FC Clacton saw their hopes of lifting the Ridgeons League Cup fade away for another season as they let a two goal lead slip in an agonising 3-2 extra time defeat to Norwich United at Plantation Park. The Seasiders were ahead thanks to goals from Sean Hillier and Dan Smith until a contentious 90^th minute equaliser took the game to extra time where Jordan Blyth snatched the winner for the home side. Whilst Clacton will feel disappointed not to have held out in normal time it would have been rough justice on the home side who had already been denied in two controversial moments before their eventual equaliser.

Playing with a strong wind at their backs Clacton settled the better of the two sides and created the first chance as Sean Hillier slipped a ball through to Billy Wales but the midfielder couldn’t find the target with his effort. The home sides first effort came when a left wing cross made it’s way across to captain Steve Shipley who fired wide.

Clacton took the lead midway through the half as a Dan Smith long throw was not cleared and when Lee Peacock headed the ball back into the danger zone and Sean Hillier somehow rose above the relative giants of the Norwich United defence to glance the ball home.

They doubled their lead on thirty-three minutes when a Matt Cripps free kick to the edge of the box was again diverted back by Peacock, this time into the path of Dan Smith twenty yards out and he fired a low drive into the bottom right hand corner.

The question at half-time was whether a two goal cushion would be sufficient to hold off a home side onslaught in the face of the stiff breeze with the consensus that the third goal of the game could prove to be all important.

Initially it did not look as if Clacton would be in trouble as they continued to move the ball around nicely and when another free kick wasn’t cleared Smith hit another drive just wide. Norwich had their first effort on target on the hour mark as an Andrew Key free kick found Martin McNeill in space but his weak header was straight at Joe Playle.

However the warning signs were beginning to appear and, after sixty-four minutes, Playle had to make a good stop as a long ball was not cut out by the Clacton defence allowing Ross King in on goal but was denied by an excellent save by Playle diving to his right to turn the ball around the post. From the corner however King did provide the goal (that all important third goal) to get his team back into the tie as he flicked a header into the far post.

From having looked solid and in control Clacton suddenly started to look panicked and shaken, struggling to hold onto possession and allowing the home side to press forward in search of an equaliser. Two minutes after their first goal Norwich thought that they had equalised as a free kick was headed onto the underside of the bar and down onto the line where Aaron Condon cleared. The home side felt that the ball had crossed the line as it bounced down but the officials did not agree.

The Clacton ship was listing and rolling in the wind but it looked like it might ride out the storm of yellow shirts as the final whistle edged ever nearer. The feeling that lady luck might just be with them seemed to be reinforced in the 88^th minute when an inswinging corner evaded everyone to strike the far post and when the ball was forced back in Lee Peacock cleared off the line with the home side (and most of the visiting Seasiders) convinced that the ball had crossed the line. Again the officials came to Clacton’s rescue waving away the Norwich protests.

But just as Clacton looked like they might make it to the finish line Norwich snatched an equaliser that again placed the focus firmly on the officials. A left wing corner was pushed out by Joe Playle but the loose ball was put back into the box by King and Jon Lovelock was on hand to head home. However the linesman’s flag had gone up and when consulted by the referee appeared to indicate a push on Playle but he was overruled by referee Mr Francis who allowed the goal to stand and took the game into extra time.

It was the home side, with their second half momentum, that continued to be stronger with Peacock having to making an important block from substitute Jordan Blyth. However it was the substitute who snatched what would prove to be the winner in the last minute of the first period of extra time. Manager Andy Taylor, on for a rare substitute appearance, couldn’t clear a ball following a Norwich break and as the ball criss-crossed the box it was finally squared for Blyth to divert the ball past Playle and a covering defender to trickle into the net.

Despite a more spirited showing from the Seasiders in the second period of extra time their tired legs just couldn’t muster a late onslaught and the home side held firm to complete their excellent comeback and book their spot in the semi-final.