgeman who lashed home from 25 yards after the ball was squared from the wing, giving Ely a 2-1 lead going in at half-time.

Ely spurned a number of good chances in the second half and were made to pay for their profligacy as Pepper looped a header past Pacey with just 15 minutes remaining, to send the tie into added time.

A good move early into extra time saw Diaper slot past the March goalkeeper and the tie was made safe just a few minutes later as Chisango’s cross-cum-shot wrong-footed the goalkeeper and flew home.

Sam Parkinson missed an opportunity to make it 5-2 from the penalty spot deep into the second half of added time.