United’s cup shoot-out shock (09.01.06)

THE Magpies slipped out of the Berks & Bucks Senior Cup at a dimly lit Holloways Park on Monday night after a penalty shoot-out.
In normal time United demonstrated their senior status by playing the better football, but were unable to make their possession and superiority count against the Southern League strugglers.
The Magpies could have taken the lead as early as the second minute when a driving run down the left by Marc Whiteman saw him exchange passes with Lee Newman, and force a good save from Sycob keeper Julian Taylor.
Beaconsfield had the ball in the net on the hour mark, but also bundled keeper Perry Howard over the line too and so the goal was disallowed.
The introduction of Eric Kwakye minutes later invigorated the Magpies and the jovial striker opened the scoring on 71 minutes when he collected a perfect Chris Elsegood long pass, slipped his marker and finished with some aplomb.
Kwakye nearly doubled the advantage eight minutes later but his well-stuck shot clipped the Sycob cross bar.
This let-off sparked a Beaconsfield revival, Terry Gibb completing a fine move with nine minutes left to level the score.
Stephen Hughes almost won the game for United with four minutes left, but his free-kick brought the best out of Taylor who pushed the ball shot wide of the post.
In extra-time Gibb missed three opportunities to score for the hosts, fluffing a simple chance on 105 minutes, having a shot cleared off the line by Ryan Parsons on 108 minutes and finally on 113 minutes seeing his mishit cross tipped around the post by Howard.
With the end in sight, Dean Bradshaw had a shot cleared off the line, but the deadlock remained and so a dramatic penalty shoot-out ensued.
The first four spot kicks were all converted (the Magpies’ goals coming from Hughes and Parsons), but then Taylor made two fine saves to deny Chris Elsegood and Matt Glynn, allowing Steve Dell to win the tie and allow a chilly crowd to go home at 10.20pm.

After the game, Magpies boss Carl Taylor said: “I’m not unduly concerned.
“We controlled the game throughout, we just didn’t finish them off.
“We didn’t play that badly but we were never quite 100 per cent.
“We hit the bar and had a couple cleared off the line, and we only lost on penalties.
“I want people to remember that. And we lost with a youth team keeper in goal.
“Although I don’t want to take anything away from him. He had a great game.
“Beaconsfield only had four chances in the whole game and scored from one of them. But full credit to them.
“I want to compliment them on their performance.
“Every one of their players gave it everything they had.
“They would have had very sore legs on Tuesday.”

EXIT: A dejected Magpies team leaves the field at Beaconsfield Sycob after going down on penalties. Pictures by Andy Fitzsimons

Beaconsfield Sycob: Taylor, Stanley, Dell, Gradwell, Leach, Griffiths, Jefferies, Pritchard, Gumbs, Arthur, Bowler. Subs: Gibb (for Stanley, 45), Robinson (for Gumbs, 110), Cotton and Russell (not used).
Maidenhead United: Howard, Johnson, Parsons, Smith, White, Elsegood, Boyce, Hughes, Newman, Glynn, Whiteman. Subs: Kwakye (for Whiteman, 68), Bradshaw (for Boyce, 74), Badu (for Newman, 75), Gallen and Valentin (not used).