Nantwich Town are through to the Third Round of the Cheshire Senior Cup after two Tom Booth saves in a dramatic penalty shoot-out knocked out Tranmere Rovers after a 1-1 draw at Prenton Park.
James Caton was making his Nantwich debut, and was first to a loose ball early on, squaring a cross to Dan Cockerline who glanced it wide of the far post.
Former Sweden youth international Joel Mumbongo was a lively presence up front for Tranmere, he nicked the ball off Troy Bourne and looked to pick out the corner with a shot that was well read and saved by Tom Booth.
On 26 minutes, a big chance presented itself to the Dabbers. A mix up at the back saw the ball drop to Cockerline with goalkeeper Mat Hewelt well off his line. Understandably, he tried the lob but overcooked it and it sailed over the bar. Dan had more time than perhaps he thought and could have taken it towards goal, but it was definitely worth a try.
To show the standard it takes at the level of Tranmere, just 4 minutes later the Dabbers were punished for that missed chance.
After a break in play for an off-the-ball collision between Bourne and Mumbongo that saw a bit of argy-bargy, Nantwich weren’t switched on when play restarted. The ball was worked across to Arthur Lomax and he was able to fire crisply in low across Booth for 1-0.
Another Nantwich chance came almost immediately after. Good pressing from Cockerline forced Hewelt to rush his clearance and hit it off Dan and bounced just wide.
Caton could have marked his debut with a goal but scuffed a chance wide early in the second half.
Ritchie Sutton, on his return to a club he played more than 100 times for, could sense momentum was building. And it so nearly brought the equaliser, a Curtis Morrison shot sparked chaos in the six-yard box as Cockerline’s rebound was cleared off the line and Tom Scully volleyed wide.
After Caton saw a goal rightly flagged for offside, a perfectly legal and brilliant leveller was to follow minutes later.
It was Caton again who was involved, breaking down the left and finding sub Mwiya Malumo to tuck home and deservedly bring Nantwich level against their League 2 opponents.
Cockerline might have won it with a difficult chance from an ever-narrowing angle that hit the outside of the post. But there was nothing to separate the two sides, so we headed straight to penalties at the end of the 90 minutes.
The first 2 penalties were converted by both sides, Cockerline and Caspar Hughes for the Dabbers.
A decisive moment was on the Dabbers’ third, Harry Nevin stepping up but Hewelt seemed to read where he was putting it perfectly and made a comfortable save to give Tranmere the advantage.
The home side converted their next two to put them in pole position, with Caton netting for Nantwich.
So it fell to Kyle Jameson to win it for Tranmere. But Tom Booth was up to the size of the moment and made a great save to keep the Dabbers in it.
Sudden death it was, and Scully and Jack Sherratt both put theirs away with ease.
Finally, on Tranmere’s sixth penalty, their goalscorer Jamie Lomax brought another flying save from Booth to complete a stunning shoot-out turnaround and send the Dabbers through to the Third Round on a brilliant night in Birkenhead.
Teams
Tranmere Rovers: Mat Hewelt, Harvey Edgar, Mikey Davies (Lewis Lyall, 67), Reece McAlear, Rhys Hughes (Jack Williams, 45), Kyle Jameson, Joel Mubongo, Dymel Simeu (Paddy Kennedy, 73), Jake Burton, Arthur Lomax, Sam Taylor
Subs not used: Ross Doohan, Jack Flight
Goal: Lomax (29)
Nantwich Town: Tom Booth, Harry Nevin, Perry Bircumshaw (Jack Sherratt, 84), Troy Bourne, Jon Moran, Curtis Morrison (Levy Chiduka, 88), James Caton, Matt Bell (Caspar Hughes, 45), Dan Cockerline, Tom Scully, Byron Harrison (Mwiya Malumo, 45)
Subs not used: Jacob Edwards
Goal: Malumo (75)