Worksop Town match-winner Karkach pleased with semi-final spot

Worksop Town defeated local rivals and fellow promotion-hopefuls Staveley Miners Welfare 2-1 on Wednesday night to progress through to the final four of the NCEL League Cup.
Lynton Karkach hit the winner.Lynton Karkach hit the winner.
Lynton Karkach hit the winner.

Lynton Karkach set-up Kyle Jordan in the first-half to put his side ahead. The hosts pegged them back with 15 minutes to go, however, the Tigers’ resilience and fight conquered as three minutes from time, Karkach smashed home a late winner from the edge of the area.

And Karkach said afterwards that winning the game was more important than how they achieved it.

He said: "It wasn't a pretty game but we have come here needing to do a job, which we have done, and all we cared about is getting into the semi-finals of the League Cup."

On his goal, he added: “I saw the ball come towards me on the edge of the area and I knew that I needed to get a clean connection on the ball and hopefully, if it didn’t go in then it would ricochet back into the mix, but I made sure I got my head down, knee over, and hoped for the best.”

On Saturday, the Tigers face Staveley again, this time in the league as they aim to cement their status as leaders.

Karkach said: “We need to approach the game in the same way. I don’t see why we should work to meet them. We’re top of the league and through to the semi-final of the cup, so we should make them play to us. Tonight the lads worked their socks off and I can see the same happening on Saturday. We will need to battle and continue to push, but we’ll do our best and I’m sure the result will be positive.”

The semi-final draw the the League Cup took place after the game and the Tigers have a tough tie as they must travel to Hemsworth Miners Welfare in search of their first cup final since 2012.

Karkach believes that his side have what it takes to go through to the final, which will be held at the Keepmoat Stadium in Doncaster.

He said: “The game will be very important. Obviously, by that time the league will be done, so we will know our fate by then. It will hopefully be the case of going there with a free spirit and knowing that we have the chance to go to a cup final.

"We played there a couple of weeks ago, we know what they’re about, and we know we can beat them if we play our own game.”