Albion Reserves scraped into the Sussex Senior Cup final after a penalty shoot-out at Woodside Road last night - and then walked into a rocket from boss Martin Hinshelwood.

Goalkeeper Michel Kuipers saved Dan Beck's sudden death spot-kick after the teams had converted a total of 13 quality penalties.

The Seagulls will now play Worthing or Lewes in the final but Hinshelwood was less than impressed by the manner of his side's performance.

He said: "I was disappointed with the way we played. We are better than that.

"There were times when we were lazy on and off the ball but give Bognor credit. They had a real go."

Rocks boss Jack Pearce said: "It's a cruel way of going out of the cup but it was typical of our season. Now we've got to make sure we stay in the Conference south.

"I feel for Dan because he hasn't been having the best of seasons and it was against his old club."

Albion opted for the diamond formation in midfield, with Gary Hart at its point, but the system failed to shine and only a moment of magic from Alex Frutos lit up a scrappy first half.

Frutos cut inside from the left before letting fly with a shot from 20 yards which Rocks goalkeeper Craig Stoner should have dealt with but allowed to trickle over the line.

The Rocks gave a debut in defence to Matt Ruby, signed on loan from Aldershot.

Bognor striker Ben Watson had two opportunities to impress his former club before the interval. The first was a golden chance which he fired over from close range and the second was a superb near-post header which Kuipers kept out.

Albion created little for most of the second half apart from a breakaway which ended with Joe Gatting thumping a 25-yarder against a post.

Bognor, too, struggled to find a cutting edge but they seemed the more urgent of the two sides and it took a goal-line clearance from Tommy Elphick to deny Watson.

Then in the first minute of injury time Albion old boy Stuart Tuck chipped the ball over a stranded Kuipers to send the tie into extra time.

Albion should have made their superior fitness tell in extra time but Bognor looked the more likely to achieve a breakthrough and Kuipers did well to tip over a cross-shot from Watson.

Albion Reserves: Kuipers; P. Hinshelwood, Bakayogo (sub Cobbs 105), Breach, Elphick, Rents, Hart, Loft (sub Martin 92), Elder (sub Gargan 69), Gatting, Frutos. Subs not used: Sullivan, Skinner.

Bognor: Stoner; Piper (sub Balfe 45), Rowland (sub Johnson 80), Budd, Ruby, Tuck, Watson, Birmingham (sub Sackman 63), Hudson, Beck, Wallis-Tayler. Subs not used: Howell.

Referee: Mr Lloyd Rendell (Worthing).

Attendance: 610.