EP suffer penalty heartache again

Darren Boswell in action for East Preston

EP slipped to a 3-1 defeat on penalties to Peacehaven & Telscombe in the Sussex Community Shield at Culver Road on Tuesday, after a scoreless draw, having ended last season with a penalty shoot-out defeat to Horsham YMCA in the Sussex RUR Cup final.

The sides could not be separated over 90 minutes, before Alex Duncan, Adam Hunt and Evan Archibald all missed from the spot for EP.

The newly-named competition, formerly known as the Roy Hayden Trophy, pits the Sussex County League champions against the Sussex Senior Cup winners.

Ryman League Premier Division side Peacehaven began brightly and thought they had taken the lead when Jamie Brotherton crashed a left-foot drive into the bottom corner on 29 minutes, only for his effort to be ruled out for offside.

It was the Magpies who once again went close less than a minute into the second half, when Mark Knee’s cross found Tom Lawley but he blazed his shot over.

The game was beginning to get stretched and both sides could have taken the lead in a crazy minute of action.

EP could have gone ahead when Darren Boswell’s cross was met by Liam Baitup but his close-range shot was blocked by Dan McLaughlin.

Peacehaven broke immediately and half-time substitute Tom Burton latched on to a through ball and cut inside on to his left foot but his effort went way over the bar.

With ten minutes remaining, Boswell collected the ball in his own half and ran at the Peacehaven defence before crashing a shot just wide from 20 yards.

EP had appeals for a penalty when Dave Herbert’s header looked as though it struck a hand but referee Carl Brook waved play on.

In the last minute of normal time, Charlie Pitcher should have sealed the trophy for Peacehaven when he was clean through but his chipped effort was easily saved by Nick Collick. That miss did not matter, though, as Peacehaven went on to win on spot-kicks.

EAST PRESTON: Collick; Duncan, O’Hagan, Pullan, Farmer; Lockyer, Hunt, Axell, Boswell; Archibald, Baitup. Subs: Herbert (Lockyer 45), Charles, Thetford, Franks, Boddy.