Setchell left to rue spot-kicks shocker as Steelmen bow out of the FA Cup to Diamonds
Corby Town boss Gary Setchell was left to rue his side's profligacy from the penalty spot as they suffered a heartbreaking FA Cup defeat at county rivals AFC Rushden & Diamonds on Tuesday night.
The two sides could not be separated after 210 minutes of football, with the teams drawing 1-1 after extra-time at Hayden Road, three days after the teams were also played out a 1-1 stalemate at Steel Park.
But it was to be a night of woe from 12 yards for Corby, who missed a penalty to win the Extra Preliminary Round replay just minutes from the end of normal time, and then failed to convert four of their five spot-kicks as Diamonds eventually won a poor quality shootout 2-1!
Fletcher Toll had headed Corby into a 1-0 lead on 33 minutes, before Jamal Adams curled home a cracker from 20 yards to make it 1-1 on the stroke of half-time.
Tristan Thompson-Matthews then had the chance to win it for the Steelmen form the penalty spot after a foul by Diamonds defender Jarvis Wilson, but he sent his spot-kick wide.
That sent the game into extra-time, and after neither side could find a winner it was all down to a shootout, with neither side covering themselves in glory.
Diamonds missed three of their five efforts, but it proved to be enough as Corby missed four on the spin after converting their first, and it was the home side that were left to celebrate and will go on to play Newark & Sherwood United in the preliminary round on August 17.
"That was a difficult cup tie, Rushden put it in good areas and they make it difficult for you," Setchell told @corbytownfc
"But we have to win that game, especially when you have penalty late on to win the tie 2-1 after defending really well for large parts.
"In the second half I thought we were the better side and looked more likely, and in extra-time as well, but we have scored one out of six penalties.
"You never have a go at people for missing penalties, but that is a tough one to take.
"We didn't want to go out of the FA Cup, we have put a lot of energy into these two ties and picked up a couple of knocks, and now we have to go again on Saturday for the league opener.
"We had big momentum on Saturday where we scored late on and got out of jail (Spencer Edwards netting in the 10th-minute of stoppage time), but congratulations to Rushden.
"That was a whole-hearted FA Cup tie, both teams gave everything they have and then some, but it came down the lottery of penalties and we have dipped out with, let's face it, some poor penalties.
"I felt a draw was a fair result if I am being honest, but when you have the ball on the spot with two or three minutes to go, you convert that, you go through and everyone's happy.
"So it is a horrible way to go out of the FA Cup, with it being a local derby as well, but the lads gave everything we just weren't quite good enough on the night."
Both Corby and Diamonds now turn their attentions to their first matches of the Pitching-In Northern Premier League Midlands Division season on Saturday.
The Steelmen travel to Hicnkley LRFC while Diamonds host Lye Town.