CAMBS INVITATION CUP SEMI-FINAL Wisbech Town 3 Soham Town Rangers 2 WISBECH fan favourite Mark Jimson produced an outstanding performance and a rare goal to help the Fenmen to their first cup final in nine years. The defensive midfielder, 33, has been r

CAMBS INVITATION CUP SEMI-FINAL

Wisbech Town 3 Soham Town Rangers 2

WISBECH fan favourite Mark Jimson produced an outstanding performance and a rare goal to help the Fenmen to their first cup final in nine years.

The defensive midfielder, 33, has been recovering from a knee operation that threatened to send him into early retirement but was Wisbech's man of the man in a satisfying win over arch rivals Soham on Tuesday night.

The victory will make Steve Appleby an instant hit with the Wisbech fans as it was only his third game as manager.

He said: "Soham are very strong in midfield so we had to be solid in the centre of the park and both Mark Jimson and Lewis Thompson were excellent.

"Conditions were difficult but both teams tried to play football but we had to show a lot of fight.

"We were a little but na�ve when they went down to 10 men when we were 3-1 up and kept bombing forward, but it's fantastic to be in a cup final."

Mark Jimson broke the deadlock in the 42nd minute when he reacted quickest to a loose ball but Scott Carter, one of several ex-Wisbech players in the Soham team, equalised before half-time.

Three minutes after the re-start Darren Jimson's near post header from a Stuart Cobb corner put Wisbech 2-1 up.

In the 70th minute Billy Smith won Wisbech a penalty after a fantastic run and Soham centre-back Thomas Liberatore was given a straight red card.

Robbie Harris's cool spot kick made it 3-1 and should have killed the game off but Carter popped up for his second goal in the 90th minute to ensure a nervy injury time period for the hosts.

Soham manager and former Wisbech boss Ian Benjamin said: "We should have had the game done and dusted in the first 15 minutes but we wasted a lot of chances.

"In the second half I though we were poor and the game was lost in the first 15-20 minutes when they scored two quick goals and we had a man sent off."

Wisbech's last cup final was the CIC Cup against Histon in 2001. They lost 2-1.

Wisbech will play the winner of Thursday night's match between Mildenhall and Cambridge City in the final at Cambridge United's R Costings Abbey Stadium.

A date of April 29 has been set for the match but is to be confirmed.