Weymouth U23s 1-1 Laverstock & Ford U23s (5-6 on penalties)

Wragg 83

LAVERSTOCK & FORD U23 1

Lovegrove pen 44

(Laverstock win 6-5 on penalties)

WEYMOUTH Under-23s suffered penalty purgatory in the Hampshire Combination Under-23 Challenge Cup final as Laverstock & Ford won 6-5 after a 1-1 draw in normal time.

Joe Wragg’s fine finish cancelled out Laverstock striker Archie Lovegrove’s first-half penalty and the sides went to sudden death in the shootout, locked at 5-5.

Weymouth’s Sam Swain was the unlucky Weymouth player to miss the crucial spot-kick as Finn Roberts tucked home to seal the silverware.

With defences firmly on top in the opening exchanges, it took until the 12th minute for the first shot at goal as Lovegrove poked James Budgell’s low cross just wide from six yards.

READ MORE: Dorchester Town U23s 1-3 Weymouth U23s - report

Weymouth then spurned two big chances, the first falling to Charlie Pitt who drilled a low left-footed shot just wide.

Elliot Rossiter then blasted against the crossbar when clean through in what proved to be Weymouth’s best chance of the half.

Wragg forced an unconvincing save from Roberts, Pitt then skewing the rebound over, as Weymouth saw two more openings go in the 19th minute.

At the other end, Terras’ goalkeeper Callum Smalley had work to do, tipping over Lovegrove’s dipping header, and the Lavvy striker was booked for a coming together with Mahamadou Keita on the floor.

But with two minutes of the half to go, Lavvy struck the first blow.

The slippery skills of Budgell proved too tempting for Haydn Payne who attempted to tackle the winger in the box, only to barge him over for a penalty.

Up stepped Lovegrove, who made no mistake in the 44th minute, slotting low down the middle with Smalley committed to his left.

Laverstock & Ford went 1-0 up in the 44th minute from the spot (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Lovegrove was proving a thorn in Weymouth’s side with his strong hold-up play and ability to win cheap fouls, one such incidence leading to Rio Edgar driving a 20-yard free-kick inches over on the cusp of half-time.

Lavvy continued to threaten after the break when Smalley flicked a Budgell shot away.

Weymouth responded by subbing the booked Sol Padmore for Tye Schneider, who was instantly involved with the Terras’ next chance.

The ball fell perfectly for the substitute, who rifled low at Roberts to force a good save from which the rebound was blazed over by McGivney on the stretch.

Kelson Pollard, expertly kept quiet by Lavvy until now, then bent a 25-yard curler just over as Weymouth built up a head of steam.

Back came Lavvy as Lovegrove stooped low to head a corner over when unmarked, before McGivney hooked a set-piece off the line.

Seconds later, Pollard raced clean through on the left but elected to shoot too early with more space to run into, pulling his shot wide of the near post.

Weymouth continued to push with Noa Prestel flicking a header at Roberts, while Archie Stanley produced an inch-perfect tackle to deny Rossiter on the break.

Rossiter was unlucky to see his low cross cleared off the line by Finn Roberts, who trapped the ball under his leg, before Lavvy sub Jack Oliver side-footed over a good chance on 79 minutes.

With the game increasingly open, Weymouth began to work away down the wings and were rewarded for their tactics with the equaliser on 83 minutes.

Pollard was the creator, storming down the left and cutting back for Wragg who placed a firm effort into the bottom-right corner through a forest of legs.

Joe Wragg netted a fine equaliser for Weymouth (Image: MARK PROBIN)

Jordon Matthews was sin-binned for dissent in the aftermath, leaving Lavvy up against it for the final 10 minutes.

In a breathless finale, Weymouth nearly made them pay as Pollard crashed a long-range beauty against the bar and Wragg appeared to be barged over in the box without reward.

Schneider was denied by Roberts with a double effort but Lavvy remained dangerous on the break as Budgell weaved inside and bent just wide.

Weymouth had to survive a wayward 94th-minute unmarked header for Matthews, on again after his 10-minute breather, as penalties beckoned.

Kelson Pollard and Wragg both netted their penalties but Lavvy were first to blink as Smalley saved from Carson Arnold for 2-1.

Keita made it 3-1, before Taylor Budgell reduced the arrears by sending Smalley the wrong way.

Mahamadou Keita started his run-up outside the D before hammering home for 3-1 in the shootout (Image: MARK PROBIN)

However, mind games by keeper Roberts, flicking the ball at Rossiter as he walked to the spot, worked as the striker’s centrally-placed spot-kick was turned away by Lavvy’s number one.

Noa Prestel scored Weymouth’s final penalty and Harvey Roberts obliged for Lavvy to make it 4-4 and force sudden death.

However the drama was not done there as Pitt blazed over and Matthews copied his effort, spurning the chance to win it.

Schneider and James Budgell were immaculate with their penalties for 5-5 but there was agony for Terras' left-back Swain who fired over.

That gave Finn Roberts the opening to seal victory and he swept cleanly into the bottom-right to send Laverstock’s support wild.

Terras: Smalley, Payne (Warwick 70), Swain, Padmore (Schneider 57), Keita, Prestel, Wragg, Pitt, Rossiter, McGivney (L Ricardo 74), Pollard.

Laverstock & Ford: Z Roberts, F Roberts, H Roberts, Matthews, Stanley, Stone (Oliver 71), Dickson (T Budgell 82), Lovegrove, Edgar, J Budgell, Arnold. Subs not used: Makasiale, Butcher, Earley.