Lye Town secured a narrow victory against Step 6 Anstey on Saturday, overcoming a second-half resurgence from their visitors to advance to the next round. The match, played at Lye’s home ground, featured a commanding first half from the Flyers before a more subdued second half saw Anstey mount a late comeback.

Lye dominated the opening 45 minutes, creating numerous chances and eventually taking a two-goal lead. Martin Slevin’s cross was cleared to full-back Danny Cartwright, who scored the opener in the 23rd minute by firing low through a crowded penalty area. The Flyers continued pressing, with Alfie Didlock seeing a close-range effort saved and Luke Sidaway narrowly missing two scoring opportunities in quick succession. On the cusp of halftime, Elliott Ball added a second for Lye with a composed finish, capping a well-constructed team move.

Despite their dominance in the first half, Lye’s performance dipped after the interval, with Anstey becoming more assertive on the counterattack. Lye’s goalkeeper Reece Francis was forced into a crucial save to deny Archie Allen, who later played a key role in Anstey’s late goal. Substitute Jimmy King also came close to scoring for Anstey but failed to connect with a header late in the match.

Anstey’s perseverance was rewarded deep into stoppage time when Allen was lifted into the penalty area and managed to assist Szym Donnerstag, who forced the ball in to reduce the deficit. This goal set up a tense finale, with Lye enduring a frantic spell of pressure in their own penalty area. However, the hosts held firm to preserve their lead and secure progression.

Lye Town manager Richard Ball expressed frustration over the second half, acknowledging that his team had threatened to throw away a comfortable advantage. “We said at half-time that we were one mistake from letting them back into the game,” Ball said. “I don’t think anyone could have questioned it if we had been four, five or six up at half-time but when you give teams hope they will hang on to it.” Ball, a former prolific striker with clubs including Evesham United and Redditch United, emphasized his disappointment with the more defensive approach taken by his side after the break. “We play on the front foot and get after things,” he added. “That wasn’t us in the second half.”

While conceding a late goal, Ball stressed the importance of the result and moving on in the competition. “They scored with the last kick but we’re in the hat and that’s the main thing,” he said.

Lye Town’s victory was built on early aggression exploiting Anstey’s offensive setup, with the visitors fielding three attackers. Despite Anstey’s late threat, the Flyers’ resilience ensured their place in the next round of the competition.