EARLSWOOD Town missed out on a place in the Les James Challenge Cup final following a 2-1 defeat against Cadbury Athletic.
The Earls found themselves two goals down at the break after John Baker and Callum Burston-Keeley put Cadbury in command at Birmingham Moseley Rugby Club.
However, substitute Jordan McKenzie halved the deficit for Earlswood on 71 minutes to keep the club’s final hopes alive.
Cadbury and former Earls goalkeeper Fraser Oliver saw red soon after for a foul on Sarjo Sila on the edge of the penalty area.
However, Harry Paterson saved Ellis Vaux’s resulting free-kick as Cadbury held on to deny the Earls a place in the final at Walsall’s Bescot Stadium.
That came after Earlswood claimed a 2-0 league victory against Inkberrow at Sands Road courtesy of Abdoullah Kchikech’s brace.
Kchikech scored either side of half time to help the Earls move up the Midland Football League Division Two table.
The Earls led on 29 minutes when Liam Livesey nodded down Sam Wrenn’s deep cross from the left and Kchikech arrived at the back post to backheel the ball into the net from close range.
And the visitors doubled their lead on 72 minutes as Harry Street charged down the right and squared to Kchikech who fired a low effort beyond former Earls goalkeeper George Harris.
