Penalty heartbreak

We travelled to play Barking FC in the 1st round of the Essex Senior Cup, a Cup we had a good run in last season before eventually losing to League 2 side Dagenham & Redbridge in the quarter-finals. Webster was still without the injured Moysey and Liam Whittaker was unable to play in this cup as he was not signed in time, Warren was rested due to his little man body being tired. We started the game reasonably well and nearly took the lead after 5 minutes when Jake Holman headed goalward from a corner, the keeper made a great save and Clarky couldn’t get his feet sorted to tap home. The home side came close when a long shot was only narrowly wide. After 20 minutes we took the lead when a good pass from Philbo found Wallis who drove in to the box before being upended. Pagey stepped up and tucked home the penalty to make it 0-1. The home side reacted and after 26 minutes were level when a scuffed kick from the keeper was met by the left winger, who ran 20 yards before arrowing a shot in to the bottom corner to make it 1-1. Once again though we showed character and after 35 minutes took the lead again when Philbo passed to Pagey, his 25 yard lefty benson flew in to the far corner to make it 1-2. The home side had one more chance before the half but Griggsy saved well from the striker. HT 1-2
Morley had to be replaced at half time after receiving a knock, Sam Holman came in to the midfield and straight away got us moving the ball about really well with Philbo causing lots of problems. A 70 yard Philbo run was brought to an end with a crude foul. We rather wasted the free-kick from 20 yards though. Ricky Griggs then made the keeper save well. The home side then found an equaliser after 68 minutes against the run of play, a long hopeful ball was watched by Jake Holman but his slip allowed the player to run through and cross for the unmarked home player to tap home and make it 2-2. Salter came on to replace Charlie and help us try and get hold of the ball again but the home side were having their best spell in the game. We looked like we rode the storm and from another corner Jake Holman this time saw his header smash the underside of the bar before being cleared. After 78 minutes we fell behind when a free- kick from 20 yards was bent in to the far corner to make it 3-2. Tevez came on for Wallis as we looked for an equaliser. With less than a minute of normal time left, we were level when a free-kick was played in to the box and from the resulting scramble, Clarky tapped home to make it 3-3. FT 3-3
So with no extra time in the Essex Senior Cup it was straight to penalties. Barking made it 1-0 with a good peno, Pagey then saw his penalty saved. Barking scored all their remaining penalties with all bar one being in the top or bottom corners. Both the Holman’s, Ricky and Clarky scored but to no avail. The boys were unlucky to lose this in my opinion and should have seen the tie home before penalties but with the hard work that we are now seeing, we believe results will start to turn. So we went off to the Golden M to drown our sorrows with Gouldy still unsure of where the pitch ended!!