It wasn’t quite a Record Breaker but you had to have dedication to take part in and watch the titanic penalty contest between the Peacocks and Truro City in the Southern League Challenge Cup yesterday evening (20th November).

After a 2-2 draw at the end of 90 minutes, the tie went straight to a spot kick shoot-out and when Niall Thompson scored the opening penalty, no-one could have foreseen the drama that was to follow. It actually took 34 penalties to decide the winner, with Jack Rice the man to fire the Peacocks into the next round. He commented:” It always feels good to score a penalty in a shoot-out but to score the winner in such a long and unique one was something special that I will always remember.”

For posterity and all statisticians, the full list of hot shots and spot flops were:

TRURO CITY                                                                                         TAUNTON TOWN

Niall Thompson scored                                                                        Andrew Neal missed, hit post          0 – 1

Alex Battle scored                                                                                  Shane White scored                           1 – 2

Rio Garside scored                                                                                Callum Watts scored                          2 – 3

Adel Gafaiti missed, over the bar                                                       Lewis Hall scored                               3 – 3

George Tucker missed, saved                                                              Jack Rice saved                                  3 – 3

Harlain Mbayo scored                                                                          Joe Charles scored                             4 – 4

Austen Booth scored                                                                            Harry Kite scored                                5 – 5

Ben Musselwhite scored                                                                      Lloyd Irish scored                              6 – 6

Andreas Calleja-Stayne scored                                                           Jamie Short scored                            7 – 7

James Ward scored                                                                              Luke Manley scored                          8 – 8

Dan Stedman missed, saved                                                              Nathan Byrne missed, saved            8 – 8

Niall Thompson scored                                                                       Andrew Neal scored                          9 – 9

Adel Gafaitti scored                                                                             Shane White scored                          10 – 10

Alex Battle scored                                                                                 Callum Watts scored                        11 – 11

Rio Garside missed, saved                                                                  Lloyd Irish missed, wide                 11 – 11

Harlain Mbayo missed, hit bar                                                          Lewis Hall missed, saved                11 – 11

Austen Booth missed, hit post                                                           Jack Rice scored                                12 –11

Media interest has been high today following the penalty marathon last night, with Peacocks’ Chairman Kevin Sturmey speaking on both BBC Somerset and Talk Sport while we have also made the Times newspaper and the BBC Sport website (link HERE )

The 34 penalties equals the number taken in the EFL Trophy match between Oxford United and Chelsea Under 23’s in 2016.