SOLIHULL Moors suffered penalty shootout heartbreak at Wembley for the second time in six days after losing to Gateshead in the FA Trophy final.
It was a case of déjà vu for Moors, who lost to Bromley on spot kicks in the Promotion Final at Wembley last weekend, as Solihull failed to score four of their penalties in the shootout following a 2-2 draw after extra time.
Moors striker Mark Beck levelled the game in the second half before putting Solihull ahead in extra time only for Gateshead to equalise and then win the game on penalties.
Chances were at a premium in the first half as Alex Whitmore nodded a corner over the bar.
Moments later, Jay Benn made a superb block to deny Ed Francis from close range and keep the scores level.
Moors midfielder Nana Boateng finally tested James Montgomery in the Gateshead goal before Greg Olley flashed an effort wide at the other end.
However, Gateshead broke the deadlock in first-half injury time when Regan Booty slid the ball home from close range after good work from Dajaune Brown down the left-hand side of the penalty area.
Moors spurned a glorious chance to draw level early in the second half as Montgomery kept out Boateng’s close range shot after denying James Clarke minutes earlier.
Gateshead responded with a chance of their own as Hayes pushed Francis’s shot from 20-yards out to safety diving low down to his left.
Solihull equalised on 69 minutes when Beck met Joe Newton’s floated cross from the left and sent a diving header beyond Montgomery.
And Moors should have completed the turnaround moments later only for Joe Sbarra to scuff his shot wide of the target when through on goal with just the goalkeeper to beat.
Gateshead almost won the game at the death when Hayes tipped a cross into the path of Brown who could only redirect the ball straight into the arms of the Moors keeper as the game went to extra time.
Solihull completed the turnaround 11 minutes into the extra period as Beck fired home from the penalty spot after Callum Maycock drew a foul in the box.
However, Gateshead equalised in the 110th minute as Brown smashed home from a couple of yards out after substitute Thomas Allan squared the ball into the scorers path to send the game to penalties.
In the shootout, Matty Warburton put Moors ahead and Gateshead missed their first spot kick.
Both Tyrese Shade and James Clarke failed to convert for Moors with Marcus Dinanga on target for Gateshead while Hayes denied Francis to leave the teams level at one apiece after three penalties each.
The next six penalties were scored before Joss Labadie blazed over and Hayes denied Allan.
However, Whitmore hit the crossbar with Moors next attempt and Brown scored for Gateshead as Solihull suffered another agonising penalty shootout defeat.
