Hartpury FC bowed out of the FA Trophy on penalties following a goalless draw with Gloucester City at the 4ED Hartpury Stadium on Saturday.
Former Acorns goal scorer, King Baidoo, netted the decisive spot kick for the Southern League Premier South outfit advancing them to the First Round Proper.
The Acorns made four changes from Wednesday night’s defeat seeing the return of Jacob Towns alongside Billy Osborn, Leon Machisa and Noah Coates, to the starting eleven.
It was even opening 45 minutes with the Acorns seeing the best of the early efforts when Billy Osborn could only head wide from a Vanylson Silva cross on 28 minutes.
Gloucester saw their best opportunity on 31 minutes when Elis Watts tried his luck from 18-yards, but Ryan Smallwood did well to hold the shot.
The Acorns carved out some fantastic chances towards the end of the first period starting when Louis Manning saw a driven effort beaten away on 41 minutes.
Seconds later, Geroge Sims headed just over the bar before Osborn saw an effort from 18-yards kiss the top of the crossbar deep into additional time, seeing the game deadlocked at the break.
HALF TIME – HARTPURY FC 0-0 GLOUCESTER CITY
Gloucester struck the first chance of the second period on 50 minutes when a corner found Sion Spence, but his volley went straight back across the face of goal.
It became a quiet game until 78 minutes when Sop Obieri tried an audacious effort from distance, but it flew well wide.
The Acorns came close on 80 minutes when Silva headed down a cross towards Manning, who tried a first timed volley which was smartly stopped low by Tigers’ goalkeeper, Jared Thompson.
Tomos Shyamapant tried his luck on 85 minutes but saw his distanced effort fly straight at the goalkeeper, seeing the game head to penalties.
Both sides opened the shootout with agonising misses before going onto to score the next five between them.
As the Tigers looked to be gaining control of the spot kicks, Smallwood produced back-to-back stops to give the Acorns a glimmer of hope.
But, heading into sudden death, Baidoo netted the Tigers final spot kick to mount pressure onto the Acorns who saw their final spot kick saved.
Focus now firmly turns to Southern League Div One South action as we travel to Mousehole next Saturday.
FULL TIME – HARTPURY FC 0-0(p) GLOUCESTER CITY
STARTING XI: Smallwood (GK), Kent, Robinson, Machisa, Sims, Towns (Prifti 69’), Jenkins, Coates (Aldridge 59’), Manning, Osborn © (Shyamapant 71’), Silva
UNSUED SUBS: Kelly, Bonnick
