Town Go Out of County Cup on Penalties

Grantham Lose Penalty Shoot-Out with Gainsborough After Tie Ends 1-1 After 90 Minutes

Despite attacking for most of the game and leading 1-0 until the final 5 minutes of the game Grantham conceded an equaliser on 85 minutes which meant the tie was decided by a penalty shoot-out which Gainsborough won 4-2.
A young Gainsborough side began by taking the game to Grantham but Grantham got into their stride and forced 3 corners in the first 10 minutes and Rhys Lewis went close with a header from the final one. Lee Shaw laid the ball back to Michael Hollingsworth on 10 minutes but his strike from 25 yards went narrowly wide. Lee Shaw was causing problems Gainsborough defence with his pace but it was his strike partner Liam Reed’s turn to lay the ball into Michael Hollingsworth’s path on 16 minutes but his shot was defected away for another Grantham corner. Little was seen of the Gainsborough attack but on 19 minutes skipper Simon Russell saw his 35 yard shot come back off the post with Jake Turner beaten. Grantham returned to the attack but couldn’t break down the Gainsborough defence. Rhys Lewis had another header saved and Gainsborough keeper Johnathan Hedge had to kick the ball clear as Lee Shaw threatened on 23 minutes. Danny Meadows put in a low cross a minute later but the ball was sliced behind by a Gainsborough defender for yet another corner. Michael Emmott played in Liam Reed on 29 minutes but the Grantham striker had strayed marginally offside. Grantham went close on the half hour when Lee Shaw was played in by Jack Beckett but Hedges came out to block his shot. Grantham finally made the break through their pressure deserved on 41 minutes when Jack Becket found Lee Shaw in the box, Shaw found Hollingsworth who made no mistake from just inside the box. The half ended with a Gainsborough free kick from 30 yards but Russell’s kick went wide.
Gainsborough introduced the experienced Darryn Stamp for Marc Newsham at half time but Grantham continued on the attack winning successive corners in the opening minute of the half. Hedges again came out of his goal to kick clear from Shaw on 48 minutes and was well placed to save from Jack Beckett a minute later. Gainsborough began to make some in roads into the Grantham defence with Russell firing over and Lewis Bemrose seeing his shot deflected past the far post for a corner and the same player just failed to make contact with a cross on 61 minutes. Jack Beckett went past the Gainsborough full back a minute later but his cross shot was too high. Lee Shaw almost got on the end of a through ball on 76 minutes but keeper Hedges came out to head clear. Rhys Lewis got on the end of a Beckett cross on 83 minutes but he was stretching for the ball and could only direct his shot wide of the target. Despite dominating attacking play for the majority of the game Grantham conceded an equaliser with 5 minutes left when they failed to cut out a right wing cross and substitute Jamie Park had a free header. Grantham went close to restoring their lead a minute later when Aiden Kirby headed the ball back across goal but Hedges was able to smother the ball on the line as Rhys Lewis challenged for the ball... Grantham continued to attack in the final minutes but couldn’t find a way through and the game ended with Hedges saving a 35 yard Danny Meadows free kick.
The tie was then decided with a penalty shoot-out. Gainsborough netted their first 3 kicks. Michael Hollingsworth and Danny Meadows both converted their kicks but Lawrence Gorman saw his kick saved and Stefan Bilyk shot over leaving Gainsborough keeper Johnathon Hedge to take his sides 4th kick and he fired past his opposite number to put Gainsborough through to a final tie against Scunthorpe
Grantham
Jake Turner, Danny Meadows, Michael Emmott, Lawrence Gorman, Ellis Humble, Michael Hollingsworth, Aiden Kirby, Rhys Lewis, Lee Shaw, Liam Reed (Stefan Bilyk 74), Jack Beckett.
Subs not used Luke Farmer, Luke Johnson, Danny Martin, Dennis Rhule.
Gainsborough
Johnathan Hedge, Henry Mallett, Joe Edwards, Danny Forrestt, Charles Mann, Ryan Douglas, Simon Russell, Lyton Karkach (Jamie Park 58), Marc Newsham (Darryn Stamp 46), Lewis Bemrose (Joe Pettit 78), Liam Davis (Brad Bull 68)
.Subs not used Alex Haysey, Blake Cauldwell

Referee Mr A Wilson

Yellow cards
Grantham - Michael Hollingsworth
Gainsborough – None
Red Cards
None

Corner Count
Grantham – 12
Gainsborough – 3

Attendance 134