Santos progressed to the fifth round of the IFA Junior Cup with an extra time victory over fancied Orchard City.

Santos rode their luck in the first half but an 89th minute goal from the home team capped a fine second half display and took the game into an additional half an hour, where goals from Colin Murray and Willie Gott took them through to a fifth round tie against Enniskillen Rangers’ conquerors Tullymore Swifts.

“It was a cracking game from start to finish,” said Santos manager Joe Keenan. “We couldn’t get to grips with them in the first half. They were the better team up until 35 minutes and we could have been four down at half time. When it is 1-0 you always have a chance, but they really should have been out of sight. Ten minutes before half time we came into the game and played some lovely football and the boys realised that we could beat them. We got a bit of confidence and in the second half we played really well. I was afraid of being caught on the break because if we had gone two down against them it would have been game over because they were too good a side to throw that lead away, but then with a minute to go we scored. I felt it was a deserved equaliser and I told the boys they were done. We were a lot fitter the whole second half and extra time. It was a great team performance and there wasn’t a failure on the pitch. It had to be that way. Any passengers and we would have lost.” Orchard City started the brighter of the two teams and took the lead after 12 minutes when their striker cut in from the left and rifled a shot into the bottom corner.

Gary Ramsey then saved well with his feet and the loose ball was wastefully blazed over the bar as Santos struggled to stay in the game. City then missed a penalty and also fired over when well-placed as Santos rode their luck.

Having reached the interval just one behind Santos brought Dwayne Beacom on to play on the right of midfield and he played his part in changing the game. Santos looked a different team in the second half, but they were denied time after time by the City keeper.

Jason Keenan, Conor Tummons and Stephen Clarke were all denied by the goal keeper, but with just a minute remaining a long throw in from right was flicked on by Kieran Beacom and Jason Keenan found the net from 12 yards out.

Willie Gott came on in extra time and the substitute held off two defenders before laying the ball off to Murray, who scored from 20 yards.

With minutes remaining Gott then got on the score sheet himself when he broke from his own half before coolly slotting past the keeper to secure Santos place in the next round.