Hednesford Town fell at the semi-final stage of the Staffordshire Senior Cup after losing on penalties to Kidsgrove Athletic.
It was the home side who had the first chance of the game as Chris Boast was snuffed out by Pitmen defender Ben Bailey just as he prepared to shoot in the fifth minute.
Hednesford goalkeeper Lloyd Ransome then denied striker Anthony Malbon before Town’s Danny Glover saw his shot saved on the line after being set up by Paul Ennis in the 26th minute.
Six minutes later Hednesford’s Sean Williams saw his shot shave the post on the way behind before the Pitmen finally made the breakthrough in the 43rd minute.
A corner was cleared as far as Glover and his shot was saved, but the rebound looped up to Tom Peers who headed home.
Hednesford started the second half on the front foot with Mo Cham seeing a header saved before Peers was denied in a similar vein on the hour mark.
These would prove to be crucial as the home side equalised in the 71st minute when former Town man Nick Wellecomme turned and fired home from 12 yards.
Kidsgrove almost won it twice in normal time when first with ten minutes remaining Wellecomme saw his shot saved before in the last minute of stoppage time Lewis Bergin fired inches wide from the edge of the box.
That would be the last chance before extra time began which the Pitmen dominated in the first half but really failed to test the home goalkeeper.
It was Kidsgrove who would find the breakthrough in the 108th minute when Malbon slotted home into the corner of the net after holding off his defender and firing past Ransome.
Six minutes later though the visitors levelled the scores when Ennis found the corner of the net from 12 yards to send the game to penalties.
The shootout saw both sides score their first spot kick but also see their second attempts being saved, with Kyle Patterson missing for the Pitmen. The next three players from both sides found the back of the net only for Hednesford’s Phil Trainer to see his kick saved leaving it down to Ashley Hodgkinson to win it for his side.
Kidsgrove Athletic: Pickering, Smith, Bergin, Hodgkinson, Taylor, Sherratt, Woolley, Davidson, Boast (Wellecomme 62 (Donnelly 120)), Malbon, Morris
Subs not used: Simms, Bailey, Maddison
Hednesford Town: Ransome, Thomas, Truelove, Bailey, Fitzwater (Digie 91), Trainer, Glover, Williams, Peers (Patterson 68), Cham, Ennis
Subs not used: Crane, Thorley
Attendance: 172
Star Man: Tom Peers
Entertainment Rating: Three Stars
