Blues hold their nerve when placed on the spot

DUNSTABLE Town overcame Southern League Premier Division side Arlesey Town with a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory on Tuesday night.

The hosts had Lee Roache full of confidence after his hat-trick at the weekend and he was closely monitored by visiting captain Derek Brown.

A crude tackle on Roache by the skipper resulted in Brown being shown the red card as Arlesey were reduced to 10 men.

Roache and Jonathan Cooper came closest for the Blues as the scores remained goalless at the interval.

Arlesey regrouped in the second half and took the lead against the run of play when former Peterborough and MK Dons striker Drewe Broughton converted a cross from close range on 58 minutes.

Blues made a triple substitution to try and find a way back into the match, but found it increasingly hard to break down the visitors’ defence, with Cooper and Craig Henney going close.

With three minutes left, Blues levelled as Nathan Frater delivered a cross for Henney to send the game into extra-time.

Dunstable thought they had earned progression to the next round when Arlesey conceded a penalty which was gleefully tucked away by Henney.

The goal seemed to inspire the visitors though and they snatched an equaliser in the second period of extra-time through Mitchell Cole.

Arlesey had penalty appeals of their own, but then saw Fabio Bufano sent off in the final moments, leaving them with just nine men.

An action-packed shoot-out saw Damen Pickering, Dean Brennan and Danny Mead all miss, but Blues prevailed 5-4 as Henney, Luke Lincoln, Matthew Judge, Joseph Bruce and Cooper netted.

Dunstable will host Leighton Town in the semi-finals of the competition after the draw was made on Tuesday afternoon.

On Saturday, striker Roache grabbed a hat-trick in the opening 29 minutes as Dunstable were 3-0 winners at Berkhamsted in the Molten Spartan SML Premier Division.

Blues travel to Tring Athletic in the league this weekend.