Petersfield Town 4 Amesbury Town 4 (aet) (7-8 pens) (Russell Cotes Cup)

Petersfield Town 4 Amesbury Town 4 (aet) (7-8 pens)

Russell Cotes Cup – 1st Round

Amesbury team: Richards; Horner, Sole (c), McPhie, L. Bartlett; M. Western (Vallis, 75), D. Finnigan, T. Western, C. Wheeler; Charman, D. Western.

Sub (not used): R. Jones.

Scorers: D. Western (pen 22, 94), Charman (43), Finnigan (90).

Pen scorers: D. Western, Finnigan, Horner, T. Western, McPhie, Richards, C. Wheeler, Sole.

Att: 40.

AMESBURY Town won a thriller on penalties at Petersfield Town in the Russell Cotes Cup on Tuesday night.

With midfielder Gavin Richards in goal and a bench made up of two youth team players, the Blues were up against it.

Aaron Fennemore put Petersfield in front in the tenth minute, squeezing a shot in from a tight angle. Danny Western won and converted a penalty to level 12 minutes later.

Amesbury took the lead for the first time just two minutes before the break when Craig Wheeler’s shot hit the post and Daryl Charman finished the loose ball.

Richard Warwick headed in an equaliser in the 79th minute, and Fennemore looked to have grabbed the winner with a deflected shot six minutes from time.

Danny Finnigan forced the tie into extra time with a low drive three minutes into added time.

Danny Western burst through the middle to put the Blues ahead again, just four minutes into extra time.

Substitute Sanga Dolo made it 4-4 just before the interval, and Charman hit the woodwork in the second period.

Amesbury scored the first eight of their penalties, then Fennemore missed the crucial kick by firing wide.

The Blues’ reward is a tie at Southern League side Andover in November.

Amesbury have a derby at Stockbridge, who have won their last two league games 6-1, on Saturday.

Then they welcome Wessex Premier high-fliers Bournemouth Poppies to Bonny Mead in the second round of the League Cup next Tuesday.

“Along with Bemerton, Bournemouth are probably one of the most improved sides in the Wessex League, and I would like to think they will respect us by bringing a full side,” said manager Nick Horner.