MELTON St Audry’s manager Steve Moore admitted he had stopped watching by the time goalkeeper Callum Deacon pulled off the winning save in his side’s epic Bob Coleman Cup penalty shoot-out.

The Saints defeated Stanton 14-13 on penalties, after last Saturday’s fourth round tie had ended 2-2 after extra time.

The 32-penalty shoot-out is thought to be the longest in the history of cup competitions in the Touchline SIL and one of the most drawn out yet to take place in Suffolk.

Moore said: “I had my back turned at that point, but I was told that Matt Musgrove hit the penalty straight down the middle and Callum saved it.”

But the outcome could have been different so far as Deacon, who was on the losing side in a 28-penalty shoot-out while playing for Ransomes Under-18s against Lawford Lads in a Colchester Open Cup tie in 2003/04, and the Saints were concerned.

The score was 4-4 after the first five spot kicks, Matt Chaplin missing Stanton’s second penalty and Josh Kerridge seeing Melton’s third effort saved.

So to sudden death and Deacon, 25, then took the sixth penalty but missed, before atoning by saving from Jordan Smith, who would have sent Stanton through if he had scored.

Moore said: “It crossed my mind that we were on the verge of going out when Callum missed. He was so confident about taking one, but put it wide.

“Then he tipped the next penalty around the post to put a smile back on my face.

“I don’t know what their manager went through, but it was great to be involved in an epic cup-tie like that. Overall I thought we just about shaded it and deserved to go through.

“People were texting me afterwards to check what they had heard was right because they did not believe what had happened!” added Moore, whose side lost 5-4 on penalties to Woodbridge Town in the semi-finals of the Churchman Cup and have conceded a total of ten penalties in open play so far this season.