END OF ROAD AFTER LAST-KICK CUP DRAMA
Late penalty drama puts LRFC out FA Vase
£1.30p LEICESTER Road FC bowed out of the prestigious FA Vase with almost the last kick of the game after a dramatic extra time period against Walsall Wood.
With the score 0-0 after normal time, the Hinckley side conceded an unfortunate penalty in the first extra 15 mins that Wood converted.
They managed to draw level deep into the second period with a Callum Earls overhead kick, only to go down to a breakaway winner right at the death.
The squad can hold their heads high after more than matching their MFL Premier Division topping opponents throughout.
LRFC began much the brighter and quickly dictating the tempo of the game and pressing well all over the pitch.
In the first 10 minutes alone, there were decent chances created for Matt Langham and Simon Alcott, while Earls fired just over from the edge of the box with the Wood keeper beaten.
On 12 minutes the Walsall keeper miscued a back pass and Road’s Jordan Burrows let fly with a snapshot that was only a whisker away and minutes later the away keeper seemed to fall on the ball outside his area with Langham ready to pounce.
On 23 minutes a lovely end-toend move saw LRFC keeper Will Highland claim a high ball and launch a swift counter attack that saw Chris Hollist turn neatly and flick it over the defender’s head, but Dom Brennan’s curler was well saved low down.
Walsall didn’t threaten the Road goal until the 27th minute when their number 9 Joey Butlin glanced a header just wide from the middle of the box after some neat interplay.
They did then come into the game a lot more, but the Road still had the remaining chances first half – Langham denied by a goal-saving tackle on 38 minutes and Earls grazing the bar with a dipping free kick just before half time.
Wood probably had the proverbial rocket during the break and came out much more determined and organised, with Highland pulling off an excellent fingertip save on 47 minutes.
But Hollist also let fly minutes later and his fierce drive was