Eastbourne Borough Under 18s bowed out of the Dennis Probee County Cup after losing on penalties to Shoreham.

The Sports had plenty of chances to win the last-16 tie in normal time, but a mixture of poor finishing and good goalkeeping kept them at bay as it finished 0-0 after 90 minutes at Priory Lane.

And Shoreham took advantage of Borough missing one penalty in the shoot-out to win 5-3.

The Sports had a great chance inside three minutes when Stanley Ketchell’s through ball found its way through to Harry Marchant but one on one with Charlie Turner saw his effort saved by the keeper.

But the visitors fought back, and went close themselves when Zack Robson’s blocked shot fell to Corey Harrison, and his drive from outside the area was turned around the post by the diving Ethan Pike.

Marchant then swung in a corner for the Sports and picked out an unmarked Ben Cordner at the far post, but he couldn’t head the ball on target before Shoreham went close again in an even first 20 minutes. A long drop kick from Turner played in Aidan Eckworth-Jones, who got in front of his marker but Pike stayed big to make a good save.

The Sports then hit the post after the half hour mark when Marchant broke clear down the left after shrugging off his marker. He then cut inside from the by-line but instead of passing went for the shot and it came back off the neat post with Turner beaten.

It was then the crossbar that denied the hosts. Jacob Hill found room 25 yards out and his dipping effort beat Turner but only for the ball to come back off the woodwork.

Borough then had another good chance within ten minutes of the restart. Lincoln Shearing did well to make space to get a cross in and pick out Sam Sharma, but from inside six yards he could only head over.

The young forward then passed up another good chance when Jay Thomas kept the ball alive and got the ball across to Sharma at the far post, but his header back across goal went just wide.

Mostyn Price’s side were dominant in the second half, but couldn’t take their chances in front of goal.

Into the fifth minute of stoppage time and Marchant broke down the left, but his ball in went behind Sharma as frustrations grew for the hosts. And so to penalties it went.

Shoreham went first and the first three penalties were converted before Hill saw his effort saved to Turner’s right.

And the visitors took advantage to win the shoot-out 5-3. They will host Whitehawk in the quarter-finals in the new year.