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Penalty Heartache at Farnham Town

Penalty Heartache at Farnham Town

Jake Collinge19 Aug 2015 - 22:42
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Manager Mark West will need to work hard to get his players in the right frame of mind for the match on Saturday after a penalty shoot-out defeat.

Whilst United could have considered themselves fortunate to reach half-time with the match scoreless – thanks to some profligacy in front of goal from the Farnham front line and last ditch tackles - for the remainder of the game United were the dominant side and were rarely troubled. That they failed to make the dominance count in terms of goals ultimately cost them in a dramatic finale to the match.

Farnham started the game brightly and should have taken the lead on six minutes when, with a largely open goal, the home forward saw his shot block tackled by the returning Phil Pykett. United then had their best chance of the half when Ben Gray could only direct his header at the keeper when well placed. In the space of two minutes ten minutes for the break, Farnham contrived to fail hit the target with two clear chances from six yards and United breathed something of a collective sigh of relief when the referee blew for half time.

The second half was a completely different story as United retained possession well and gradually forced the home side deeper in to their own half. But still the goal would not arrive, with the home keeper saving well from Henry Owen and Ben Gray placing two chances wide of the goal. Substitute Dan West looked like he had scored on 81 minutes placing a header against the outside of the post from a Ricketts corner as United pressed.

With the game still without a goal after 90 minutes, Extra Time followed, with United growing ever more dominant. Andy Gledhill saw a lobbed effort go over the bar on 100 minutes before the deadlock was finally broken two minutes later. Calvin Evans pounced on some hesitation in the home defence, breaking clear and placing his shot wide of the keeper and in off the post. Cue celebrations from the visiting supporters.

And it looked like this would be enough as United dominated the second fifteen minutes during which time Farnham were reduced to ten men. However, in the last minute, United cleared their lines and, despite a clear deflection off a Farnham player in so doing, the Assistant Referee inexplicably awarded a home throw in. A long ball was floated to the edge of the box that dropped on the wide right, with the cross in to the centre being met full on the volley by the home forward to give Farrow no chance in the Thame goal. And the referee then blew for full-time.

Penalties ensued with Farnham running out 4-3 winners and securing a home tie with Highworth Town in the next round.

United: Farrow, Pykett, Attwell (Dugmore), Hercules, Owen, Kedzierski, Connelly, Lynch (Evans), Gray (West), Gledhill, Ricketts

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