It was another memorable night in the Sussex Transport Senior Cup for Steyning Town, who put in a remarkable team performance on Tuesday evening to overcome a spirited Burgess Hill Town side on penalties in their Quarter-Final tie.

From the off, the two teams looked evenly matched, with each wasting no time in trying to strike the first blow.

The first meaningful chance went the way of Burgess Hill, as Reece Hallard played a good ball across the box and into the feet of Noah Hoffmann, who, after cutting inside was able to get his shot away, but it was just wide of the post.

Yet after an end-to-end first half-hour, it was the visitors who grabbed the opener, thanks to a well taken Nathan Cooper free-kick, which was gleefully received by Mark Goldston who looked up and squared it to the onrushing Harry Shooman, who was able to tap it in.

Keen to push home their advantage, Steyning kept coming at the home side, with Goldston again involved in the action, sending a venomous strike goalwards from just outside the box which, much to the relief of Burgess Hill goalkeeper Taylor Seymour, ended up flying just wide.

Goldston wasn’t done yet however, as he continued to look dangerous, getting another good shot off, which needed the quick reflexes of Seymour to parry away and keep the score at 0-1 going into the break.

We’ll never know what was said to those Burgess Hill players by manager Gary Mansell at half-time, but whatever it was, it clearly worked, with his side coming out with a point to prove.

Indeed, just two minutes into the half and they’d got themselves back level, thanks to a wonder strike from Reece Hallard, who blasted a shot from distance, catching Steyning keeper Lucas Szendela-Goetzke somewhat cold, and despite his best efforts to stop the shot going in, the ball bounced off the crossbar and down into the net.

Steyning came back fighting however, and soon their number nine Tom Chalaye was one-on-one with keeper Seymour; but once again the Burgess Hill man proved himself capable between the sticks, as he spread himself well to make the save.

With just over ten minutes left on the clock, both teams looked more than capable of grabbing the potentially decisive next goal, and much to the delight of the home supporters, it was Hallard once again who came up trumps, this time being there at the back post to tap home a low driven corner.

This tie wasn’t done yet though, and Steyning were far from beaten, wasting no time in peppering the Burgess Hill goal.

Their persistence was rewarded in the 89th minute, as a goalmouth scramble saw Shooman on hand to poke the ball home for his, and his sides, second of the evening.

A frantic few minutes of added time ensued, but neither side could find the winning goal and prevent the game being settled with a shootout.

After three penalties each, neither side looked like blinking first, yet with Burgess Hill needing to score to answer Steyning’s converted fourth, Reggie Ward could only blast his shot onto the bar and over.

That led the visitors talismanic goal-scorer Shooman to step up and score the decisive penalty, which he did with confidence to send Steyning into the Semi-Final of the Sussex Transport Senior Cup, where they will take on Horsham.

(A selection of photographs can be found on Facebook - courtesy of Simon Roe Photography)
SUSSEX TRANSPORT SENIOR CUP QUARTER-FINAL RESULTS

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