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A harsh ending to a historical journey. Congleton Town’s Wembley dreams were in touching distance until Newport Pagnell Town came out victorious on penalties.
A first-half header from Richard Duffy and an outstanding volley outside the box from Ethan Hartshorn were cancelled out by Jake Watkinson and Mo Ahmed’s goals in what was a thrilling 2-2 draw.
From the first whistle, it was a wide open game with both team having early chances. Dave Parton was on task to deny Watkinson from close range in the early stages of the game.
Dan Needham, who caused plenty of problems for the visitors’ defence, had Congleton’s first big chance moments after, as his effort was denied smartly by Martin Conway.
The resultant corner saw The Bears perform their trademark routine with Duffy latching onto Pete Williams’ cross to head home and spark scenes of jubilation around the Cleric Stadium. A goal they fully deserved for their early pressure.
The Bears were eyeing up a second immediately after the deadlock was broken, yet it was Newport Pagnell’s Alfie Powell that came the closest for the home side. The defender tried to deal with a troublesome cross which he marginally hit wide of his own post.
Ten minutes before half-time saw the FA Vase Champions level the scoreline as Watkinson fired home from a matter of yards out.
Following the break, it was Newport the went ahead after Mo Ahmed finished off a goal-line scramble following a Ben Shepherd free-kick.
From then on, it was all Congleton Town. The Bears suffocated The Swans in their own half and the dominance was rewarded as Ethan Hartshorn fired home an incredible volley from range to get the Bears fans dreaming once more.
Congleton seeked a winner as the visitors looked to be hanging on by a thread in the final twenty minutes.
Richard Duffy’s men believed they should have had a penalty as Pete Williams’ strike seemed to deflect off a Newport Pagnell arm but referee Aaron Jackson was having none of it.
Although Newport Pagnell, who looked a threat on the counter-attack all game, nearly got themselves a winner. Kieran Barnes was played through on goal but was expertly denied by Parton, whose produced vital saves all the way through this FA Vase journey.
Tom Pope and Tom Hampton both saw headers go inches wide of the post in the dying embers but the third goal that seemed inevitable failed to arrive.
Penalties is a lottery. Arguably the best way to win, but certainly the cruelest way to lose.
Congleton Town more than deserved to be heading down to Wembley in May, but it just wasn’t meant to be.
Not many non-league sides can bow out of a semi-final and still have two other semi-finals to look forward to. This team, to a man, should proud of what they’ve done this season, but we aren’t done yet. Let’s go and make more memories.
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