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HAPPY Valley staged a stirring comeback to join Eastern in the final of the Esso FA Cup at the Hong Kong Stadium next Sunday.

 Trailing 2-0 after only 14 minutes of their semi-final tie against a fired-up Kitchee at the new stadium yesterday, Valley lifted their game in the second half and pulled level with two goals from their man of the match, Simon Collins.

 Although Valley were the stronger team, they could not complete the job inside 90 minutes or after 30 minutes of extra-time, sending the tie into a penalty shootout.

 Kitchee, who had run out of steam after looking assured of a place in their first cup final since returning to the top flight two seasons ago, crumbled in the shootout, going down 3-1 after four rounds of kicks.

 So Valley remain on course for their first major trophy success since they lifted the Challenge Shield in 1989-90.

 Collins, a 20-year-old Yorkshireman on loan from Huddersfield Town, epitomised Valley's fighting spirit.

 ''When we went in at half-time 2-0 down, there wasn't a lot to say in the dressing room,'' he said.

 ''We knew we had played badly and that we would have to improve quickly to get back in the match.

 ''My first goal came early in the second half and there was plenty of time to turn things round after that.

 ''I think our training sessions on Shek O beach have helped us get this far. We trained down there before we beat South China in the quarter-final last weekend and again before we played Kitchee.

 ''The condition of the pitch at the Hong Kong Stadium is similar to the beach because it gives way under foot. I think we'll be back on the beach before the final.''  Collins paid tribute to one of his teammates, 21-year-old central defender So Chi-chung, who came on as a substitute for midfielder Chau Chiu-hung in the 37th minute and kept a tight rein on Kitchee's Scottish striker, Lee Bullen.

 ''He did very well in tightening things up at the back and was not over-awed by playing in the stadium,'' said Collins.

 Bullen featured prominently in Kitchee's three-strong strikeforce alongside right-winger Otis Roberts and Yeung Hei-chi on the left.

 Showing the same determination and commitment which took them past Instant-Dict 1-0 in their quarter-final tie last Thursday, Kitchee ran Valley ragged in the early stages and had the game under control when they led 2-0 inside 15 minutes.

 Roberts made both their goals, crossing from the right in the ninth minute for Yeung to pop up unmarked on the far post and head past Valley 'keeper Tommy Maras.

 In the very next minute, though, Valley should have equalised when they were awarded a penalty. When striker Ricky Cheng Sin broke through and supplied the pass to the dangerous Collins, Kitchee right-back Fong Chi-ming brought down Collins as he lined up his shot.

 Alan Reis, playing in an unfamiliar role in the centre of the Valley defence, took the kick but saw his shot turned aside by Kitchee's Australian 'keeper, Steve Mautone.

 Kitchee made it 2-0 in the 14th minute when an overhead kick from Roberts put the Valley defence under pressure and Bullen climbed well to head home.

 Valley 'keeper Maras made two crucial saves from Bullen to prevent Kitchee going 3-0 up. First he got down to block a shot at his near post after Bullen had beaten the offside trap late in the first half; then he kept out a long-range effort one-handed early in the second period.

 His teammates responded and Valley dragged themselves back into the match in the 56th minute, Collins getting on the end of a free-kick from midfield veteran Leung Nang-yan and heading powerfully past Mautone.

 Thirteen minutes later Valley were level. Mautone could not hold on to Darren Tilley's powerful drive and Collins followed up to squeeze the ball in from a narrow angle.

 Kitchee skipper Mick Matthews began the shootout but his effort was saved by Maras. Leung Nang-yan made no mistake for Valley before Kitchee's Wu Yiu-kwok blazed his shot over the bar.

 Valley midfielder Wei Kexing failed to make the most of Kitchee's double miss when his penalty was saved by Mautone, leaving Valley 1-0 up after two rounds.

 Bullen made it 1-1 by converting Kitchee's third kick but Cheng kept Valley in front by scoring his side's second.

 When Kitchee sweeper Yau Kin-wai saw his shot saved by Maras, Valley substitute Wong Fuk-wing stepped up to score his side's third and put them out of reach - and into the final.

 Happy Valley (4-4-2): Tommy Maras; Hau Yiu-tak, Leung Sui-wing, Alan Reis, Keung Wing-yiu; Leung Nang-yan, Chau Chiu-hung (So Chi-chung, 37), Wei Kexing, Simon Collins; Ricky Cheng Sin, Darren Tilley (Wong Fuk-wing, 112).

 Kitchee (5-2-3): Steve Mautone; Fong Chi-ming (Nigal Lee, 65), Wu Yiu-kwok, Yau Kin-wai, Damian Webber, Chan Hon-fai; Tang Kwok-yan, Mick Matthews; Otis Roberts, Lee Bullen, Yeung Hei-chi.

 Man of the Match: Simon Collins (Happy Valley) - Kept up the chase when all seemed lost.



Penalty shootout lifts Valley into Cup final