Crusaders go out after penalty shoot-out lottery

This was a closely fought game, with little between the two sides, but we went out of the Senior Cup in the cruellest possible way when Harry Goodger’s penalty in a dramatic shoot-out was saved by Will Britt giving the visitors a semi-final tie with Chesham United and the chance to increase their winning tally in this competition.
We started well and Lee Smith twice went close before Paul Strudley brought off a good save from Reece Tison-Lascaris, but we took the lead after 18 minutes when, following pressure from a corner, James Clark’s fierce shot was deflected in off a defender, but the teams were level within 5 minutes when Strudley failed to hold on to a shot from D.J.Campbell and Sam Barratt slashed the loose ball into the net. The game continued to flow back and forth, Clark shot just wide and then was denied by goalkeeper Will Britt as we fought to regain the lead.
The visitors started to second half playing down the slope and they took the lead after 47 minutes, the lively Barratt driving in a splendid goal to put his side in command, but we certainly did not give up and eventually were rewarded when Simon Downer brought down Charlie Mpi and Mark Draycott leveled the scores with his usual perfect penalty after 71 minutes. It was now anybody’s game and Dan Cann was unlucky when Britt somehow scrambled his header away. Mpi now began to put more and more pressure on the Maidenhead defence and the net appeared to bulge as he hit the underside of the bar and the ball was somehow scrambled clear We had all three subs on as the game neared 90 minutes, but there were no further goals and the game went into extra time as Harry Goodger headed straight at Britt, but Barratt also went close for the visitors. In the second half of extra time we looked dangerous and Alan O’Brien twice broke clear but could not find a team-mate with his crosses, and Britt was injured right at the end when he rac4ed out bravely to stop Goodger as he broke through.
So it went to the lottery of a penalty shoot-out, all 10 penalties were on target and Strudley had no chance with any of Maidenhead’s efforts, but Goodger effort was too close to Britt and he pulled off that vital save to give his side victory. It had been a splendid effort against a Conference side and we were vey close to earning a place in the semi-final, but it was not to be, and we must now concentrate on the league, where we have slipped back to 8th.place. It will be a tough time ahead.
Team; Strudley, Horgan(Cann),John, Boardman,Rusby, Stow , Clark , Pilling, Mpi(Goodger),Draycott, Smith(O’Brien). Sub; Norris.