Disappointing League Cup run continues

Greensnet Editor
Thu 18 Oct 2012, 00:10

Hendon's poor recent record in the league cup continued tonight as Tilbury came back from two goals down to draw 2-2, and then win 3-0 on penalties.

The defeat means that the Greens have been knocked out of the competition at the first attempt in each of the last six seasons, and the last victory came in September 2006 at Flackwell Heath.

Gary McCann made 11 changes to the starting line-up, with goalkeeper Jordan Kennedy making his debut, whilst Belal Aite-Ouakrim and Mustafa Mirzai made their first appearances of the season for the club. Coming off the bench were Lee Faulkner and Kambo Smith, also making their debuts.

The first half belonged to the Greens, as they went into a 2-0 lead, both goals coming from Jack Mazzone. The first was a lovely curling strike, whilst the second saw the youngster clinically slide the ball past the keeper into the net.

Tilbury came back well in the second half, although it did take them half an hour to pull a goal back - Tony Jacobs finding the back of the net. Then, with five minutes to go, and just after Tilbury had been reduced to ten men with one of their players injured with a suspected fractured ankle after all three subs had been made, Sherwin Stanley equalised.

There is no extra time in the League Cup, so the game went straight to penalties. Tilbury's first three takers all converted their spot kicks, but with Scott Shulton and Jack Mazzone seeing their efforts saved, and Elliott Brathwaites clipping the crossbar, the Essex side progressed to the next round, 3-0 in the shoot-out.