HOLDERS Thorpe United Under-16s were edged out of the York Minor League Cup after a quarter-final sudden death shoot-out defeat at Easingwold Town.

The sides were locked at 4-4 after extra-time in the tie at Easingwold School, only for the hosts to hold their nerve in the spot kick drama.

Thorpe will feel they gifted Easingwold the game after hitting the post twice and missing more than ten clear cut chances to put the game away.

The United defence also handed two goals to the home side.

James Leadbeatter put United ahead with a rasping shot after five minutes, but the first of two errors saw a route one high ball touched once by a Town player before it ended up in the net.

Leadbeatter struck with a chipped effort to regain the lead only for Town to once again peg the holders back before half-time.

A second crucial error saw Town take the lead for the first time, but Leadbeatter completed his hat-trick to bring the visitors level.

In extra time, Town scored an excellent goal to lead 4-3, before Ryan McEvoy’s long-range strike beat the ’keeper to level once again.

The last ten minutes saw the Easingwold goal come under siege, with countless goal line clearances, saves and woodwork strikes, but United could not get the winner. Thorpe then had two chances to win the penalty shoot-out, but they missed their fourth and fifth kicks and Town won in sudden death.

Easingwold will be joined in the next round by York RI, Wigginton Grasshoppers and Hamilton Panthers ‘A’.

Nestlé Rowntree were 13-0 winners at Tockwith in the U15s League Cup and they join Bishopthorpe White Rose, Pickering Town and Wigginton Grasshoppers in round four.

Wigginton also reached round four of the U14s competition after a 10-2 victory over Poppleton. Other qualifiers were Woodthorpe Wanderers, Heworth and Rawcliffe.

In the U13s League Cup, Fulford, York Cubs Lions, Haxby Town and Bishopthorpe White Rose reached round four.