Littlehampton Town 2-2 Rayners Lane
(Littlehampton won 5-4 on penalties)
After Saturday’s postponement due to some unseasonably wet weather the long route to Wembley started in fine conditions at The Sportsfield on Tuesday night. Visitors Rayners Lane play at the same level and in the same League as Golds ; albeit in the Pitching In Isthmian South Central Division as opposed to the South East Division where Littlehampton ply their trade.
It’s been too early in the campaign to draw any conclusions from the form book so it was reasonable to expect a close and competitive encounter. Littlehampton started brightly but it was the visitors who took the lead in the 8th minute with a sumptuous Bradley Bubb finish from their first meaningful attack. Golds looked shaken by the setback and for a time the confident visitors looked likely to add to their lead . However Littlehampton weathered the storm and found their way back into the game just before the interval. An injudicious challenge in the box saw the referee point to the spot and although Jordan Layton’s penalty was brilliantly saved by Ravan Constable the rebound fell kindly to the Golds captain to bring the sides level.
If Littlehampton thought that would give them momentum in the second half they were rudely awakened in the 52nd minute when Frank Keita headed in a fine cross at the far post to restore Lane’s lead. Littlehampton responded more quickly this time but as the clock ticked on a number of half chances went begging and it looked for all money that their Trophy run was destined to fall at the first hurdle. However in the sixth minute of added time joint manager and substitute George Gaskin headed in a cross from the right bye line to save the day and send the tie to a penalty shootout.
Luke Donaldson crashed the opening kick against the crossbar to give Rayners Lane the advantage and as successful kicks followed from both sides the visitors had the chance to win it with their fifth penalty. James Binfield became the Littlehampton hero with a fabulous save to keep their hopes alive. Josh Short then converted Golds first kick in sudden death before Binfield repeated his heroics with another excellent stop to seal Golds passage to the next round and a home tie with Sporting Bengal United on the weekend of September 7/8.
John Clarke