8:51am Monday 15th March 2010
By Ky Capel
PARLEY SPORTS 2 Chickerell UNITED 2
(aet, Parley won 4-3 on pens)
CHICKERELL United crashed out of the Dorset Premier League Cup on penalties but boss Brendon King believes their agonising exit may be a “blessing in disguise”.
The first round clash at Parley Sports Club ended 1-1 after 90 minutes with Adam Linaker equalising for the away side moments before half-time.
The Chickens then forged ahead in extra-time with Linaker once again on hand to prod home after the visitors had been awarded a controversial corner.
United became the victims of a dubious decision themselves soon after as the referee pointed to the spot.
Parley took full advantage of the gift to level proceedings but they then missed a second spot-kick as keeper Ashley Weeks came to the Chickens’ rescue.
However, Sports found their range from 12 yards once more to edge the shoot-out 4-3 with Linaker and Andy Hall the unfortunate duo.
King, whose side remain firmly in the hunt for league glory, said: “We are disappointed but not overly disappointed. It’s nice to win games but we’ve got to look at the bigger picture and it might help us catch up with our games in hand.
“I’m more disappointed with the inconsistency of the ref, not just because of the decisions he gave against us as it was the same for Parley and their manager agreed.
“I don’t like blaming officials but for him to give the first penalty against Dan Welch was beyond belief. I also felt for Parley’s manager when we scored our second goal from a corner that shouldn’t have been one.
“The league has always been the priority for us and this might just be a blessing in disguise.”
Chickerell started the better of the two sides but fell behind when a free-kick delivered into the box evaded everyone before finding the corner of the visitors’ net.
Hall unselfishly teed up Linaker to make it all square and that was how it stayed at the end of normal time.
Then came the major talking points. First, a Chickerell corner was hooked over the bar by Josh Burton only for the referee to signal for another corner.
United benefited from the error as Linaker prodded home his second of the afternoon.
The drama did not end there as defender Dan Welch, who subsequently left the field injured, was penalised in the box, much to the dismay of his manager.
King added: “A ball was pumped into our box, Dan went to usher it out, their player kicked Dan in the calf, both players went down and the ref gave a penalty, which for the life of me, and everyone else watching, I couldn’t believe.”
Parley had the chance to win the match in extra-time when they were handed another spot-kick, but Weeks made a fine save.
The Chickens’ gloveman repeated the trick in the shoot-out after Richard Marshallsay had dispatched the opening penalty.
Chris Reader also converted, as did Burton, but Hall and Linaker were both thwarted by the home keeper, thus handing Parley, who netted each of their remaining efforts, a quarter-final date with Cranborne.
Chickens: Weeks, Oliver, Burton, Welch (Anstey 100), Reader, Evans (Barrow 110), Litherland, Hall, Marshallsay, Beads (Roper 80), Linaker.
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