Ambers in dramatic penalty shoot out win

Against all the odds after the weekend’s poor performance and result, The Ambers showed great bounceback-ability to progress into the Quarter Final stages of the S&H Senior Cup, by deservedly beating NPL East opponents, Sheffield FC in the most dramatic of circumstances following an entertaining and hard-fought goal less contest.
With both sides missing a core of first choice starters, the evening offered a number of fringe players the opportunity to shine in front of a healthy crowd of over 300, the majority of whom were followers of the World’s First, including a vociferous younger element who helped create a great atmosphere.
In an even start, Aaron Moxam had an early shot deflected away for a corner at one end, whilst Ndlovu then created space in the box at the other, before slicing his effort wide. There wasn’t a great deal more goalmouth action until the 26th minute when the game exploded into life as Mitch Dunne released Mike Trench down the left wing, and when the full back’s cross was only cleared back to him, he tried his luck again, with Watson hacking it off the line as Mason Barlow tried to force the ball in.
There was a blow for the visitors when debutant Oloko fell awkwardly and had to leave the pitch, his replacement being former Ambers speed merchant Afonso-Ferreira, but the action was again down the Ambers left flank as Trench and Dunne combined before the skipper curled an effort just wide. A quickly taken throw in by the busy Trench then gave Leon Howarth a half chance but his fierce effort flew over the bar, whilst he then headed a chance wide from Dunne’s deep cross.
As the whistle blew for half time, it had been a relatively quiet 45 minutes with The Ambers just edging it in terms of possession and efforts on goal, but to no avail, and within a minute of the re-start, Howarth almost broke the deadlock when his long-range strike dipped just too late to find the net.
Sam Fewkes who was having a commanding game in the centre of the park alongside Masai Arbouin, then fired wide from Dunne’s pull back as The Ambers started to dominate the game, but at the other end, Mangham fired well wide after creating space for himself and he was then subbed off to be replaced by another former Amber, Cutts who settled into a more attacking role than we were used to seeing him. He was straight into the action and dragged an effort wide after cutting inside.
Fewkes and Dunne then combined well to offer up a headed chance for Howarth, but he couldn’t find the target, and was then denied by Sheffield keeper Hall when he volleyed an effort straight at him following a good link up with sub Brandon Bagley, before then seeing another attempt hacked away from danger after Dunne and Barlow had combined well.
A rare Ambers slip was then almost punished by Cutts, but his shot was well stopped by Dylan Parkin who had been a virtual spectator up to that point in the game, whilst Matt Reay then headed well over from Howarth’s cross. With the game moving into the last fifteen minutes, Rion Arbouin made his long-awaited comeback after limping off in the opening game of the season, with Owen Haigh who had done a sterling job as stand-in right back, switching to the middle of the back four to replace the peerless Johno Williams, in a seamless move.
Dunne then raced onto a long punt from Parkin and Sheffield were indebted to another former Amber, Mitchell who made a great block at the last minute to deny the skipper, before The Ambers missed a glorious chance to nick the win late on. Bagley’s cross from the left picked out sub Craig Mitchell who couldn’t keep the ball down and lifted it over the bar from close range. The veteran front man then had another opportunity when he got a flick onto Dunne’s pull back but Hall stretched along the ground to gratefully grasp the ball. With the game moving into injury time, Reay flicked a header over from a Trench throw into the box, before Mitchell was again denied at the death by Hall after a smart turn and shot.
As the referee blew for full time, it was all eyes on the far end of the pitch as the game went straight to penalties. Coleman, Haigh, Ndlovu, Dunne, Cutts and Howarth were all successful before Watson fired his effort over for Sheffield, and his error was seized upon by Craig Nelthorpe who fired The Ambers ahead. Noble needed to score, and did so, before Arbouin capped a great night on the personal front, by firing Handsworth into the next Round, eight months after the heartbreak of his incorrectly disallowed penalty against Winterton in last season’s League Cup Semi-Final.
It's back to NCEL action at the weekend as The Ambers look to complete the double over an improving Bottesford Town.