Terrific Tadley take top-flight teenagers to penalties in Hampshire Senior Cup

Tadley Calleva might not have made it through to the next round of the Hampshire Senior Cup but the Combined Counties side earned the plaudits of all the 652 spectators packed into Barlows Park on Tuesday night as they pushed Premier League side AFC Bournemouth's development squad to a penalty shootout.

The Cherries' Max Kinsey-Williams scored the decisive spot-kick in a thrilling shoot-out that saw 20 players, including both goalkeepers, step up to the spot as Bournemouth progressed 7-6 on penalties following a 0-0 draw over 90 minutes.

While most of the visitors to Barlows Park must've expected a comfortable win for the Premier League side, Ben Dillon and Joe Lawler's side had other ideas and were on the front-foot from the off, at least matching the visitors in terms of territory and chances created, with set-piece specialist Ben Wright hitting the bar with a free-kick in the second half.

The home side started the better and created the first chance of the game when Louis Chambers glanced a header narrowly wide after Jamie Johnston's cross in the fourth minute.

Bournemouth fashioned a chance of their own after eight minutes when Noa Boutin and Ben Winterburn combined to find Lewis Brown but the long-haired midfielder was well off target with his strike on goal.

The hosts were on top and forced the first save from either goalkeeper in the 18th minute as Jordan Goater and Brad Neal linked up to set-up Scott Kinge before the midfielder tested visiting stopper Billy Terrell as Tadley pressed for an opener.

Chances were few and far between as both sides battled for control of the contest. Bournemouth skipper Ben Greenwood sent an effort from distance well wide while Tadley's Ben Wright fired a free-kick over the bar.

The best opportunity of the first period fell to the visitors right before the break when Daniel Adu-Adjei, who signed his first professional contract with the Cherries, penning a two-year deal earlier that day, flicked a header on to frontman Euan Pollock who rounded Tadley's Craig Atkinson but hit the side-netting from a tight angle.

Wright went within millimetres of breaking the deadlock in the 50th minute when Terrell tipped his dipping free-kick onto the crossbar before Bournemouth had a goal disallowed after Winterburn's effort was ruled out for offside.

Pollock, with his head bandaged after a clash in the first half, was causing Tadley's defence problems with his movement but was unable to beat Atkinson, who turned his strike round the post.

Tadley went close again in the 73rd minute when the marauding Chambers had an effort cleared off the line by Bournemouth's all-action skipper Greenwood.

Terrell, who was having a busier evening than he might've expected, got down well to keep out Kinge's powerful effort late on before the final chance of the 90 was scooped over the bar by Bournemouth's Brown.

With a place in the quarter-final against Portsmouth at stake the referee's final whistle signalled a shoot-out and both sides prepared for the notorious long walk to the spot that most players dread.

However Tadley's Ben Wright showed no signs of nerves, stepping up to make it 1-0 with a confident penalty.

Both sides scored four of their first five penalties with Tadley's Alfie Saunders seeing his effort saved by Terrell and Bournemouth's battered and bruised Pollock dragging his attempt wide, meaning it was 4-4 following the regulation five penalties and the nail-biting shoot-out was heading to sudden death.

Skipper Tom Walsh despatched Tadley's sixth spot-kick before Greenwood held his nerve to make it 5-5.

Scott Kinge then fired over the crossbar but Tarik Gidaree handed Tadley a reprieve when he failed to convert.

Goalkeeper Craig Atkinson was then denied by his opposite number before Terrell, who appeared to send Bournemouth's Michael Dacosta Gonzalez back to his teammates and instead stepped up to the spot himself, was thwarted by Atkinson as both goalkeepers failed to score their penalties.

Chambers scored for Tadley and Dacosta Gonzalez, apparently at the second time of asking, levelled it up for Bournemouth but Brad Neal, who was next for the hosts, hit the crossbar, allowing Kinsey Williams to step up and score the decisive penalty as the Premier League side prevailed despite a heroic effort from the hosts.

Afterwards, Tadley's joint-manager Ben Dillion was full of praise for his players, who produced a memorable performance in front of the record crowd.

"We're very proud," he said.

"We rode our luck at times but I always felt like we were in the game, we had a couple of half chances.

"We were trying to take it to the wire, they're a young, athletic, good footballing side so it was always going to be difficult and to go out on penalties is tough."

Tadley might've been tempted to sit back and park the proverbial bus given that their opponents have ambitions to make it to the top tier of English football, but Dillon and Lawler stuck to their guns as the hosts came out and took the game to their Premier League visitors.

"We did toy with the idea of going five at the back or setting up to defend, but that's not what we do," Dillon said.

"We tried to play on the front foot and press them in areas where we could, in the end it just wasn't quite enough."

While Bournemouth's youngsters had undeniable energy and athleticism, Dillon determined to make use of his side's experience as the Tadder's went toe-to-toe with the teenagers.

"We've got a good balance in terms of youth and experience," Dillon said.

"We've got some experience in midfield and then Wrighty (Ben Wright) and Atko (Craig Atkinson) as well as some younger lads who are fearless."

It was a memorable evening off the pitch as well, with more than 650 fans of all ages packing into Barlows Park and creating a crackling atmosphere in support of the home side.

"Cup runs are important in terms of building the community and getting people through the door," Dillon said.

"We want to encourage people to come here instead of going somewhere else down the road.

"The club's run by volunteers, so night's like tonight are massive in terms of revenue and building the fanbase."

Tadley, who have been on a mixed run in the Combined Counties Premier Division South, welcome fifth placed Colliers Wood United this weekend, looking to build up a head of steam after their stellar showing on Tuesday night.

Dillon said: "We're hoping we can use this to kick on.

"We've had a bit of a lull but our overall aim this season was top 10 but we've turned the tables and now we're going for top five, we're still in a good position."