The U21s exited from the National League Cup at the quarter-final stage at Moss Lane on Tuesday, losing a penalty shootout after recovering from an early 0-2 deficit to lead 3-2 before conceding a 90th minute equaliser.

That shootout saw five of the ten spot kicks missed, but the biggest talking point of the night was an extraordinary failure from 12 yards by the hosts earlier - or 12 and a half yards to be precise.

Only Joe Nuttall will know what he intended to do with his 77th minute penalty; the Robins striker pausing to try and dummy visiting goalkeeper James Taylor but then failing to resume his run-up by actually striking the ball.

Nuttall ended up with a booking - presumably for ungentlemanly conduct - and United restarted play with a free kick, having preserved a 3-2 advantage that should have seen them through to the last four of this inaugural competition. The reality proved to be somewhat different however....

Alty boss Phil Parkinson selected his starting line-up with one eye on the following Saturday's FA Trophy quarter-final tie at Rochdale, including goalkeeper Rob Lainton just hours after completing a transfer from Wrexham.

Despite that, his side raced into a 2-0 lead: Kahrel Reddin cutting in from the left flank and shooting beyond visiting goalkeeper James Taylor on six minutes before Kian Taylor was left unattended to head home Elliot Osborne's tenth minute corner kick.

That lead was halved on 19 minutes however, Garang Kuol beating Lainton with a sizzling strike from fully 25 yards. Parity was then restored just before the half hour mark when Lainton upended Jay Turner-Cooke in the box and the Newcastle man got up to convert the resultant spot kick.

United went ahead for the first time in the tie on 57 minutes when Kuol dispossessed a defender before burying a low effort past replacement custodian Harvey Randle for his fifth U21 league and cup goal of the campaign.

Chances came and went at both ends; Johnny Emerson denied by Randle on 61 minutes and Reddin seeing his shot strike the goal frame before Taylor grabbed it on the goal line five minutes later.

The second spot kick award of the evening then came with 13 minutes of normal time remaining, Magpies substitute Rory Finneran fouling Remi Thompson, giving Nuttall an opportunity to immortalise himself on social media. His club later claimed that he'd got stuck in the mud.

Even after that though, penalties played a pivotal part in settling this tie, Alty levelling in the final seconds of normal time when a cross from the left headed home by substitute Justin Amaluzor.

Remi Thompson then missed a glaring chance to win the game for the hosts two minutes into the five added on, firing over from six yards.

That was the last meaningful action, sending the tie into a penalty shootout staged in the goal behind an open terrace that was unoccupied until Alty stewards hastily allowed fans in. 

James Taylor gave United the best of starts by saving the first and after Alfie Harrison converted, the visiting goalkeeper was close to blocking Altincham's second penalty - but not close enough.

Both sides then missed the target before Jay Turner-Cooke's second success of the night put the Magpies ahead again. Two home players then netted, separated by Sean Neave's effort saved by substitute custodian Harvey Randle.

That left Newcastle full back Leo Shahar needing to score in order to keep his side in the competition and sadly his penalty cleared the crossbar and the terrace behind, ending up in a nearby garden.

Thanks to GW