Published: 11 October, 2012
by STEVE BARNETT

GUNNERS’ goalkeepers Wojciech Szczesny and Vito Mannone might want to watch their backs as it looks like the club has unearthed another top shot-stopper.

Arsenal communications officer Tom Bennett swapped the Emirates Stadium for Hackney Marshes at the weekend and put in a starring role between the sticks in the preliminary round of the highly-sought after Camden Sunday League Challenge Cup, which we sponsor.

Bennett made a vital save during a dreaded shoot-out as Boundary Estate FC beat Enate United 6-5 on penalties to earn their first win of the season.

The Islington club only managed to field 10 players for the all-important tie, and found themselves even more up against it when skipper Josh Mahony powered home Jesse Caplan’s tantalising delivery from a corner to give United the lead.

But for all of their possession, the Division Two side lacked a genuine goal threat and failed to find a decisive second.
They were left to rue their lack of a cutting edge up front in the final minutes of the match when Fedele Boccia equalised for Boundary, chesting down a corner before walloping the ball into the back of the net.

The game remained 1-1 after extra time and so it was left to Lady Luck to settle the tie. The first 10 penalties were all scored with aplomb, none more cheeky than a chipped effort from United’s Jack Hughes that agonisingly evaded Bennett’s grasp.

The goalkeeper got even closer in sudden-death, however, as he flew across the face of the net to palm away Jason De Lencastre’s effort. That gave Jack Pegg the chance to score the winning penalty, which he nervously accepted.

Following his goalkeeping heroics, Boundary’s No.1 said: “With five minutes of regular time to go, we were
1-0 down with only 10 players against a team from the division above and thought we were a spent force.

“Something in our club motto – nos semper vincere (we always win) – pushed us on though, and in the dying embers of the game, we found an equaliser to take the game to penalties.

“Then it was just a battle of nerve. We were clinical, scoring all six of our spot-kicks and putting tremendous pressure on our opponents.

“I couldn’t get to their first five, but knew I would have a chance sooner or later. I guessed the right way for their first sudden-death kick, and managed to get enough on it to push it away.”

Elsewhere Luke Morgan scored a hat-trick as AFC Camden Borough hit FC Lotus for six.

Jay Ellis also played his part with three assists, twice laying on goals for the impressive Morgan, who completed his timely treble from the penalty spot after a handball on the line saw Lotus reduced to 10 men.

Billy Foster capped a man-of-the-match display with a goal, while Jamie Gallagher made up for some poor finishing when he finally scored with a 25-yard free-kick. Substitute Estef Malundama wrapped up a 6-0 victory.

Two goals from Siva Van Vliet and strikes from Jonny Price, Simon Higgins, Joe Dalton, Raz Ahasan and Matt Tassell saw big-scorers Chalk Scratchings seal a 7-4 win over Metropolitan Rockets.

Dinamo Dorigo are also through to the second round of the cup after goals from Ben Fox and David Lee earned a 2-1 win over FC Bertoli. Adam Nathan pulled a goal back for FC Bertoli.

In another high-scoring tie a brace from Tom Wakefield, along with strikes from Jamie Roberts, Humza Vanderman, Nick Hayward, Sam Morris and Aaron Lawee, saw The Hurricanes beat Kings Hell Cats 7-4. Jamie Davies, who scored twice, Alex Rose and Julian Pickard-Garcia were on target for Kings Hell Cats.

Cobden Athletic came from a goal down at the break to beat Langham FC 2-1 thanks to goals from Steven Bruce and Patrick Jones.

Coalition Crusaders, AFC Shooters, MDM and two sides from Surreal Madrid are also all through.
Pictured on page one: Boundary goalscorer Fedele Boccia and goalkeeper Tom Bennett.