AFC Dunstable pay the penalty as they go out of the FA Cup in controversial circumstances

AFC Dunstable surrendered a 1-0 lead as they crashed out of the FA Cup at the Extra Preliminary Round on Saturday with a 2-1 defeat at Berkhamsted in an incident-packed game that included three penalties.

AFC took the lead in the eighth minute when centre-half Ed Canham penalised for pushing and Craig Butler stepped up to net from the penalty spot.

The home side tried hard to get back in it, but the speedy BJ Christie and Stefan Tracey were proving a real handful.

A second more blatant trip on Christie in the box went unpunished as AFC started to take control in the middle and create more chances.

John Cooper and Butler both went close, while Christie was just unable to apply the finishing touch to Tracey’s inviting ball across the face of the goal.

But the Lilywhites levelled just before the break when Frederick’s powerful shot deflected off a defender and past keeper Ryan Darby.

Christie went close twice for the visitors after beating three men on a jinking run as AFC picked up the pressure after the break.

Butler had a golden chance for the visitors when he found himself clear, but pushed the ball wide at the railway end.

But Berkhamsted netted a controversial winner when Darby came out to punch a cross and was penalised for a foul on the challenging forward as Josh Chamberlain stepped up to put Berko 2–1 up from the spot.

Aggrieved AFC threw everything at Berko as both Cooper and Dale Turney should have equalised and in the last minute they were given a golden chance to force a replay when a rash challenge from Jamie Gavin produced yet another penalty.

This time Turney struck it down the middle though where Carl Tasker was on hand to save as Berko won through.

AFC boss Alex Butler said: “Our boys were devastated not to go through. They were immense today and ordinarily if you dominate the game, create so many chances and all your players perform then you win the game.

“For sure we can blame ourselves for the missed chances, but on this occasion an official made some wrong and game-changing decisions, and it is sad that this also warrants a mention. Good luck to Berko.”

This Saturday AFC host London Colney in the Molten Spartan SML Premier Division and on Tuesday they go to Oxhey Jets.