DROITWICH Spa missed out on the chance to reach the Worcestershire Senior Cup final after the Saltmen were beaten by former landlords Stourport Swifts in the last four.
Spa went closest through Jack Davies in the second half moments after Jordan Annear scored the winner for Stourport as Lee Chilton netted a late second for Swifts at a packed King George Playing Fields.
Andy Crowther’s side lacked their usual fluidity and struggled to create a clear opening all night against their higher league opponents.
But Droitwich can look back on their run to the semi-finals with great pride having dismantled Worcester City, put seven past Bewdley Town and knocked out holders Pershore Town on penalties prior to their elimination.
Semi-final opponents Stourport play one level above Spa in the Midland Football League Premier Division.
And the two clubs are well acquainted after the Saltmen groundshared with Swifts at Walshes Meadow for four seasons prior to moving back to their hometown this campaign.
Stourport created the game’s first chance when Chilton curled a shot inches past the post from Josh Bishop’s long kick upfield.
And Swifts then forced Dom Rogerson into his first meaningful save as he easily held Chilton’s low effort.
At the other end, Cory Rudd’s flicked header was saved before Jack Davies saw his drilled effort held by Bishop.
Droitwich were indebted to defender Alex Dugmore for keeping the scores level as he made successive goalline clearances with his head from a Stourport corner.
The teams continued to trade chances when Jack Davies’s searching pass found Perry Moss as the winger fired wide of the target from the right edge of the penalty area.
And Stourport spurned the half’s best chance when Chilton hit the post from close range before Ben Tilbury somehow shot wide moments later.
The visitors went close again in the last few minutes of the half as Rogerson made a fine reaction save to hold Aaron Birch’s effort.
Swifts remained on top after the break and almost broke the deadlock when Nathan Binner’s cross was headed narrowly wide by Jack Watts.
And the visitors took a deserved lead on 56 minutes when Annear finished into the top left corner at the second attempt after Spa failed to deal with a dangerous ball from the right.
The goal sparked the Saltmen into life as Davies saw a well-struck half volley tipped around the post by Bishop at full stretch.
However, Rogerson then produced a stunning acrobatic save at the other end to tip Chilton’s near post header over the crossbar.
And Rogerson came to Spa’s rescue again as the clock ticked down when he made a superb save to push an audacious backheel attempt to safety.
However, Swifts sealed their place in the final on 87 minutes when Chilton’s low effort from the edge of the penalty area was pushed into the roof of the net by Rogerson.
The home side pushed for a response late on and hit the top of the crossbar at the death but were unable to seriously trouble the Stourport goal as Droitwich bowed out of the Senior Cup at the semi-final stage.
