Andrew Neal Converts Two Extra-Time Penalties as Plymouth Parkway Stun Berkhamsted in FA Cup Comeback

Andrew Neal converted two penalties in extra time as Plymouth Parkway came back to beat Berkhamsted 2-1 in an FA Cup tie that got complicated right from the start of the second half and wasn't settled until well beyond the 90 minutes.

Berkhamsted went ahead just moments into the second half: in the 46th minute, with the score still level at 0-0, Luke Andrews showed up on the left side of the box and finished with his left foot to make it 0-1. Jonathan Lacey, who had already been a constant headache for the home defense, set it up with a through ball. Up to that point, Plymouth Parkway had seen more of the ball but had lacked a cutting edge: the first half produced little real danger, with attempts from Will Sullivan and Reece Thomson failing to hit the target.

The equalizer came from the penalty spot. In the 70th minute, Hubert Graczyk brought down Andrew Neal inside the box and the referee pointed straight to the spot. Two minutes later, Neal himself stepped up and finished to the center of the goal with his right foot to make it 1-1. Plymouth Parkway had already given warning signs before that moment, including a Reece Thomson effort that struck the left post in the 50th minute, a sign that the home side was closing in.

With the score locked at 1-1 through the end of regulation, the match went to extra time. And it was there that another penalty call decided things: in the 103rd minute, Adam Watkins fouled Michael Williams inside the box, and two minutes later Andrew Neal made no mistake for the second time, this time sending his right-footed effort to the goalkeeper's right for the eventual 2-1. The rest of the extra period saw Berkhamsted push for an equalizer, with efforts from Connor Kurran-Browne, Max Rosner and William Mardell-Smith all missing the target, while Plymouth Parkway managed the lead through to the final whistle.

What the numbers say

Plymouth Parkway had more of the ball and generated a greater volume of play, though both sides were fairly inefficient in front of goal relative to their total attempts.

According to our post-match expected goals estimate based on the shots taken in the game, Plymouth Parkway generated 2.86 xG compared to 1.16 xG for Berkhamsted, a gap that backs up the home side's territorial dominance, though a good chunk of that production came directly from the two converted penalties.

Our pre-match preview had given Berkhamsted a 44% chance of winning, against 29% for Plymouth Parkway and 27% for a draw, with expected goals of 1.31 for the home side and 1.66 for the visitors. The result ended up defying that forecast: the side that came in as favorite left empty-handed, and it was the home team that settled the tie thanks to its efficiency from the penalty spot.

What the match leaves behind

Plymouth Parkway advances in the competition on the back of Andrew Neal's finishing, who delivered from the penalty spot both times he was called upon. For Berkhamsted, there's the frustration of having been the stronger side on paper beforehand and of having taken the lead first, yet having no answer once the match stretched into extra time.