It’s Wessex Cup deja vu for USP
Another pulsating 3-3 draw leads to penalty drama
Different season, different management, virtually a different team - but another pulsating 3-3 Wessex League Cup draw decided on penalties at the Victory Stadium after a remarkable US Portsmouth fightback.
Yet with one crucial difference - this time the hosts lost on spot-kicks.
In May, USP found themselves 3-1 down in the semifinal against Bemerton Heath with just two minutes left. A Tyler Moret double took the tie to penalties which US promptly won.
Last night, Tom Grice’s US came from three goals down after 39 minutes against Bournemouth Poppies to claim another 3-3 draw - the equalising goal coming in the seventh minute of second half stoppage time.
But that was where the latest sensational comeback finished - Poppies keeping their cool to emerge 5-4 winners on spot-kicks.
It was the fourth shoot-out at the ground since April following on from the Bemerton game and two FA Vase ties against Christchurch and Binfield, the latter leading to US’ heartbreaking semi-final defeat with Wembley beckoning.
The Poppies tie was one to forget for US’ former Pompey Academy captain Obi Saidy - he scored a comical own goal, missed a great chance to score in the second half, was booked, and then skied his spot-kick over the bar - the only player to miss on either side in the shoot-out.
Saidy’s misery began in only the second minute with a farcical own goal - debutant keeper James Hedley in no man’s land when his back pass, which was strongly hit, sailed into an empty net.
The evening got progressively worse for US before it began to get any better.
After that self-inflicted wound, US fell further adrift on 16 minutes - the pacy Danny Hansford scampering onto a through ball to calmly net.
US slowly recovered from a sloppy start, Brodie Spencer firing wide and Tom Jeffes’ surging run from defence ending with a shot parried away by Harry Gravett.
It was against the run of play, therefore, that Poppies opened up a 3-0 lead on 39 minutes. Again, it was an own goal but this one was unlucky as Hansford’s low shot took a big deflection off Jack Barker’s leg.
US started their fightback two minutes before the interval, Joe Johnson cutting inside from the left side and firing a low right-foot shot past Gravett from the edge of the penalty area.
The second half saw US - hugely improved on their opening 45 minute showing lay siege to the Poppies goal for a good 20 minutes.
They should have scored in the first minute of the restart, debutant Blu Boam setting up Ryan Smart. Just a few yards out, Smart could only shoot straight at Gravett.
Spencer and Johnson combined nicely on the left side for the latter to hit a low shot that was saved by Gravett at his near post, while Boam was just unable to force home Cameron Quirke’s right-wing cross.
The unmarked Saidy should have hit the target, instead of heading a Spencer cross wide, and Boam’s header from a Dan Sibley cross was well saved.
At the other end, Hansford - the man who caused US’ defence the most problems throughout - rounded Hedley only for two covering defenders to block his shot on the line.
US grabbed the second goal they had been threatening on 63 minutes, Quirke’s ball down the right hand channel finding Spencer who ran on to net through the keeper’s legs.
Johnson fired wide at the near post from a Sibley cross, and the latter again found himself in space on the right shortly after only to screw a shot wide.
Back in May, Moret had forced home a late, late leveller against Bemerton after a high ball had been lofted into the box. Here, history repeated itself this time Boam sending in a header from a cross that Gravett could only drop into his net under pressure from US players.
Poppies were furious, claiming the keeper had been fouled. Onto penalties and Boam, Jeffes, Sibley and Johnson confidently converted US’ opening four spot-kicks. Hedley got a hand to two of Poppies’ first four efforts, but couldn’t keep any of them out.
The tie swung Poppies’ way when Saidy strode forward to hit his spot-kick well over the bar, with visiting captain Tyrone Carkeet converting the winning spot-kick.
Having all been (unsurprisingly) jeered by the home supporters as they stepped forward to take their penalties, Poppies players enjoyed celebrating in front of the stand.
Prior to the game, Grice said he thought cup runs could be a distraction from the priority of staying in the Wessex League Premier Division. He is getting his wish, as US have now exited three in the first month of 2021/22 - the FA Cup, the Hampshire Senior Cup and now the Wessex League Cup.
USP: Hedley, Quirke, Cass, Jeffes, Barker, Smart, Saidy, Spencer (Ndlovu, 85), Sibley, Boam, Johnson.