Cup Final heartbreak for U19s

---

HARRIERS suffered penalty shoot-out heartbreak in the Final of the National League U19 Alliance League Cup at the hands of Bromley.

The Reds had stormed into a 2-0 lead at St George’s Park before being begged back by a strong Ravens side, who went on to snatch the spoils in the resultant penalty show-down.

After a bright start played at a fast pace by both sides, it was Harriers who settled quickest on the ball and took an early lead.

Max Moore picked up the ball with 15 minutes on the clock, taking a superb first touch before firing a well-taken, composed finish into the corner of the net to put the Reds ahead and continue his own personal run of scoring each round of the Cup competition.

Owen Hughes saved well from a Bromley effort in response five minutes later, before Josh Yeboah tried his luck for Harriers and an outrageous effort from Samson Hewett saw an overhead kick come back off the post.

Bromley fired a warning effort of their own over the bar just past the half-hour mark before Yeboah again went close for Harriers following Samson Hewett’s delivery. Yeboah wouldn’t be denied for long, though; barely a minute later he showed great strength to hold off his man and fire an angled effort into the bottom corner.

A scramble inside the Harriers area shortly before the break saw Bromley go close before Harriers cleared the danger, the arrears eventually reduced courtesy of a sweet strike from Sam Hards that arrowed into the top corner.

The start to the second half was a little more even than the first as more tension entered the occasion.

Past the hour, Moore was inches away from a second goal as he strained to meet the ball following a good combination from Samson Hewett and Kobe Hall with just over an hour gone.

Ravens sub George Evans forced Hughes into a parry as the final 15 minutes of the tie approached, an omen for what was to follow just two minutes when the same player got a head to a cross into the area, flicking an effort beyond the Hughes and into the net.

With just three left to play, Hall smashed over with an effort for Harriers at one end before, at the other, Bromley’s Casey Hewett took aim inside the area with an effort that rolled towards the bottom corner before clipping the foot of the post.

With the final score 2-2, the Final was decided on penalty kicks, with Harriers seeing their first two efforts saved.

An accomplished display from Bromley saw them net all four of their efforts to eventually secure a 4-1 shoot-out victory, Natty Hewett the only Harriers player to find the net with his attempt.

A proud Harry Butler told UCFB shortly after the final whistle: “First and foremost, the journey the boys have had from the first round from where they are today – yes, it’s disappointing, and all credit to Bromley and congratulations – there’s lots of stuff throughout the 90 minutes and the season we can reflect on and be proud of.

“It’s tough to take, losing always is, but we have to dust ourselves down and go again.

“These are the characters we want at the club and the characters that represent the club. We are really proud of all of them.”

---

---