Netlon 3 Rishton 2 WE'VE all seen it before when, in one last act of desperation, the goalkeeper pushes forward in an attempt to salvage something out of a game.

But NOT with 25 minutes to go!

But that was the case with Netlon keeper and manager Russ Grooby who made an inspirational substitution by taking off wide man Jason Wick, putting veteran Paul Eddleston in goal and pushing himself up front.

The three of them all changing shirts in the middle of the pitch was a sight in itself.

But it did the trick as dead-and-buried Netlon came from two goals down to win, with Grooby grabbing one himself and setting up another for double hit man Mark Cottam.

I couldn't help join in the celebrations as the third goal went in, not because I was supporting Netlon because I was obviously a neutral, but just for the fact that my story had just written itself!

Up until Grooby's moment of magic it looked as if Rishton were going to avenge last season's cup final defeat on Ewood Park - a stone's throw away from Pleasington but a million miles in terms of playing conditions.

Rishton completely dominated the opening exchanges and, but for Grooby the keeper, they would have taken the lead a lot sooner.

First he denied Shaun Chadwick with a brave block and pushed away a dangerous shot from Chris Grayson. In between Wick cleared one off the line and Sean Ryan sent one effort wide when he had all the time in the world to size up his options.

But it was only a matter of time before Rishton took the lead and it came through Andrew Wood. Grooby did well to block his initial effort but with the keeper flat on his back and the covering defender on his knees, Wood had a wide open space to aim at and made no mistake.

Despite Steve Elwood hitting the crossbar Netlon's first half attacking displayed was summed up perfectly by Bernard Walsh who, when put through by Andy Gregson, managed to fall over the ball, sit on it and get it stuck between his knees!

Netlon looked a little livelier after the break but it was Rishton who were to score again. If Wood's first strike was little more than a tap in then his second was a fine individual goal. Put through by Steve Hill, Wood out-paced the last defender, kept his feet in the mud and cooly lifted the ball over Grooby.

Cottam, who with twin brother Ian had a fine game, and Walsh tested the Rishton keeper but the frustrated manager could take no more and Grooby the keeper made way for Grooby the striker.

And the change over made a sudden impact. Cottam picked up the ball just inside the Rishton half and exchanged passes with Walsh and Grooby before finishing off the move with a crisp drive. And so began the fightback.

Chris Norris then set up Grant Whittaker who fired narrowly wide from the edge of the area.

But Grooby, so long a forward in his early years, showed all the striker's instincts when he was in the right place at the right time to slot home Walsh's cross.

No sooner had Rishton recovered from the shock of losing a two-goal lead that Cottam struck the killer blow with a brilliant angled drive from the edge of the area that gave Andrew Proctor no chance.

Obviously with the bit between his teeth and the wind behind his ears Cottam went for his hat-trick with an even more ferocious drive that Proctor did well to tip over.

But despite his two goal haul there was no denying that Grooby was the real star of the show.

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