Luffs denied win by late penalty
SILEBY TOWN RES 2 LOUGHBOROUGH FC2
AN AWAY point is not to be sneezed at but with just three minutes remaining in the game The Luffs were leading until the referee intervened and presented Sileby with a point.
The Luffs began this game on the front foot playing some good football on an excellent Sileby Town pitch and Dylan Henderson went clear on the Sileby keeper Mark Jarvis but his attempt on goal was cleared off the line, Cyrus Brierley shot from distance but the keeper handled it cleanly. Sileby grew into the game and Dan Agar had a shot deflected wide from a free kick.
The Luffs had to use one of their substitutes early on but were still giving as good as they got and Henderson warmed the keeper’s hands. As the half progressed the Loughborough side were asked to do some serious defending but they handled it well and for the most part Sileby were restricted to long shots but James Newing might have done better with a back pot heard from close range.
But it was Loughborough who opened the scoring, Dylan Henderson beat the Sileby defence for speed, keeper Jarvis parred the first shot but The Luffs striker was following up to net the rebound. The Loughborough keeper Owen Wesson was at full stretch to save from Dan Agar but the half-time score remained 1-0.
The second half began with The Luffs traditional slow start and within minutes they had conceded a penalty and Callum Pankey dispatched it efficiently to level the score at 1-1. that was quick the reply was immediate as Cyrus Brierley carved open the Sileby defence and neatly slotted home and the Loughborough side were in the lead again.
Sileby picked up the pace again and tested Loughborough’s defensive capabilities but with keeper Owen having the game of his life they couldn’t break down the visitors.
But the game still had a sting in its tail, a defensive tackle in the area and the referee pointed to the spot with just three minutes to go. Callum Plankey stepped up for his second spot kick of the game, not quite cleanly as the first but it crossed the line off the underside of the bar.
A bit disappointing to lose the win from a dubious penalty but a good fighting performance from The Luffs.