DROITWICH Spa missed out on the Challenge Cup trophy after allowing a half-time lead to slip in a 3-2 defeat against Hereford Pegasus.
Spa fell behind to Jordan Williamson’s early goal only for Reiss Taylor-Randle and Perry Moss to turn the game in Droitwich’s favour at the break at Old School Lane.
However, Mike Burgess equalised for Hereford just past the hour mark before Morgan Ewing scored a late winner for Pegasus who had home advantage in the final.
More than 400 Droitwich supporters made the trip to Hereford only for a goal eight minutes from time to deny Spa some silverware.
Hereford had the ball in the net after just five minutes only for the assistant referee to raise his flag for offside and hand Spa a reprieve.
However, Pegasus broke the deadlock just a minute later when Williamson sent a stunning volley into the top-left corner from 20-yards out following a free-kick into the Spa box.
The Saltmen almost drew level later in the half as Hereford goalkeeper Matthew Gwynne kept out James Lemon’s free-kick and two follow-up efforts from James Baldwin and Cory Rudd.
However, Droitwich drew level on 22 minutes when Taylor-Randle scored directly from a corner as the set-piece sailed over everyone in the box and into the net.
And Spa stunned the home side two minutes later after Gwynne brought down Lemon in the box and Moss converted the resulting spot kick.
Droitwich looked to extend their lead before the break with Charlie Tilley just unable to connect with Jack Brighton’s cross on his 200th appearance for the Saltmen.
And Moss lifted a chip narrowly over the crossbar moments before the interval as Spa took a narrow one-goal lead into the break.
Andy Crowther’s side remained on top early in the second half as Gwynne scrambled back to his line to deny Lemon after the striker tried his luck from range.
However, Hereford equalised against the run of play on 68 minutes when Spa goalkeeper Joe Stockton could only parry a free-kick and Burgess pounced to draw Pegasus level.
And Pegasus completed the turnaround on 82 minutes as Ewing’s low shot from outside the penalty area went beyond the outstretched arm of Stockton and into the net.
Droitwich are next in action against Slimbridge on Tuesday, March 31 with kick-off at 7.45pm at Thornhill Park.
