Church’s last-gasp FA Cup loss

PENISTONE Church conceded an agonising last-gasp winner in their FA Cup first qualifying round game at Shildon in Durham.

Ryan Johnson put Church ahead on 22 minutes but the hosts – who play the level above – equalised on the stroke of half-time then won it in injury-time.

Vice-captain Brett Lovell said: “We are disappointed but very proud that we’ve gone toe-to-toe with a team from a league above us.

“The lads really put a decent shift in against the higher opposition.

“It’s one of those bittersweet feelings. “Yes, we’re out of the FA Cup and we’ve lost but we’ve really given a good account for our league, the football club and the supporters who’ve travelled in their numbers again.

“For large portions of the game, we looked like the team in the higher league and Shildon’s management team agreed with that.

“We’re not going to win the FA Cup but it would have been nice to have gone one step further.

“Unfortunately it wasn’t to be but we’ll keep plugging away.

“We concentrate on the league now.”