Penalty-takers spot on in record 19-18 shootout

Old Wulfrunians and Lane Head played out an entertaining 3-3 draw over 90 minutes at Old Wulfs’ Castlecroft ground – but little did the players, coaches and supporters know that was merely the beginning of a very long night.

By the time Jack Marsh scored the winning kick for Wulfrunians, putting them into the second round, all 22 players had taken a penalty – twice – with the hosts triumphing 19-18 after an English record 44 spot-kicks.

“I’ve never witnessed anything like that before,” said Marsh, a teacher at Spring Vale Primary School in Wolverhampton. “I was 11th taker so you don’t expect to take one, never mind have to take twice. Everyone was almost bored at the end of it.”

With Lane Head going first, they held the advantage for much of the incredible shootout – though Old Wulfs did have two chances to win it before finally converting.

From 4-4 after the designated five penalties each, it then became 8-8 after all 11 players on both sides, including the goalkeepers, had taken.

Marsh – who ‘wasn’t the most confident’ having missed a couple of spot-kicks – had opted to go after his goalkeeper, who struck the post when he had the chance to win it with the 10th penalty.

“Unfortunately I missed some because I had to go and get the players’ food from the chip shop,” admitted Old Wulfs secretary Simon Marsh, the father of eventual match-winner Jack. “I got back and it was still going on!

“It was incredible – we’ll never see anything like it again.”

The next 10 players on each side then successfully converted their second penalties of the night before Lane Head finally missed their 22nd spot-kick and Marsh – who had opted to go after his own goalkeeper – coolly sent the Lane Head No.1 the wrong way.

So just what was he thinking stepping up for the second time with a chance to finally end it?

“I need to score otherwise the lads are going to be fuming!” he admitted. “When I did score, it was more of a relief that finally it was done.” He added: “Extra-time would have been quicker than that penalty shootout!”

The world record for longest penalty shootout stands at 48 penalties, which happened when KK Palace defeated the Civics 17-16 in the final of the 2005 Namibian Cup.

But with Old Wulfs and Lane Head having converted more, Guinness World Record officials are delving into their archives to see if the JW Hunt Cup tie may have set its own record for most goals in a penalty shootout.

Alan Ryder, cup secretary of 27 years, was waiting up for the result to come in and beginning to wonder what had happened when he finally heard the news from Castlecroft: “It was unbelievable – it’s usually 5-4 or 7-6.”

“It was ridiculous,” said assistant referee, Stuart Flannery, who was stood in the centre circle with the players as the shootout went on. “Even the players had enough and asked ‘can we toss a coin instead?’

“I said ‘you can miss if you want’, but they obviously wanted to win!”

It was quite the way to mark the first round of the JW Hunt Cup held in two years because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Beacon Centre For The Blind are set to benefit again from the charity competition, which has been running since 1926.

“It’s been brilliant (having the cup back),” added Ryder. “Everybody is quite excited about it.”