Perfect penalties bring Open Cup to Whitchurch
1:47pm Wednesday 30th April 2008
AFTER two hours of graft where neither side could find the killer blow, Whitchurch converted all five penalties to take the Andover League Open Cup after a shoot-out on Monday night.
Keeper Dean Hutchins saved one of Otterbourne's spot-kicks which left the final shot to substitute Carl Garstang who kept his nerve to take the cup back to Longmeadow and put a shine on United's disappointing campaign. Striker Pa Touray could easily have put Whitchurch in front after five minutes after James Wise had set him up then the Hampshire Premier League runners up responded and Nick Cole and Aaron Milne both went close.
Craig Christian was wide then Touray again battled well before lobbing Adam Bond who bravely struggled most of the evening with an injury after a hefty fall.
The sides cancelled each other out after the break and with the temperature at the Portway dropping, it rose briefly on the pitch as Paul Coventry's lunge was rightly punished with a booking by referee Colin Hopkins.
John Rimmer volleyed over on the hour but it was keeper Bond who stole the show with a stunning point blank save to keep out Wise from six yards late on.
Extra-time brought another save from Bond as Rimmer's header was tipped onto the bar but he could do nothing in the shoot out as Whitchurch proved perfect and Garstang's winner was greeted with wild celebrations.