Hartley Wintney crashed out of the Isuzu FA Trophy after a penalty shootout defeat to Beaconsfield Town.

Hartley showed promise at the start as new signing Balal Dembele showed good skill to create space and his parting shot went just over the crossbar.

On eight minutes loose play in midfield by the Row gave Aaron Minhas and opportunity for the Rams but the final shot lacked power and Row keeper Adam Desbois saved easily. 

Two minutes later Eilel Gouth set up Callum Webb who shot over from 20 yards. Play settled down into a midfield tussle with neither side making much impression.

On 30 minutes a long pass from the right found Beaconsfield’s Oliver McCoy who shot wide. 

Three minutes before the break the Rams took the lead. Hartley lost possession in midfield and a through ball found McCoy and Daniel Bradshaw running clear behind the Hartley defence.

McCoy drew Desbois before passing to Daniel Bradshaw who stroked the ball into the empty goal. (1-0). The Row protested the goal was offside, but referee Gareth Burton was unmoved and the goal was awarded.

The second half saw the Rams gain an edge in play. On 52 minutes Elliott Buchanan got free and his strike on goal produced a good save from Desbois. Beaconsfield got the  benefit after what looked like a foul in midfield on 63 minutes and Mc Coy crossed to Kyel Reid whose parting shot  saw Desbois make a smart save.

Beaconsfield continued to be in the ascendancy with Hartley struggling to make an impression in attack.

However on 75 minutes Imran Kayani for the Row had an effort which brought out a comfortable save from Raven Constable in the Rams goal. 

Hartley pushed centre back Matt Drage into attack to try and retrieve the tie. Ten minutes from the end Beaconsfield midfielders out muscled their Row counterparts leaving Reid to cross to Tobias Little who saw his effort deflected wide.

On 85 minutes Reid went on a good run and his final shot went just wide.

After what had been a fairly dull match things were to burst into life in the final moments. On 88 minutes Tom Leggett went on a surging run down the right, cut in and sent a left foot shot across Constable and into the net (1-1).

Things were to get even better for Hartley in the first minutes of added time. Another run from Leggett saw a right-wing cross which was handled in the penalty area by a Beaconsfield defender and a penalty awarded.  Matt Drage stepped up and fired home the spot kick. (1-2)

Soon afterwards there was a fracas between players of both sides. Once settled the Rams were left with a free kick in midfield. From the free kick the ball was worked for a cross and the ball fell to Buchanan who saw his shot crash off the post.

The ball fell into the path of Nathan Minhas who blasted home from 10 yards. This was the last kick of the match.

The match was decided by a penalty kick shootout.  Matt Drage converted the first kick but all the other three Hartley kicks were saved by Constable. Beaconsfield converted all three of their spot kicks.