Mussels reach second final in three years

Mussels won the competition, with a 2-1 win over Whitehawk in 2005, and Rob Boddy's extra-time penalty means they will now face Ringmer in this year's final on Good Friday (11am).

The final will also be played at Three Bridges, and perhaps a lucky omen for Shoreham is that when they won the Cup in 2005, they played their semi-final and final at Three Bridges also.

Boddy got the only goal of a nervy encounter on 94 minutes. Shoreham substitute Darren Annis, who came on only at the start of the extra period, twisted and turned in the penalty area and was tugged back by Crawley Down's Scott Woolley.

Referee Neal Wallace temporarily allowed play to continue but when Annis' shot was blocked, he pulled play back for a penalty.

Boddy stepped up and although Down keeper Shayne Goldsmith dived the right way, he got nowhere near the kick.

Mussels' Mark Burt then had a header hacked off the line following Jamie Groves' corner as Shoreham looked to seal their place in the final.

Although Crawley looked dangerous, they failed to create an equalising chance and their frustration grew when midfielder Adam Aylward was sent off for dissent with five minutes left.

Just a minute later, Shoreham's Dan Taylor followed him for an early shower. He had already been booked for a combination of a foul and dissent, before he received a second booking for kicking the ball away.

Mussels keeper Steve Allfrey was perhaps also lucky to stay on the pitch, after pushing Down's Gareth Neathey to the floor as Down won several late corners. But Shoreham held on and nearly added a second when Annis flicked Tom Rajan's cross just wide.

Both teams had cancelled each other out in a tight first half, with Burt's fierce volley in first-half added time, brilliantly saved by Goldsmith, the only shot of note.

The second half became a more open affair and Dean Smith and Owen Callaghan had half-chances to give Mussels the lead. Smith's shot was blocked and Callaghan's effort span away from danger.

A mistake by Shoreham defender Dan Jordan almost gifted Down the lead on the hour. His mis-kick left Gareth Neathey through on goal but his attempted left-foot lob from 25 yards drifted just the wrong side of the far post.

Two minutes later, Mussels' hard-working forward Neil Kane was denied by an outstanding low save from Goldsmith, and Kane's header shortly afterwards was also stopped by the keeper.

Shoreham became more and more frustrated, with too many passes missing their target, and Mussels duo Boddy and Taylor had an angry exchange of words with each other, which led to referee Wallace talking to them both to calm them down on 88 minutes.

That was soon forgotten, though, as six minutes later, in extra-time, Taylor was one of the first Shoreham players to congratulate Boddy after his match-winning penalty.

SHOREHAM: Allfrey; Rajan, Hurley, Jordan, Philpott; Boddy, Smith, Burt, Taylor, O.Callaghan; Kane. Subs: Groves (Callaghan 81, ankle injury), Annis (Kane 90), Mighall, P.Proto, Green.

CRAWLEY DOWN: Goldsmith; Juniper, Woolley, New, Thompson; D.Neathey, Aylward, Saunders, Shuga'a; G.Neathey, Upton. Subs: Lake (Thompson 78), Etherington (D.Neathey 105), Edwards (Saunders 106), Otway, Tiley.

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