WILTSHIRE banished the painful memory of last week's penalty defeat to Durham with a dramatic shoot-out win over Berks and Bucks in the semi-final of the South West Cup.

Manager Mel Gingell missed last week's county cup defeat through illness, but he was back on his feet and biting his nails at Melksham Town's Conigre ground on Saturday.

Home town hero Nick Ridout cancelled out the visitors' opening goal with a well-struck penalty after Craig Whitbread was fouled in the box.

Neither defence was breached again during normal time and the game went to penalties. After five kicks each the scores were deadlocked at 4-4 and the shoot-out went into sudden death.

Whitbread held his nerve to edge Wiltshire in front before Warminster Town goalkeeper Eddie Quealch made the match-winning save.

Gingell said he was disappointed with his team's performance but delighted to be in a cup final after the heartbreak of last week.

He said: "It was the worst I have seen my side play this season. Their heads were still down after the loss to Durham. They were all devastated by that and it showed.

"But we picked up in the second half and deserved to take the game to penalties. It was the first semi-final their manager had been involved in and he couldn't even watch the shoot-out.

"There are no real winners on penalties, but now we've got a final to look forward to. To lose on penalties for the second week running would have been heartbreaking."

Wiltshire will play Hampshire in the final on a date to be confirmed.