FINCHAMPSTEAD FC moved into the quarter-finals of the Reading Senior Cup with a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Marlow United on Saturday.

With no regular goalkeepers available, Sam Green was forced to stand in between the sticks for the visitors, and he was forced to deal with a Wes Sutherland chip as early as the fourth minute.

At the other end, Harry Swabey’s tame effort was easily dealt with by Callum Ackerman, before Marlow’s Andrew Nicol tested Green from long range.

The hosts continued to have the better of the play and Qwamani Thomas forced a diving save from Green, but the decisive moment of the contest arrived on 23 minutes when Marlow conceded a penalty for hand ball.

Swabey held his nerve to strike the ball low past Ackerman and make it 1-0, and Finch began to get a foothold in the game as Adam Barnard tested the Marlow ‘keeper before Freddie Barron blasted wide.

Joe Da Silva fired wide for the home side before Barron was again off target, and Finch had another effort on the stroke of half-time when Dan Blatchford shot wide.

Marlow began the second half brightly although it was the visitors who fashioned the first goalscoring opportunity, Barron collecting a pass from Blatchford before being denied by Ackerman.

Jon Malone was the next Finch player to have an effort but he was also off target, while Liam Bushay’s strike at the other end lacked the power to truly test Green.

Swabey shot wide before Green produced a fantastic save from Sutherland, and he also denied substitute Callum Clarke on his way to keeping a clean sheet which helped Finch reach the last eight.

Jon Laugharne’s men will play either Highmoor Ibis or Woodcote Stoke Row in the quarter-finals.

Finch host Bicester Town on Saturday (3pm).