Ambers bow out of Senior Cup

The Ambers lost to Rossington Main on penalties after a 2-2 draw ....

The Ambers’ brief flirtation with the S&H Senior Cup ended in disappointing fashion at Rossington Main on Tuesday evening, losing out in a penalty shoot out after an entertaining 2-2 draw.
Quite how The Ambers failed to turn their first half domination into a victory remains a mystery, but credit must go to the hosts who have assembled a young energetic squad built around a solid, experienced core of players in Holmes, Stokes, McGhie, Gibbons and Ludlam.
After an uneventful start, punctuated only by Howe’s strike which struck the woodwork, it was The Ambers who edged in front after 17 minutes, Ollie Fearon heading home a fine cross from Ollie Yates, and the striker will be kicking himself for not converting another chance afterwards, with Jake Currie also going mightily close in between times.
The Ambers were pegged back after 23 minutes when Stokes picked up on a defensive error and when Jody Barford parried his shot, Holmes smashed home the equaliser despite the best efforts of Lee Cooksey on the line.
It didn’t take Handsworth long to get back on the front foot and after a desperate last ditch block kept out an effort from Jed Phillips, Cooksey was on hand to glance home a header from Jamie Green’s resultant corner kick to edge The Ambers back into the lead.
The game evened out as the half ended but it was Main who had the better of the opening exchanges in the second period, and just 4 minutes in, a Stokes cross was deflected into the path of Holmes who turned in his second of the night from close range to level things up.
Both sides were now going hell for leather and chances came and went at both ends, Lee Hill’s header being kept out by a flying Fielding before Cooksey was on hand to head Howe’s lob over Barford off the line, but despite the considerable efforts of both teams, there were no further goals and the game went into extra time.
The additional 30 minutes again produced plenty of endeavour but no great amount of goalmouth action although there were vociferous home appeals for a penalty late on after what looked like a handball in the Ambers box but the referee thought otherwise, much to the disgust of the home supporters.
With no further goals, the tie was decided by the lottery of penalties and Main kept their nerve to win 5-3 and progress to Round 4.