Page 10 - Cheltenham Saracens v FC Stratford 210323

IT’s a scientific footballing fact that penalty shoot-outs are only enjoyable to
watch when you have no skin in the game. Other teams? Bring it on. My team?
No, thank you.

I’ve got a long-running agreement with an old school friend to alert one
another to televised penalty shoot-outs.

Last Saturday was a shoot-out obsessive’s ideal afternoon. Of the eight quarter-
final ties in the FA Trophy and FA Vase, six went to penalties.

In the Trophy, Barnet triumphed at Maidstone United 4-3. Gateshead squeezed
past National League North Farsley Celtic 4-2 on penalty kicks.

The FA Vase provided a full house, with all four ties going the distance.

Holders Newport Pagnell Town continued their defence of the competition – no
mean feat in itself – with a 4-3 penalties win. Funnily enough, Albie Hall scored
his two penalties in the 90 minutes but missed in the shoot-out when he had
the chance to win it. I’m sure he won’t mind following their progression.

After getting a leveller late on, Ascot United saw off West Didsbury & Chorlton
4-3 in the shoot-out to considerably brighten up their long journey home.

Congleton Town beat Bury AFC 5-4, while Corsham completed the set with a
3-2 win at Peacehaven & Telscombe, who had forced penalties with a 90th-
minute leveller.

That’s the thing with the competitions these days, no extra-time, it’s straight
into the penalty pressure cooker.

Views will always vary on whether extra-time should still stand, especially at
this late stage of a cup competition.

The general consensus has been, consider the number of games played across