Seagulls upbeat after penalty heartbreak

SO the promotion dream is over after Colwyn Bay suffered the heartbreak of a penalty shoot-out defeat after a 2-2 draw in the play-off semi-final at Newcastle Blue Star (April 29).
In the end the loss of key players, through injury and Ash Taylor's recall by Tranmere, was too much for the small squad. Only 13 outfield players were available at Newcastle and two of those were not fully fit, while Danny Jarrett got injured in the second half and had to be replaced.
But nobody can fault the effort that the players put in and the club remain upbeat about the future.
Chairman Geoff Cartwright said: "This game really was a bonus for us. When we sat down with Neil in December the play-offs were a distant dream and all the talk was about building a team that could challenge for promotion next season. It is all credit to Neil, Gary and the players that we actually made the play-offs this time; that has been a fantastic effort.
"In the end it went down to the lottery of penalties to end it for us, but I can't feel disappointed because we have made such progress this season both on and off the field and plans are in place for that to continue."
Manager Neil Young admitted the injuries that have ripped the heart out of the squad had scuppered their chances of snatching promotion this year, but praised the effort that the players had put in.
"We have the nucleus of a squad that can challenge next season already in place and I am going to be busy over the next couple of months trying to bring in the players that take can us that extra step. I can promise the fans, who have been magnificent this season, that we will do everything we can to bring success next season."
The Bay got a great start to the semi-final when they were awarded a penalty after just five minutes, as Rob Hopley was tripped from behind as he latched onto a long ball into the area and Lee Hammond scored from the spot.
But they had to defend for much of the rest of the first half with Hopley often left too isolated on his own up front.
Blue Star had a goal by Paul Bryson ruled out for offside and Chris Sanna made a tremendous diving save to deny Dave McTiernan when he broke clear of the Bay defence.
But the pressure finally told when Bryson scored from 25 yards following a poor headed clearance by Tim Brandreth from a long ball that he could have allowed to run through to the keeper.
The Seagulls changed their formation at half-time and posed much more of an attacking threat in the second half with Blue Star keeper Dan Lowson tipping a Danny Jarrett header over the bar and Eddie Jebb wasting a great chance when he shot straight at the keeper after Hopley's flick on header had put him clear.
It needed two outstanding saves by Sanna to keep out shots from Blue Star player-manager Steve Bowey, while Bryson also went close, before the home side had skipper Steve Baker sent off for a second yellow card.
The Bay, who had to pull top scorer Hopley back into defence to replace the injured Jarrett on the hour, couldn't make the extra man count as the game went into extra time and in fact it was Blue Star who took the lead 10 minutes into the extra half hour when they broke quickly from defence and substitute Josh Gillies rifled in an unstoppable shot from 25 yards.
Four minutes later the Bay were level when Eddie Jebb jinked his way through into the area before being brought down by keeper Lowson, and Dean Canning slid the ball into the net as it ran loose.
The referee, faced with sending the keeper off, opted to give the goal instead of a penalty.
Jebb then had another strong claim for a penalty ignored as he seemed to be felled from behind after another powerful run into the box, but Bay's hopes of snatching a winner were diminished when Dean Canning was also sent off for a second yellow card for dissent at one of several frustrating offside decisions.
Sanna then made another great save from Bowey and the tie went to penalties.
Jebb and Hammond successfully converted their spot kicks but Robbie Williams fired over the bar and Mike McGraa saw his effort saved by Lowson who then scored the decider himself after Bowey, Convery and Craddock had all beaten Sanna.
Sanna had earlier kept the Bay in the game with some outstanding saves, and I thought Lee Hammond also had a storming match, but the midfield again badly missed Steve Aspinall, who lost his battle to recover from a calf injury, and Ashton Taylor, and that was significant.
Colwyn Bay: Sanna, Spearritt, Hammond, Brandreth, Jarrett (Webb 61mins), McGraa, Canning, Williams, Hiopley, Lee (Edwards 58mins), Jebb. Subs not used: Wood, Jackson.