Goalkeeper slots winning penalty as Maltby Main beat Sheffield FC to reach Sheffield Senior Cup final

The stopper pulled off one save in the shootout against Sheffield FC last night and then slotted the decider as the Miners won 3-2 on spot-kicks at rain-lashed Muglet Lane.

The tie had finished 1-1 after extra time, with Luke Aldrich's opener for the higher-league visitors and Elliott Simpson's equaliser both arriving inside the opening six minutes.

"I take a few penalties in the warm-ups and after a while it becomes a bit of a habit," explained Dylan. "As soon as it went to penalties last night I said 'I'll go fifth'.

"In that situation it takes a lot of pressure off the lads as well because as a goalkeeper no-one expects you to take one."

Maltby's co-manager, Andy Dawson, said: "Dylan's been asking for weeks, 'if we get a penalty, can I take it?'

"Unless we are three or four up in a game you can't have a keeper taking a pen, but myself and Lee (Whitehead, co-manager) said before kick-off that if this tie went to penalties then he could have one because he can strike a ball fantastic.

"Fair play to him, the pressure was on him and he tucked it away well.

"The win is testament to the lads too because we had four players cup tied, two injured and two suspended and some who hadn't played in weeks. They did everything we asked of them."

Main went all the way to last year's final, their first since 1978, only to lose to Worksop Town.

This time they'll play fellow Northern Counties East League side Emley, with a date and venue to be announced.

Maltby's goal-scoring keeper added: "We've had good runs of form and a few rocky patches this season so it's good to be in a final. We want to win a cup this year."

Elsewhere last night, Swallownest collected a precious victory to boost their chances of staying in the NCEL.

They won 3-0 at Ollerton Town to move out of Division One's bottom three, two points clear of Parkgate but having played a game more.