The dreaded penalty shootout struck again as Broadbridge Heath exit the Velocity Cup at the 2nd Round stage on a cold, wet Autumn evening at Merstham.

Heath manager Chris Simmons made four changes to his starting line-up for the match with striker Ollie Rawlins starting his first game of the season after a long spell out through injury.

The Bears started well and forced the Merstham goalkeeper Sam Allen into his first save of the night on 2 minutes when Ben Royall cut in from the left flank and fired a fierce left foot shot that was blocked by the keeper at the near post.

On 6 minutes Broadbridge Heath won a free-kick wide on the right which Royall delivered into the penalty area, Allen came off his line to collect at the same time as Heath defender Tito Salaam ran in to meet the ball, both players clashed with the keeper coming off worse and needing 5 minutes of treatment before the match could continue.

Showing no after effects of the collision Allen went on to give a superb display of goalkeeping denying Heath time after time. Against the run of play it was Merstham who took the lead on 21 minutes when a long ball played down the right wing was chased down by Aaron Jenkins who took the ball to the goal-line before drilling a low ball across the goal which took a wicked deflection off Salaam, wrong footing Heath keeper Stan Williamson and sneaking in at the near post.

The hosts went on to have a good 5 minute spell with Gil Carvalho hitting a left foot shot into the side netting, then trying his luck with a right foot shot from distance that was gathered comfortably by Williamson before hitting another long range effort over the crossbar.

At the other Ben Royall received the ball on the edge of the penalty area and struck a low right foot shot that was saved by Allen diving low to his left with the ball falling kindly to a defender who smashed it away to safety and minutes later Royall hammered a left foot shot from 16 yards which Allen turned round the post and from the resulting corner Jay Richardson produced an acrobatic overhead kick which was again saved by Allen with the ball falling to Ollie Rawlins who headed it in from close range but the Assistant Referee had spotted a Heath player in an offside position and the goal was disallowed.

Heath continued to create the better chances in the second half with Sam Hards heading a Zac Jeanes right wing cross over the bar in the opening minutes, moments later Jeanes struck a free kick from 20 yards that was saved on the goal-line by Allen diving low to his left and on 65minutes another free-kick was awarded just outside the penalty area which was taken by Royall whose first effort came off the wall, the Heath defender followed up with another left foot shot which was once again saved by Allen diving low to his left.

The hosts had a great chance to extend their lead in the closing minutes when Charlie Greenwood received the ball wide on the left of the Heath penalty area and stuck a left foot shot across the goal face and inches wide of the post.

Deep into time-added on and Allen was finally beaten when yet another free-kick was awarded just outside the Merstham penalty area, this time it was Zac Young’s chance to test the keeper with a low left foot shot, under the wall and into the back of the net and with that the 90 minutes was up and the game would be decided by a penalty shootout.

Heath supporters don’t have much faith in penalty shoot-outs because it’s so rare their team actually win one and this was no exception with the game being decided by 5 penalty’s to 4 and who saved the one penalty, it had to be Merstham’s Man Of The Match Sam Allen of course who else?

Heath are back in Isthmian League action on Saturday when they head off ‘Down to Margate’ for a knees-up.

Team: Williamson, Richardson, Royall, Hyde, Salaam, Jeanes, Holden, Church, Rawlins, Hards, Buchanan. Subs. Marino, Young, Thiselton, Bajashvili, Hearn.