CAPEL Plough are gearing up for a Portman Road return after causing one of the upsets of the season on Saturday.They beat holders Walsham-le-Willows in Saturday's Touchline Sports Suffolk Senior Cup tie.

By Elvin King

CAPEL Plough are gearing up for a Portman Road return after causing one of the upsets of the season on Saturday.

They beat holders Walsham-le-Willows in Saturday's Touchline Sports Suffolk Senior Cup tie.

Beaten after extra-time by the Ridgeons League side in last season's final at Portman Road, Capel gained revenge with a 1-0 victory.

They are now at home to Grundisburgh in the quarter-final on January 6 - meeting the other Metaltec SIL team to have beaten higher league opposition this term.

Grundisburgh pipped Haverhill Rovers 3-2 the previous weekend, and Plough player manager Pat Tynan has concerns about the game.

He said: “We beat Ridgeons League sides on our way to last season's final, and I would rather face a team from that league than a side like Grundisburgh.

“My players are such that they do not need any help in getting up against Ridgeons League opposition.

“Whichever side takes it more seriously could be the winner on January 6.

“Grundisburgh have a great strikeforce and their pace might be too much for us to handle.”

Five SIL sides remain in the draw, with just First Division leaders Debenham Leisure Centre, now installed as cup favourites, Stowmarket Town and Cornard left from the Ridgeons League.

“Ridgeons League teams like to look down on us,” added Tynan. “And that is perhaps understandable.

“But hopefully this will be the season when a team from the SIL lifts the trophy after six years of Ridgeons domination.

“On Saturday the pitch was heavy and cut up, and it was a slog at the end with the referee playing eight minutes of stoppage time.

“We could easily have been three goals up at the interval, and deserved to go through.

“All the players we needed to play well did so - Robbie Fuller, Archie Arnold and Nigel Bradford.”

Ricky Thurlow, who starred in last season's Senior Cup run, scored the only goal and will be a danger man against Grundisburgh.

“If Ricky was more dedicated he could play at a higher level,” said Tynan.

“We never see him at training and have to mother him along all the while. He was with both AFC Sudbury and Bury Town and you can understand why he did not make the grade with them.”

The revised Senior Cup quarter-final draw is: Cornard v Brantham Athletic, Stowmarket Town v Crane Sports, Ipswich Athletic v Debenham LC, Capel Plough v Grundisburgh.

Capel Plough win my team of the week award for their Suffolk Senior Cup victory, and they go forward to see whether they will win a match ball from Club Colours as team of the month for December.

Debenham Leisure Centre pushed Capel close with three second half goals giving them a 3-2 Ridgeons First Division victory over leaders Swaffham. The three points put Debenham top.

Metaltec SIL Grundisburgh win the ball for November after beating Ridgeons League Haverhill 3-2 in the Senior Cup. They pipped other weekly winners, Felixstowe United, Hadleigh United and Debenham.

Kieran Lawler wins my player of the week accolade for his brace in Brantham's 2-1 SIL win at Ransomes.