Chasetown FC’s youth side suffered penalty shootout heartache as they were defeated by Burton Albion’s Youth Development squad in a pulsating Midweek Floodlit Youth Cup final.
The game was level at 2-2 after 120 minutes, but the Brewers held their nerve to win the shootout in testing conditions at Marston Road, the home of Stafford Rangers.
In a keenly fought encounter Chasetown had to twice come from behind because of goals from Burton’s Lewis Ratcliffe and Kory Dyer-Stewart.
Albion were enforced to play with striker Jordan Stevens in goal after the half-time break with goalkeeper Tom Spence having to be replaced and taken to hospital with concussion.
And Stevens was to be the one who would break Chasetown’s hearts, the striker saving a penalty to ensure it was the Brewers who would be going home triumphant.
Albion made a bright start to the game and tested Chasetown goalkeeper Marius Kisiel within five minutes, skipper Jacob Wright’s goal-bound shot forced a good fingertip save from the Scholars’ stopper.
But they took the lead in the 16th minute as Ratcliffe found the net with a low shot from the edge of the area.
Spence suffered what appeared to be a head injury which required some lengthy treatment on the half hour mark but the Brewers keeper was initially given the all-clear to continue.
Chasetown grabbed an equaliser in the 37th minute as Samson Alalade’s low cross evaded everyone in the centre and fell kindly to Matthew Hardiman who smashed his shot home from ten yards to the delight of the Scholars camp.
It didn’t take Burton long to get back in front, Dyer-Stewart played a good one-two with strike partner Stevens and found the space to strike a fine finish past Kisiel from the edge of the box.
The Scholars twice came close to equalising again just before half time, Davies met Turner’s in-swinging cross with a glancing header which was well-parried by Spence and shortly after Turner’s tame shot was just tipped wide by Spence, who still appeared to be feeling the effects of his injury.
Albion had to change goalkeeper for the second half with striker Stevens going between the sticks, with Spence unable to continue due to concussion picked up in the first half. As a result Curtis Williamson was brought on to fill the gap left up front.
Stevens made a good start in goal as the striker-turned-keeper did well to palm away Alalade’s effort.
But Chasetown equalised soon after as a short corner offered Hardiman plenty of space to whip-in a teasing far-post cross to James who headed home from close-range.
A couple of minutes later Chasetown could have gone ahead as Alalade played in Connor Leek on the counter, the winger’s 15 yard shot whistling narrowly wide of Stevens’ left-hand post.
Wright nearly put the Brewers back in front midway through the second period with his close-range shot nestling just wide of the target after some good work from Joseph French. Full-back Daniel Fenton also tested Kisiel with a long-range effort which was well-held by the Scholars keeper.
The closing stages of the game were frantic with both team’s seeking a winner. Wright’s corner was tipped onto the post by Kisiel and from a resultant quick counter, Chasetown found themselves two against one in favour but Alalade’s intended pass to James Lunn proved too long and Stevens was able to deal with the loose ball.
Into extra time an unmarked Alalade missed a golden chance for Chasetown as he failed to hit the target from close-range after being set-up by substitute Aaron Hatfield. Then Lunn thought he had scored a possible winner for the Scholars after rounding Stevens and tucking his shot into the back of the net, only for the goal to be ruled out for offside.
Burton’s Fenton attempted another left-footed long range effort which Kisiel struggled to deal with on the wet surface. Kisiel then made a great stop to prevent Russell who had raced clear of the Chasetown defence and attempted to lift the ball over the Scholars keeper.
Chasetown were again denied a goal by the linesman’s flag in the dying stages after Street headed in a hotly disputed free kick as the final would be decided by a penalty shoot-out.
The Brewers prevailed in the shoot-out, converting all five penalties as Stevens made the crucial save from Turner.
Burton Albion: Spence (Williamson 46), Campbell (Tooley 110), Fenton, Peverley, Cooper, Smith, Wright, Ratcliffe (Russell 82), Dyer-Stewart, Stevens, French.
Chasetown: Kisiel, Duffield, Hardiman, Holden, Street, James, Archer (Lunn 82), Turner, Alalade, Davies, Leek (Hatfield 75).
