SUFFOLK'S under-18 side were cruelly defeated 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out by West Riding following a brave performance in a 1-1 draw in the FA County Youth Cup Final at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground.

SUFFOLK'S under-18 side were cruelly defeated 4-3 in a penalty shoot-out by West Riding following a brave performance in a 1-1 draw in the FA County Youth Cup Final at Bradford City's Valley Parade ground.

West Riding had taken the lead in the second half through Matthew Oxer's penalty, but a Scott Chaplin wonder strike took the game to extra time.

A further half-hour came and went without a goal and, with a penalty apiece missed by both sides, the vital shoot-out miss came from unfortunate Suffolk skipper Sam Nunn.

West Riding took the lead 15 minutes after the break when the lively Oxer was brought down by Goody in the penalty area and then brushed himself off to send the keeper the wrong way with his spot-kick.

Suffolk soon took hold of the game, equalising in spectacular fashion after 76 minutes thanks to a superb strike from Chaplin. Operating on the left flank, Chaplin received the ball tight on the by-line, then stepped inside his marker with a quick piece of skill before curling a sublime effort into the top right-hand corner from outside the area.

Extra time came and went without any real chances, with neither of two tiring sides wanting to lose this late in the game.

Then came the heartbreak of the shoot-out for Suffolk. Ashley Sloots, Chaplin and Tom Jeal converted, while a Shaun Bammant save was cancelled out by a Carl Goody stop. West Riding scored their fifth and the unfortunate Nunn hit the foot of a post to seal Suffolk's fate.