Northern League clubs Washington and Bedlington created history on Wednesday night with a record-breaking penalty shoot-out.
Spot-kicks were required after the Ernest Armstrong Memorial Cup first-round tie finished 3-3 at the Ford Quarry Football Hub in Sunderland.
Washington prevailed but only after a marathon shoot-out that saw 54 penalties taken and 49 scored, with the hosts’ 25-24 success setting a new world record.
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The Guinness World Records previously listed the longest shoot-out as 48 attempts from a 2005 Namibian Cup clash between KK Palace and Civics, which ended 17-16 to the former.
The British record is understood to have occurred in October when Old Wulfrunians defeated Lane Head 19-18 after 44 attempts in a JW Hunt Cup tie
Washington and Bedlington play in Division Two of the Northern League – the 10th tier of England’s football pyramid.
Bradley Chisholm opened the scoring for the home side and added another before the break but Bedlington hit back in the minutes before and after half-time.
Austin Barbour hit a brace, sandwiched in between Hener Mateus’ effort, to put the visitors in control but a stoppage-time penalty by Chisholm completed his hat-trick and ensured the scores were level at the end of 90 minutes.
And the night was far from over as an official crowd of 40 people then witnessed a piece of history.
