Long Melford boss David Hennessey wants big home draw in quarter-finals after beating Hadleigh United in Suffolk Premier Cup

Long Melford manager David Hennessey is hoping for a big name draw at Stoneylands in the quarter-finals of the Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup after his Romanian super-sub Carlos Lazar nicked a late winner at Hadleigh United.

Tuesday’s second round tie had looked set to be decided in a penalty shootout despite Melford taking the lead in each half.

A Tom Warren own goal from Ben Judge’s cross on the half-hour mark had been a just reward for a bright opening from The Villagers before the same player then headed home up the other from a Regan Pelling free kick on the stroke of half-time.

A Ryan Gibbs penalty in the 62nd minute, after he was knocked off his stride running into the box by Sam Mills, then restored the visitors’ lead before Hadleigh’s pressure paid dividends with a fine 70th minute header by substitute Kyron Andrews.

But Lazar’s introduction off the bench in the 85th minute proved a masterstroke as the makeshift centre-forward pounced on George Bugg spilling a 90th minute Sammy Newton cross to poke the ball in through the goalkeeper’s legs for a 3-2 victory.

“It’s massive for us,” said Hennessey of reaching the last eight of the county’s leading cup competition with both sides having received a bye through the first round.

“We targeted this as we got to the stage in the season where we knew we were safe to be in the division next year.

“It would be amazing for a club like Melford to get someone like Leiston or Needham or Sudbury or Bury down to our place, there are some good names in the cup. That would be wonderful for the boys and they’ve earned it with some of their performances they’ve put in.”

While Hadleigh boss Steve Holder made nine changes to his line-up from Saturday’s 2-1 Thurlow Nunn League Premier Division home defeat to Kirkley & Pakefield, Melford’s side showed just three alterations from a 3-3 home draw with Sheringham.

One of those to drop out was Lazar, with the Romanian who joined The Villagers last month following a short spell with First Division North side Debenham LC, and had provided the stoppage-time equaliser on Saturday to leave them 10th in the table.

But having scored after Gibbs and Jacob Brown had put them 2-1 up in the second half on Saturday ahead of conceding twice more, he was also to have a big late impact at The Millfield.

Hennessey said: “He’s a centre-half and has only been with us six weeks and that’s his third goal.

“Every time he comes off the bench we put him in a forward position as he can play there as well and he just nicks a goal. So he’s kind of been our lucky charm in that respect.

“But he did it against Woodbridge in the (league) cup, he came off the bench with 10 to go, got a goal and an assist and then got a penalty in the shootout (5-4 defeat).

“And today he’s done it, just right place at the right time and I’m really pleased for him and the lads.”

For Hadleigh boss Holder it was a second home defeat in four days for his fifth-placed side, albeit Saturday’s reverse Kirkley & Pakefield had come following losing Jake Eady to a second yellow card on the half-hour mark with the game goalless. Captain Jack Baker had equalised on the stroke of half-time with the Royals having gone ahead eight minutes after the red card with their winner arriving 10 minutes after the interval.

Following Tuesday’s cup display, which had seen them second best for much of the first half, Holder was disappointed those he handed a chance to stake a claim for the visit of 14th-placed Ely City on Saturday (3pm) did not take it.

“We’ve made changes but we’re still strong,” he said.

“It was an opportunity for the boys that came in to keep the shirts and the boys who have missed out tonight and not even been in the squad are going to be rubbing their hands together thinking I’ll get my shirt back at the weekend. And I think they probably should do.”

And he also felt all three of the goals were preventable.

“It was just a mistake from the ‘keeper, I think it’s gone through his legs but I said to the boys I think we could have dealt with all three of the goals really,” he said.

“The first goal we’ve given the centre-half about five minutes on the ball and he’s switched the ball 40 yards and put a cross in and we’ve scored an own goal.

“The second is a penalty that is a blatant penalty that we shouldn’t have given away.”

Melford return to league action on Saturday with the visit of 15th-placed Soham Town Rangers (3pm) with the draw for the quarter-finals of the Premier Cup set to be made on BBC Radio Suffolk on their match day show.