Surbiton Ladies reached the third round of the Women’s Cup, but needed a last second penalty corner conversion from Kelly Morgan to overcome a spirited Sevenoaks side at Sugden Road on Sunday.

The last gasp drama mirrored the performance of the Ladies’ second team, who had progressed to the second round of their corresponding cup competition in a similar manner three weeks previously, Sian Craze scoring an open play goal at the very end of extra time as Horsham went down 1-0.

Craze also lined up against Sevenoaks, but it was Morgan’s turn to be Surbiton’s heroine, forcing the ball home from short range following a penalty corner, awarded before, but taken after the final extra time whistle, to delight the home supporters, and break the hearts of the visiting players and their supporters.

The odds had seemed to be against Sevenoaks from the start, as not only did they name a thirteen player squad (of which twelve played) compared to Surbiton’s sixteen; but in the second minute, they found themselves a goal behind, Jessica Brooker smashing the ball past the visitors’ goalkeeper, Caroline Tromans, from Surbiton’s first penalty corner. At that stage, the home supporters had good reason to be optimistic.

Instead, Surbiton had to wait 83 more minutes before they could clinch victory, mainly down to Sevenoaks’ battling spirit, Tromans’ saves; and the home side’s apparent inability to finish. Indeed, Sevenoaks could justifiably argue that they should have won the tie in normal time, as Liz Key pulled a 22nd minute penalty stroke past the left post.

The visitors had to wait a further ten minutes before they were able to get back on level terms, the equaliser coming once again from Jet Van Zalen, who had also equalised in the league match under the Kent team’s floodlights a fortnight before. Neither side could make a further breakthrough, until, with penalty strokes looming, Surbiton were awarded their seventh penalty corner of the match, and Sevenoaks’ fate was sealed.

In Monday’s draw, Surbiton were drawn away to East League leaders, Maidstone, with the tie due to be played on 14 November. After Surbiton knocked EHL Conference West side, Buckingham out of the cup last season as a South League team in the third round; this season the roles are reversed, with Maidstone the team seeking an EHL scalp.

SURBITON LADIES: Tranquille-Day (GK); Heptonstall (Capt.), Jenkins, Garne, Ford, Addison, Goodwin, Robinson; Teasdale, Brooker, Bryant,. Subs: Morgan, Macdonald, Craze, Holmes, Royce.

Surbiton Ladies 1 Old Loughtonians Ladies 0 Meanwhile, on Saturday, a 40th minute goal by Helen Grant was enough to clinch Surbiton’s fourth league win of the season, but keep them in second place, behind leaders Chelmsford, at the top of the England Hockey League Conference East on goal difference.

Grant took the ball around Old Loughtonians’ debutant goalkeeper, Lucy Kirkby, and into the empty goal to keep Surbiton in contention for a promotion playoff spot. Katie Richards had a chance to equalise from the visitors’ sole penalty corner with six minutes remaining, but her shot went past the left post.

With a third of the England Hockey League Conference East season completed, the top three teams are separated by a single point, Ipswich breathing down both Chelmsford and Surbiton’s necks, in third place. Chelmsford beat Cambridge City 3-0; with Ipswich winning 2-0 at Harleston Magpies.

After a week’s break, the EHL resumes on 6 November. Surbiton are due to visit Cambridge City, and will be interested in events in Suffolk, as Chelmsford are due to visit Ipswich.

SURBITON LADIES: Tranquille-Day (GK); Heptonstall (Capt.), Jenkins, Gordon, Ford, Rowland-Jones, Goodwin, Robinson; Morgan, Teasdale, Bryant. Subs: Brooker, Grant, James, Macdonald, Tait.