‘Unacceptable’ – Gosport Borough boss Shaun Gale’s verdict on shock Hampshire Senior Cup exit

A much-changed Boro side - but still one containing a handful of former professionals - were dumped out of the Hampshire Senior Cup at Andover New Street.

Boro needed a second-half spot-kick from Harvey Bradbury to rescue a 1-1 second round draw against a team from three tiers lower in the non-league pyramid.

Gosport then missed two penalties in the subsequent shoot-out as the Wessex Division 1 hosts progressed by a 4-2 margin.

Asked to sum up his side’s display, Gale replied: ‘In a nutshell, crap.

‘I have been around this game long enough, and if you don’t turn up and apply yourselves in the right manner …

‘You have to do the basics, you have to match the opposition in working hard.

‘We got what we deserved in the end, which was nothing. I was very disappointed, certain players didn’t do themselves any favours.

‘It’s not often I can say that about my teams. It’s a massive learning curve, even for the senior players.

‘It was unacceptable, and I told them that afterwards.’

Ex-pros Danny Hollands, Matt Briggs, Brad Tarbuck and Matt Paterson all started at Foxcotte Park.

Former Pompey Academy player Izzy Kaba was among the youngsters drafted in, alongside 16-year-old midfielder Dan Aitken, Jake Wright and Kyal Williams.

Bert White, who was on loan to Boro from Ipswich for the first half of last season, was back in goal having rejoined the club last week.

And centre half Ryan Woodford also started, his first competitive game of 2022/23.

The likes of Harvey Rew, Harry Kavanagh, Andreas Robinson, Abdulai Baggie, Dan Wooden and even teenage defender Finn Walsh-Smith, just 18, were taken out of the starting XI with one eye on this weekend’s FA Cup tie with Paulton Rovers at Privett Park.

Gale added: ‘We bossed the second half, dominated the play, their keeper made five or six good saves, we missed chances - but we shouldn’t have been in that position. The damage had been done.

‘On the positive side, Matt Briggs got 90 minutes, Dan Aitken played 90, Brad Tarbuck got minutes, Ryan Woodford got minutes. For the youngsters, it was good experience.’

New Street, unbeaten in their three Wessex fixtures so far, went ahead just before the interval through Shane Lock, with Harvey Bradbury levelling from the penalty spot on 66 minutes.

The hosts converted all their four spot-kicks in the shoot-out with Williams firing Boro’s second effort against the crossbar and teenager Brandon Channell - on as a second-half sub - lifting the fourth over the bar.

New Street, who beat Wessex Premier side Hamble 3-1 in the first round, are now through to the last 16 of the premier non-league cup in the county.