Heartache for Kershaw League side in FA Inter-League Cup

Defeat to Thames Valley in the last 16

There was extra-time heartbreak for the Kershaw League representative squad as they were knocked out of the FA Inter-League Cup by Thames Valley.

In the rearranged last 32 match at Histon Football Club, Rhys Thorpe's 30-yard thunderbolt gave the Cambridgeshire County League side the lead after 70 minutes.

They doubled their advantage five minutes later through Michael Lambert, after Nick Impey had been fouled in the area.

But with four minutes to go, Thames Valley pulled a goal back through a disputed penalty.

And it was a bitter pill to swallow as a deflected free kick led to Thames Valley equalising after three minutes of stoppage time to take the game to the extra half-hour.

Three minutes into the first period, a second contentious penalty saw Thames Valley take a 3-2 lead.

And as the Cambs team chased the game, they were caught on the counter-attack, conceding two more goals to lose 5-2.

"It was painful,said the Kershaw League representative squad manager Shaun Sowden.

"The boys were absolutely beside themselves, they had worked really hard and the game-plan had worked.

"It was a massive effort from everyone that played; they went through the full 120 minutes and credit to them.

"It was just a disappointing way to go out. I have been in football a long time and had lots of heartbreak and that ranks up there as the worst.

"I don't think the penalties were, and that's hard to take. They couldn't have really done any more, it's just the manner in which we lost is just so hard to take.

"At 2-0 up with three or four minutes to go, you would hope to see it through so it's a tough lesson to learn.

"You keep playing it through in your head, but there is nothing they could have done differently."

He added:"It's a shame, but they should hold their heads high."