Wragg 83 LAVERSTOCK & FORD U23 1 Lovegrove pen 44 (Laverstock win 6-5 on penalties) WEYMOUTH Under-23s suffered penalty purgatory in the Hampshire Combination Under-23 Challenge Cup final as Laverstock & Ford won 6-5 after a 1-1 draw in normal time. Joe Wragg’s fine finish cancelled out Laverstock striker Archie Lovegrove’s first-half penalty and the sides went to sudden death in the shootout, locked at 5-5. Weymouth’s Sam Swain was the unlucky Weymouth player to miss the crucial spot-kick as Finn Roberts tucked home to seal the silverware.
With defences firmly on top in the opening exchanges, it took until the 12th minute for the first shot at goal as Lovegrove poked James Budgell’s low cross just wide from six yards. READ MORE : Dorchester Town U23s 1-3 Weymouth U23s - report Weymouth then spurned two big chances, the first falling to Charlie Pitt who drilled a low left-footed shot just wide. Elliot Rossiter then blasted against the crossbar when clean through in what proved to be Weymouth’s best chance of the half.
Wragg forced an unconvincing save from Roberts, Pitt then skewing the rebound over, as Weymouth saw two more openings go in the 19th minute. At the other end, Terras’ goalkeeper Callum Smalley had work to do, tipping over Lovegrove’s dipping header, and the Lavvy striker was booked for a coming together with Mahamadou Keita on the floor. But with two minutes of the half to go, Lavvy struck the first blow.
The slippery skills of Budgell proved too t.