LOWESTOFT Town goalkeeper Andy Reynolds had a much less painful day at Whitley Bay compared to last year - and fancies his team-mates to book another Wembley final on Saturday.

LOWESTOFT Town goalkeeper Andy Reynolds had a much less painful day at Whitley Bay compared to last year - and fancies his team-mates to book another Wembley final on Saturday.

The 21-year-old stopper dislocated his hip three times on the Hillheads pitch last season after an injury from the first leg at Crown Meadow, and struggled through heroically as Whitley Bay tried and ultimately failed to pip Lowestoft to the Vase final.

This time round Reynolds was fully fit and called into action on a couple of occasions in Saturday's first leg of this year's semi-final clash between the two sides, doing superbly well to tip over Chris Moore's dipping effort.

“It was different being back there and being able to play,” said Reynolds. “I don't think I got any less stick for it but it's nice being able to contribute a little bit today.”

Reynolds could do little to prevent Paul Chow's header or Lee Kerr's spot kick as Whitley looked for revenge.

However, Jamie Godbold's superbly executed late volley left Lowestoft with only a 2-1 deficit to overturn at Crown Meadow on Saturday, and the classy Blues' keeper cannot wait for the return leg in front of a bumper home crowd - possibly something to rival the 2,907 fans who packed into Hillheads.

“Tremendous, and I think it will probably be the same again next week, and I should think a couple hundred more will now turn up because it is so close,” said Reynolds.

“It's a lot different to the first leg last year, when it looked almost cut and dried, but I think we need as many supporters turning up as we can get and really reverse it on them, and play at the same tempo we did for the first half at Whitley Bay. I should think we'll fancy it.”

Reynolds is hoping history repeats itself and Lowestoft make a second successive appearance at Wembley for a Vase final.

“I think we're in a strong position,” said the Town stopper. “Looking at their lads dropping down with cramp and things like that, while we were ready to go again come the end of the game.

“Everyone is really, really confident and if we get through next week we'll probably look at that goal as a turning point for us.

“We said before the game, we knew the jobs we had to do. We knew if we played at a good tempo they'd struggle to live with us and for the first 45 minutes they did, and even to be fair for the most part of the game, they've struggled to live with us, the tempo we've played at.

“They played the conditions fairly well but any team that plays at home in cup competitions, they've got an advantage. They know the pitch, they know little bobbles.

“They got fairly fortunate I feel with both goals, but then you do need that little bit of luck in the cup as well.”