MATCH REPORT: Derby out of the FA Futsal Cup on penalties

Grimsby 5 Derby 5 (Grimsby win 3-2 on penalties) – FA Futsal Cup

Author: Toby Hill

Derby Futsal club were defeated on penalties by Grimsby in the second round of the FA Futsal Cup.

In a fierce match, Derby clawed their way back into the fixture with goals coming from Matt Richardson, John King, Connor Towes and Tom Gascoyne. However, it is Grimsby who will progress into the third round of the cup after Jack Boswell sealed the winning penalty.

Captain Dylan Harris-Newton saw red for a second yellow card in seconds as he was booked simultaneously for a foul and descent. Speaking about the sending off of his captain, Richardson stated: “If he’s not sent off for, in my opinion for what wasn’t a sending off, then we go and take the game to them.”

With only ten minutes to go, Derby were trailing by two. However, a long-range strike from Towes gave the midlands-side a lifeline. Another goal came a mere two minutes later as King converted a low-driven strike into the bottom left corner.

Derby seemed to be in jubilation and the side appeared to be in full force to turn the match around completely. Against the script, Jack Boswell smashed the ball into the Derby net from a tight angle to give Grimsby the lead once again.

Derby knew they needed to produce a goal and, with only six minutes left, they were facing an exit from the FA Cup. A goalmouth scramble gave Derby hope and Tom Gascoyne was there to poke the ball past Alex Lait and bring the match to a penalty shootout.

Unfortunately for Derby, Grimsby were clinical in the shootout and smashed three past Richard Hankey. King and Freeman were unable to do the same for Derby and they saw their side eliminated from the FA Cup.

Richardson also expressed his opinions of the positives from the match, he said: “We’ve brought through four fresh players from January who have come and played, for them to gain minutes and for us to play as well in the second-half as we did, it’s good to see them mixing in with the lads.”

Derby will be looking to bounce back from this defeat in their next league game.