IN the third round of Premiership League Trophy games, newly-crowned league champions Newbury took on Tempest with a place in the semi-finals going to the winner.

And the two teams provided a cracker of a game, which went Tempest’s way 4-3.

Newbury started the game the stronger and with only 10 minutes gone they took the lead with an excellent finish from Karl Dunbarton.

Tempest slowly started to get into the game and after 20 minutes they got their equaliser from a neat finish from Matthew Wills.

Tempest were now taking the game to Newbury and on the half-hour mark they took the lead as Kris Powers played a defence-splitting pass to Myles Farmer who coolly knocked the ball past the Newbury goalkeeper to make it 2-1.

Newbury went straight back on the attack as they pressed to get level and just before half time they got their equaliser.

Brent Helliwell knocked an exquisite cross into the penalty area which, unfortunately for Tempest, Philip Wallis could only deflect past his own goalkeeper Dave Singleton and into the net to send the teams in at half time level at 2-2.

The second period got under way with Tempest doing the pressing and the half was only three minutes old when they regained the lead thanks to a superb individual finish from Heath Ainscow.

He picked the ball up 30 yards from goal and beat two defenders before he found himself with only the goalkeeper to beat.

Ainscow made no mistake with his finish to put his team 3-2 up.

After finding themselves behind once again, Newbury came back at Tempest and on the hour mark Sammy Lee MacIntyre hit a thunderous shot from the edge of the area that flew into the bottom corner to again level the match at 3-3.

Now the game was an enthralling cup-tie with neither side giving an inch.

With 10 minutes to go Newbury’s Brent Helliwell found himself one-on-one with Singleton and the Tempest keeper managed to pull off an excellent save to keep the scores level.

That save proved vital as, five minutes from time, his side grabbed the winner.

Farmer played an excellent pass to the in-form Ainscow, who was never going to miss the opportunity, and he scored to send his team into the semi-finals.

With Dehaviland having beaten Newbury 4-3 in midweek it means Tempest and Dehaviland march through to the semi-finals.

In Group B, Bolton Town entertained Grapes and Nelson Wanderers took on Deane FC.

On Barlow Park, Bolton Town hosted Grapes with the Farnworth side comfortably winning 9-2.

In a superb first-half performance Grapes went in at half time 7-0 to the good, with Keane Mills the hero with a hat-trick, backed up by strikes from Liam Pearcy, Cole Campbell, Zac Stringer and Darryl Whittle.

In the second half Bolton Town got two goals back, Gaz French and Jon Alderson netting, but Grapes had not finished and in the last 10 minutes of the game they scored two more through Corey Stringer and Ian Parr.

In the day’s other game, Nelson Wanderers were comfortable 4-1 winners at Deane, with goals from Elliot Miller (two), Jordan Byrne and Jordan Schofield.

Brad Boyer got the consolation goal for Deane FC.

With one round of matches remaining in Group B, three teams – Nelson Wanderers, Grapes and Bolton Town – are battling for the two remaining semi-final places.