Knaphill FC progressed to the third round of the Aldershot Senior Cup with a dramatic 4-1 penalty shootout victory over Alton FC following a 1-1 draw after 97 minutes. Daryl Cooper-Smith, who came on as a substitute, was the hero, scoring an 88th-minute equaliser after a controversial moment. This sent the game to penalties, where Knaphill held their nerve to claim the win.

First Half:
Alton controlled the tempo in the first half, keeping the ball well at the back and switching play confidently across the pitch. Despite their dominance in possession, they struggled to create clear-cut chances until the 39th minute. A through ball from Owen Tanner found Liam Marshall unmarked in the box, but Knaphill goalkeeper Sam Gray came off his line quickly, made himself big, and blocked the shot to keep the scores level. The teams went into the break goalless at 0-0.

Second Half:
The breakthrough for Alton came in the 54th minute but in an unusual fashion. From an Alton corner, the ball somehow found its way to Knaphill's Jack Carrod, who awkwardly volleyed it into his own net with his knee, giving Alton a 1-0 lead. It was a bizarre misfortune for Knaphill, but it put them on the back foot.

Knaphill nearly equalised in the 65th minute following a brilliant run down the right wing from Jamari Jackson. After some excellent work in the corner, Jackson found James Glover, who pulled the ball back to Alex McLean. McLean’s low shot looked destined for the bottom corner, but the Alton goalkeeper managed to tip it around the post to deny Knaphill.

Five minutes later, in the 70th minute, Kingsley Anokye came close to levelling the score. After doing well to create space at the edge of the box, Anokye's low shot lacked power but was placed well. It struck the left-hand post and bounced away, much to Alton's relief.

The equaliser came in the 88th minute amidst confusion. Alton was disputing a potential handball in the Knaphill box that wasn't given, leaving them caught off guard as Sam Gray quickly launched a goal kick. Anokye headed Gray's kick down to Aidan King on the halfway line, who won a 50-50 tackle before sending a high ball over the Alton defence. Substitute Daryl Cooper-Smith made a well-timed run, using his experience and physical presence to lose his marker as two defenders chased him down. As the ball bounced in front of him, Cooper-Smith chested it down and set himself up to half-volley it into the bottom right-hand corner, bringing Knaphill level at 1-1.

Alton nearly won it in injury time, pressing forward for a late winner. James Glover deflected an Alton shot inside the area, and then Alton moments later delivered a dangerous cross deflected towards the Knaphill goal. However, a Knaphill defender was on hand to clear the ball off the line, saving the visitors from a last-minute defeat. The match stayed level and headed to penalties.

Penalty Shootout:
Knaphill started the shootout confidently, with Theo White converting the first penalty into the top left corner. Alton’s Hoppitt hit the bar with his attempt, giving Knaphill an early advantage. Ben Mitchell then calmly placed his shot into the bottom left corner before Alton's Angel Zapata kept the hosts alive by hitting his penalty into the bottom left corner. Kingsley Anokye stepped up next for Knaphill, placing his shot into the bottom left corner before Alton's goalkeeper took the subsequent penalty and skied it over the bar, leaving Knaphill with a chance to win. Captain Jack Watts took the decisive penalty, slotting it into the bottom left corner to secure a 4-1 shootout victory for Knaphill.

Player of the Match:
Daryl Cooper-Smith was the standout performer. His introduction in the second half changed the dynamic of the game. He used his experience and presence to score the late equaliser that kept Knaphill in the tie. His composed finish under pressure proved crucial for Knaphill’s comeback.

Final Thoughts:
Alton will feel hard done after an excellent performance in which they controlled the game for large spells, kept the ball well, and created more chances. Despite their dominance, they could not convert their opportunities and were left ruing missed chances. Knaphill showed remarkable resilience to claw back a late equaliser and hold their nerve in the shootout, but overall, Alton was unlucky not to progress.

Lineups:

Alton FC:
Theo Rust, Jamie Phillips, Alex Merrifield, Matt Benham, Tolu Ajayi-Obe, George Bennett, Mihail Marinescu, Owen Tanner, Liam Marshall, Louis Russell, Angel Zapata.
Substitutes: K. Adair, C. Wiltshire, G. Bowerman, J. Hoppitt, J. Wotton.

Knaphill FC:
Sam Gray, James Glover, Jack Watts (C), Dale Burnham, Michak Stanic-Stewart, Alex McLean (Theo White 68), Jack Carrod, Rahman Ajibola (Ben Mitchell 68), Kacper Nozka (Cooper-Smith 79), Jamari Jackson (Aidan King 68), Kingsley Anokye.
Substitutes: Carl Bower,

Full-time: Alton FC 1-1 Knaphill (Knaphill win 4-1 on penalties)
Date: Saturday, 19 October 2024
Venue: The Exclusive Networks Stadium
Competition: Aldershot Senior Cup Second Round
Attendance: 180

Knaphill Football Club

Alton Town FC

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