Farmer nets double as EP reach last four

EP boss Dominic Di Paola was pleased with his side’s performance against St Francis Rangers and said: “We played well. We tried a different shape and formation and it seemed to work well.

“A 3-5-2 formation is a bit different to normal but it’s something we’ve wanted to try for a while and I thought it gave us a bit more going forward.

“We played well in general and moved the ball well but, considering it was quite a big game for them as well, they didn’t really seem up for it, although I’m not complaining.”

Farmer headed East Preston into the lead from Darren Boswell’s corner on eight minutes and the hosts then had chances to extend their lead before half-time.

Shaheen Sadough got through one-on-one and was denied by the Rangers keeper and Jordan Clark also went close.

EP keeper Joel Harding dealt well with Rangers’ only clear chance in the opening period, before East Preston remained in control after the break.

Sadough had a couple of opportunities, before Farmer scrambled the ball home from a Fred Foreman cross on 70 minutes.

EP then added a third in the closing stages when substitute Tom Levitt curled the ball home from the edge of the penalty area.

East Preston will face Littlehampton or Horsham YMCA in the semi-finals.

Leaders EP travel to second-placed Hassocks in County League Division 1 on Saturday and are then at Shoreham on Tuesday evening.

EAST PRESTON: Harding; Franks, Pullan, Farmer; Keehan, Shelley, Foreman, Clark, Duncan; Boswell, Sadough. Subs: Levitt (Boswell 50), Huckett, Baitup (Clark, Sadough 70), Hunt, Axell.