Beavers stay cool in shootout to progress to final

(1-1 on aggregate after extra-time; Hampton win 4-2 on penalties)What a tremendous season the 2007-08 campaign has been, and still it goes on with new heights ascended.

A brilliant afternoon watched by almost 1,500 however the occasion almost proved too much for the combatants as they struggled to come to terms with he enormity of the prize that faced the winners, to be one game of football from the Blue Square Premier and the chance to cross swords with the likes of York City, Woking and Stevenage Borough.

The free-flowing football of the first leg on a wet night in East Dulwich was a distant memory on a day in which the nerves jangled and the tension turned players legs to jelly with an inability to shoot straight.

This affliction affected both sides for nearly 120 minutes but eventually Hampton & Richmond players conquered their demons and almost won the game in the later stages before comprehensively putting away all their penalties while Fisher blinked and then folded like an old pack of cards.

The Beavers kept the same starting line up as Tuesday and Fisher still featured the Leicester City reserve keeper Carl Pentney between the posts.

For long periods of time the match hardly lived up to the occasion (but then how many 'finals' ever do?).

Both sets of players were understandably nervous and a much bigger crowd than expected had turned up to see a game poised with the winner to take all.

The visitors could have won the game in the first half but an inability to connect with the ball would cost them dear.

Gavin Tomlin and Shaun Batts were both guilty of missing cast iron chances, when they both missed the ball in front of goal, Tomlin did manage to bring out a save from Matt Lovett late in the first half, but Hampton looked unable to settle down to any sort of consistent play.

The second half was another 45 minutes of nerve wrenching football, neither side could manage to make any headway against the other, it was tortuous at times as the ball spun off a player's foot and simple passes went astray.

What must have it been like for both sets of players desperate to win but seemingly unable to do the simple thing.

With away goals not counting double extra time started with the same scenario but the knowledge that a penalty shoot out was 30 minutes away.

Hampton's inner and outer strength came to the fore, the Beavers had made two substations during the second half and replaced the tiring Elliott Godfrey and Stuart Lake with Shaun McAuley and Barrie Matthews.

Fisher had not made any changes at all and suddenly looked a tired unit and faded quickly. As extra time went on Hampton began to look the stronger and started to create chances to take the game.

In the 98th minute the first real bit of quality from Hampton, a Ryan Lake run and cross and a Lawrence Yaku header looking for Ian Hodges before a defender cleared.

Pentney was down to grab a low cross from Yaku, McAuley shot over from distance and then Francis Quarm did the same.

During the second period of extra-time Hampton increased the pressure.

McAuley sent Hodges on his way but the offside flag went up, then Hodges headed just wide from a free kick.

Shots then crashed in from Yaku, Hodges and McAuley as Fisher defended desperately, McAuley then had a shot blocked in the six yard area.

In the 119th minute Glenn Harris replaced Quarm and trotted on to take a free kick that almost won the game, Hodges fractionally off target, Harris's second touch would be the fourth penalty!

A late free-kick by Fisher was dealt with by Lovett and then it was penalties.

And so to penalties. Something that Hampton are rather good at, and they have a secret weapon (remember Heybridge and Hayes?).

After a delay of almost 10 minutes, we were good to go.

Lawrence Yaku went first for Hampton and he hit his in position A, low to the keeper's left, 1-0. Andre McCollin put his away, 1-1.

Shaun McAuley stepped up and confidently scored, 2-1. Luke Hickie then made a long slow walk to the spot, the Hampton crowd accompanied him with a rendition of the funeral march.

It worked, Hickie was physched out and fired his penalty over the bar, still 2-1 to Hampton.

Pentney looked up the field to see who his next opponent would be, but of a red shirt there was no sign.

Suddenly, Lovett appeared in his field of vision and placed the ball on the spot.

Hampton's secret weapon blasted the ball high into the net, 3-1 to Hampton.

Wesley Thomas kept Fisher in the contest by making it 3-2.

The fourth penalty was Glenn Harris, who had only came on in the 119th minute, and he hit his low into the corner.

Batts walked up needing to score but his legs had gone on him, and he blasted the ball over the stand roof to a tumultuous roar from the crowd and the players, as realisation dawned on them that Hampton were through to the final.

Alan Devonshire said afterwards: "I didn't think that we'd be in this postion at the start of the season, but we are and we'll give it our best shot!"

The Beavers had plenty of heroes out there but Dean Wells was immense on Saturday, playing a real captain's part. The final is against Eastbourne Borough at Stevenage Borough FC on Thursday (7.30pm)

Hampton: Matt Lovett; Graham Harper, Ryan Lake, Orlando Jeffrey, Stuart Lake (Barrie Matthews, 64), Dean Wells, Alan Inns, Elliott Godfrey (Shaun McAuley, 65), Ian Hodges, Lawrence Yaku, Francis Quarm (Glenn Harris,119). Subs not used: Rob Paris, Marcello Fernandes.During the week, news came through that the supporters' trust had received official sanction, timely news with now more than 180 members signed up.