WHITCHURCH United fell agonisingly short of finishing their season with a trophy as they lost 4-2 on penalties to Winchester City in the final of the North Hants Cup.

The Jamboys took an impressive City side all the way to a shoot-out at Foxcotte Park last Wednesday but could of won it in regulation time, only to be denied by Warren Bentley, who netted a dramatic 96th minute equaliser for Winchester.

However Whitchurch, who went ahead through Matt Austin's second half header, had to withstanding heavy pressure throughout the game from the Wessex Premier League Runners-Up.

Whitchurch started the game brightest after Tim Brasseur glanced a header narrowly wide from a Jack McCarthy freekick while Josh Green caused panic in the box with another freekick which went snuck across the box untouched.

At the other end Zach Glasspool showed some neat footwork to create some space with Brad Snelling beating the shot away for a corner that led to a goalmouth scramble and loud but unheeded shouts for handball from the Winchester supporters.

Gareth Barfoot, in the City goal was forced to go down at Tom Lockyer’s feet and then go to full stratch to save and as the game flowed from end to end a Glasspool effort earned a corner from which Charlie Smeeton fired across the face of goal.

With Winchester now looking the more dangerous, Danny Phillips relieved the pressure with a long run but opted to pass when an attempt on goal was perhaps the better option before the half ended with Mitch Fear firing over and a Smeeton effort blocked.

The second half continued in the same vein with Fear heading over from a corner, Smeeton burying a shot in Snelling’s midriff and Glasspool shooting wastefully wide after clever play from Bentley.

Winchester were too often over elaborate on a bumpy pitch and it was Whitchurch who had the chance to open the scoring after just 53 minutes.

A McCarthy cross found Lockyer in the area, the midfielder was bundled over, but Green’s resulting spot kick was too close to the sprawling Barfoot who saved – a rare penalty miss for the Whitchurch fullback.

Whitchurch however picked themselves up and broke the deadlock on the quarter hour as the Winchester defence froze in the face of a diagonal free kick from the left and Austin’s header looped over the stranded Barfoot. Winchester immediately introduced Liam Robinson and Geoff Dunn with the latter quickly producing a superb cross that was missed by everyone.

Phillips, whose speed and control worried the opposing defence all evening, shot across goal from a narrow angle.

Snelling saved from Glasspool and his exemplary handling cleared two dangerous crosses as the game moved into stoppage time.

The game re-started with a Whitchurch free kick and a chance to hold the ball in the corner and run down the clock but they were immediately flagged offside allowing Barfoot to send the ball deep into the Whitchurch half. Winchester gained a throw on the right, the ball went loose and Bentley pounced to rescue his side at the death.

Neither side could find the winner in extra time with both goalkeepers showing very safe hands to ensure the penalty shoot out.

Whitchurch missed their first two to put themselves on the back foot and when Micky Hubbard converted the fifth penalty for Winchester it was all over.