IPSWICH Wanderers manager Glen Driver admitted his side rode their luck before reaching the quarter-finals of this season’s Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup.

Wanderers defeated Woodbridge Town 2-0 in their second-round tie at Humber Doucy Lane on Tuesday thanks to second-half goals from Ollie Sims and Rasheed Salau on a surface that had withstood the heavy rain remarkably well.

However, their Thurlow Nunn League visitors, who play a level below Wanderers, were the better side in the opening 45 minutes and missed some good chances to take the lead.

They were made to pay after the break as their Pitching In Isthmian North hosts took control and Michael Bareck sidefooted wide of an open goal after Rasheed Salau had pulled the ball back into his path.

However, Ollie Sims smashed home a shot from just outside the penalty area soon afterwards in the 54th minute to put Wanderers ahead.

Their passage into the last eight was confirmed in the fifth minute of stoppage time when Salau scored from a tight angle from close range.

Wanderers’ manager Glen Driver admitted Woodbridge were the better team in the opening period.

He said: “Let’s be honest, they could have been out of sight, couldn’t they? I mean, we went in at half-time 0-0 and were a very lucky side to go in at 0-0.

“I thought every time they countered, every time they hit us on the break they just looked like they were going to score and on another day Woodbridge could have been ahead – I know we have had chances as well – but they have had three really, really good chances, and having not taken them we have gone in at half-time and said that sort of performance from us is not acceptable.

“We have to look where we are – we have two 17-year-olds playing either side of (Matt Paine) Painey tonight and we have had to leave senior players out because the squad is so short.

“We have come out in the second-half and I thought Byron Lawrence, Ollie Sims and Michael Bareck came into their own and started to link up play in the final third and we were able to get up and score two pretty good goals.”

Driver, who admitted he wondered if Bareck’s miss early in the second period may come back to haunt his side, continued: “That was a potential banana skin for us as they came into this game in very good form with four wins on the bounce and I thought tonight they showed that quality and they are going to be there or thereabouts in their league.

“The coaching staff they have got there are very, very good and I wish Woodbridge all the best. They have some good young players and they move and shift the ball well.

“Anybody who was here tonight saw a game of two halves where they have won it first-half and we took control in the second half, so we will take the win and look forward to the draw.”

In Tuesday night’s other tie to beat the weather, Brantham Athletic booked their place in the quarter-final draw thanks to a 6-2 success at home to Kirkley & Pakefield.

Jack Marshall netted a hat-trick, with substitute Jordan Lartey scoring twice and Callum Griffiths opening the scoring before the visitors had even touched the ball.

The night’s other two ties – Hadleigh United versus Lakenheath and Needham Market versus Long Melford – were both postponed due to waterlogged pitches.

There are two more ties scheduled for Wednesday evening - Cornard United versus Ipswich Town and Felixstowe & Walton United versus Mildenhall Town.

The draw for the quarter-finals of this season’s competition will be announced on BBC Radio Suffolk from 6.30pm on Friday.

Midweek Results

Tuesday

Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Second Round: Brantham Athletic 6 Kirkley & Pakefield 2, Hadleigh Utd v Lakenheath – postponed, Ipswich Wanderers 2 Woodbridge Town 0, Needham Market v Long Melford – postponed.

Wednesday

Kick-offs 7.45pm:

Endeavour Automotive Suffolk Premier Cup Second Round: Cornard Utd v Ipswich Town, Felixstowe & Walton Utd v Mildenhall Town.