TURTON were spot-on as they reached the last eight of the Lancashire FA Amateur Shield, knocking out hosts Rochdale Sacred Heart on a shootout after a 3-3 draw.

The Tigers needed Jordan Lomax’s equaliser five minutes from time to force penalties but goalkeeper Josh McGreavy was unbeaten in the deciding penalties as Turton progressed to an away draw at Daten next month.

Turton led early on through Giddy De Rosso’s goal but, playing into torrential rain and gale-force winds, went in at half time 3-2 down. But with the hosts content to try to protect their lead it was not until five minutes remained that Lomax finally struck, with a quite superb effort to send the teams into a shootout.

And Craig Jones told The Bolton News he always had confidence in his keeper – rightly so, as Turton won 3-0 on spot-kicks to book their place in yesterday’s draw.

“Their manager said to me after full time ‘how do you see this going then’ and I told him I fancied us because we had Josh,” said Jones, who took the reins from Neil Hart in the summer.

“He did really well, Rochdale hit the bar with one but he was making brilliant saves, we missed one but went through 3-0 on penalties. We got through, that was the main thing, and in fairness the conditions were horrendous, the wind was howling into our faces in the first half.

“Josh could barely reach halfway with his kicks in the first half. We did play some good stuff but after Giddy scored a really good goal early on it was as if we wanted to try to defend that, but in those conditions that was going to be a big ask.

“The wind helped them and they scored three goals, the second a really good one into the top corner, to go 3-1 ahead. But Luke Bradbury scored a good header from a corner and, at just 3-2 down at half time, I always felt – especially with the wind at our backs in the second half – we had a good chance to go on and win the game.

“They had the luxury of having a goal to defend so we were allowed a lot of unopposed possession as they sat deep but Jordan scored a great goal, chipping it over the last defender’s head then lobbing the goalkeeper. It was a brilliant technical goal, and Jordan can do that, he just needs to play with a bit more belief sometimes.

“You know going there you’re in for a battle and that’s what we got. It was played in the right spirit though, there were full-blooded tackles going in all over the place but the lads would be picking each other up after it, there was no malice, just competitive lads.”

After a barren September, which brought them two draws and three defeats in their five games, Jones feels Turton are starting to turn a corner and he is looking forward to what the rest of his first season at the helm brings.

The Tigers are still handily placed in mid-table in the West Lancashire League Premier Division, in eighth but only four points off the top three. And with his injuries and absences easing, Jones is keen to fight on more than one front.

“We lost the first two games in the league this season but then went four or five games unbeaten,” he added. “We got on a good run but then, for whatever reason, we stopped doing the basics even though the players never stopped working hard.

“I was glad to see the back of September though. And now we’ve got to get back to the league this Saturday, we’re going to Hesketh Bank, who beat us earlier in the season.

“They’ll be a big side, they always are so we won’t be putting up many long balls, there’s no point when you’re in the land of the giants, so we’ll have to rely on our football.

“I’m looking forward to it, I certainly fancy our chances.

“I’m really enjoying it here, our chairman [Pete Gray] is really hands-on, with all the teams, not just the firsts.

“There are always restraints on what we can do at this level but he has worked hard to give me whatever I need to be successful, that’s so refreshing.

“Things all come at a cost, like the training facility we use, there isn’t a better one around here so we get to use that, so hopefully we can repay the chairman by getting the results.

“We’ve got a good squad of quality players so as a club I believe we’re moving forward.”

n Tempest United also reached the quarter-finals after being Gregorians 2-1.

In the league Stoneclough were 6-1 winners at home to Wyre Villa, while CMB drew 1-1 with Milnthorpe and Horwich St Marys Victoria drew 0-0 with Kendal United.