THE Blackburn Sunday League hosted its first ever match on a 3G pitch but there was nothing artificial about the intensity of this enthralling LFA Sunday Trophy quarter final clash.

The intriguing tie paired the reigning champions of both the Blackburn and Preston Sunday leagues and neither side disappointed with high tempo, high octane football.

In the end, it was a story of a missed penalty and a opportunist hat-trick that separated the sides.

New Gardeners, who had led 2-1 at the break, found themselves 4-2 when they were awarded a spot kick with 10 minutes remaining.

But Glen Ainsworth’s low spot kick was well saved by Paul Howson – Ainsworth was then inches away from redeeming himself but his stoppage time effort rolled agonisingly wide.

So it was the diminutive Ashley Ball who denied Gardeners their first ever LFA Sunday Trophy semi final appearance with a goal-poaches hat-trick.

New Gardeners got off to the perfect start when an unmarked Peter Dunkerley rose to head home Mark Banyard’s throw-in.

In a frantic opening – with neither side pulling out of tackles – Farington skipper Martin Savigar forced Adam Brindle to tip over from a well struck free kick.

It was from another set piece that New Farington drew level, Brindle spilling Savigar’s free kick and Ball pounced to score.

But the early drama continued when Jason Ashworth rose to head Paddy Lauber’s pin-point free kick against the crossbar before the two combined again moments later – this time Ashworth heading Lauber’s centre back across goal for Danny Kirby to hammer home.

Howson made the first of his vital saves soon after to deny Mark Hine – the striker then shot tamely at the keeper when put through down the left after good work by Matt Taylor and Banyard.

As tempers began to flare, Taylor and Ryan Broomhead were booked – the first of six bookings in total.

New Gardeners took that lead in to the break but it lasted barely a minute as Ball capitalised on some slack marking to head home a cross from Andrew Richards.

The balance of power was now swinging in favour of Far-ington who were begin-ning to win the all-important midfield battle.

But it was slack marking once again that was New Gardeners downfall when Broomhead latched on to a through ball and had time to bring it down and beat Brindle from the angle.

And when Ball completed his hat-trick, it appeared to be game over.

But New Gardeners don’t know the meaning of giving up and first Lauber stormed in to the area and forced an excellent save from Howson.

The keeper then picked up a yellow card when he felled Ashworth in the area. But he made amends when he beat away Ainsworth’s low strike.

It was a bitter blow but Gardeners kept coming back for more and Ashworth gave them a lifeline with a goal in stoppage time.

There was to be one last chance for Gardeners and Lauber did brilliantly to burst in to the box down the left and his pull back found Ainsworth whose deft touch rolled agonisingly wide.

It was a dramatic end to a dramatic cup tie.