Following Saturday’s win over Westfield, Raiders welcomed Hereford Pegasus in the quarter final of the Wiseman Floodlit Cup. Raiders were looking to continue their winning start to the year, whilst Pegasus were looking to make amends for their recent league defeat at the DOADC stadium.

First Half

Pegasus got off to a quick start, having the first goal-scoring opportunity. In the 5th minute, a Pegasus forward’s shot was saved by Charlie Emery, diving to his right to put the goal-bound shot out for a corner.
From the resulting corner, there was an effort from outside the box, forcing Charlie to tip over the bar. Raiders had a scoring opportunity not long after when Lincoln Hunt scuffed his shot in the box, allowing the Pegasus defence to clear.
In 29 minutes, Pegasus took the lead, a free kick found Lewis Fletcher unmarked at the far post to head in. Following the goal, the Raiders came into the game and, whilst playing some good football, found it difficult to break down the Pegasus defence.

Second Half

As in recent games Raiders looked like a different team following the restart. A Jordan Murphy shot hit the ground and bounced over the bar. On 50 minutes, the Pegasus’s right back failed to clear, allowing Adam Taylor to pounce on the ball and cross into the box, finding George Hadley, who calmly shot into the net.
Raiders came close to their second when a Jake Donnelly header saw the Pegasus keeper make a brilliant reactionary save. At the other end of the pitch, there was a strong performance from the Raiders defenders, substitute George Patey, making a well-timed tackle, preventing a late opportunity for the away team.
Both teams pushed for a winning goal, strong defensive performance saw the game finish all square.

Penalties

The game moved directly to penalties, with Pegasus taking the first. Both teams scored from their first three penalty kicks, Murphy, Bailey Fuller and Manny Olaloko scoring for Raiders.
Pegasus’ fourth spot kick was saved by Charlie, diving to his left. Jake Donnolly converted Raiders fourth to secure an advantage. Pegasus fired home their final penalty, followed by
Sam Whitton calmly scoring for Raiders to take them through to the semi finals.
Poor weather conditions had an impact on the quality of the match, and there were some dubious refereeing decisions for both teams. Raiders remain unbeaten in 2026, and are in a strong position for both cup competitions and the league. There are some tough games ahead for Raiders in February as they take to the road for the first time this year.