Thornbury Town under-18s were cruelly denied victory in the Bristol u18 Football Combination League Plate final with a 7-6 defeat on penalties against eventual winners Hengrove Athletic.

The two sides could not be separated after 90 minutes following a 2-2 draw, and Division One champions Hengrove triumphed in sudden death in the shootout at the Oaklands Park Stadium at the home of the Gloucestershire FA.

It was Thornbury who had the brighter start - Stanley Wyatt fired wide after seizing on an early opportunity, Joe Pearmain headed over a free kick and George Baker was also denied.

Hengrove were awarded a penalty though which gave them the chance to break the deadlock and Jacob Grinnell stepped up to fire his side into the lead.

A Baker free kick which almost squeezed in was a good response from Thornbury who showed excellent character to get back into the contest on the half hour mark.

Hari Virdi set Baker and the front man found a way through to draw the scores level.

A tense second half saw little between the two teams. Thornbury goalkeeper Sam Lee pulled off one terrific save though couldn’t prevent Hengrove taking the lead on 65 minutes through Harvey Impey.

Back came Thornbury again, and as the match entered its final quarter of an hour 15-year-old duo Alfie Lee and Wyatt combined to provide a low ball into the box for Callum Curtis who drove home a second Thornbury equaliser.

The goal forced the game into penalty kicks as neither side could be separated after 90 minutes.

Hengrove went onto triumph in the shootout as Thornbury suffered a cruel ending to a tight and competitive final.

THORNBURY: S Lee, J Bakewell, K O’Brien, T Stowell, O Robertson, H Virdi, S Wyatt, J Pearmain, C Curtis, H Thomas, G Baker, E Cain, B King, A Lee, C Groves, H Pickett