Will Dawes hits late winner as Stratford Town edge out Boston United to reach FA Cup first round
Stratford Town 3
Gordon 20 53, Dawes 77
Boston United 2
Leesley 61 68
JOY, elation, nerves, heartbreak, ecstasy. Those are probably just some of the words to describe the rollercoaster of emotions Stratford Town went through to book their place in the first round of the FA Cup.
It was a fourth qualifying round tie that had simply everything and the 1,253-strong crowd that packed the Arden Garages Stadium were in for a treat from the moment they stepped through the turnstiles.
There’s no doubting the magic of the FA Cup was alive and kicking in south Warwickshire, but darkness eclipsed the ground with barely a couple of minutes on the clock after the floodlights failed, thankfully only a temporary issue and nothing serious.
And out of the darkness came a shining light, Jaanai Gordon firing home in the 20th minute to give the Bards the lead and the former Banbury United frontman struck again eight minutes into the second period to give Stratford some daylight.
But just like a winter’s day, daylight did not last long and two goals in the space of seven minutes from Joe Leesley, including one directly from a corner, brought the National League North visitors level with still 22 minutes to play.
The Bards were putting their bodies on the line to keep the Pilgrims from completing the anticipated turnaround. Paul Davis’s men showed lion’s courage to remain in the game and with 12 minutes to go, there would be one final twist in this tale.
Substitute Will Dawes had only been on the pitch three minutes when he found himself in on goal and showed nerves of steel to place a lovely left-footed finish underneath Pilgrims goalkeeper George Sykes-Kenworthy and into the back of the net.
Thirteen nail-biting minutes followed and when five minutes of added time was signalled, the tension rose as a place in the first round was so close that Stratford Town could grab it. And grab it they did, with the final whistle leading to fantastic scenes.
It was a proud night for everyone involved with the club and after the players had worked their socks off to hold the Pilgrims to a 1-1 draw at the Jakemans Community Stadium on Saturday, Davis stuck with the same team for yesterday’s engrossing fixture.
And it proved to be an eventful start as Danny Elliott had the first big chance of the game inside the first minute, seeing his effort bounce off the post and back into the grateful arms of goalkeeper Liam O’Brien. Seconds later darkness fell as the floodlights turned off.
After an almost ten-minute delay play resumed and it wasn’t long after until the roof come off of the Arden Garages Stadium. Ahmed Obeng found himself in plenty of space on the right side of the box and with a quick look up, he squared the ball to Gordon who expertly finished into the bottom corner.
The first half certainly had a fast and frenetic pace which made for some entertaining viewing and the Pilgrims were unrelenting in their attacks, in particular Fraser Preston was proving to be a handful for the Bards defence.
Preston, who scored in the 1-1 draw at the Jakemans Community Stadium, saw an effort from the edge of the area deflect narrowly wide of the mark before whipping a 25-yard free-kick just over Liam O’Brien’s crossbar.
The Pilgrims continued to pile on the pressure but the Stratford defence stood firm, as Dan Vann, Jordan Williams, Kynan Isaac and Joe Magunda all threw their bodies on the line to keep that precious lead in tact going into half-time.
Just eight minutes after the restart the Bards fans were sent into delirium. From a Will Grocott corner, Owen James picked up the loose pieces, danced past his man and squared the ball back and Gordon was on hand to bundle it over the line from close range.
As they say in football 2-0 is the most dangerous lead of them all and just past the hour mark the Pilgrims pulled a goal back when Leesley’s corner from the far side somehow found its way into the far corner.
Five minutes later parity was restored. Preston was once again making a nuisance of himself and after cutting inside, his left-footed cross was glanced on by Leesley, with the ball flying beyond the outstretched arm of O’Brien to complete the comeback.
With the wind in their sails the Pilgrims continued to push forward and in a bid to sure things up at the back, Davis brought on Lewis Wilson while Dawes came on for Gordon to provide a little more pace up top.
The Pilgrims threw the proverbial kitchen sink to try and nose themselves ahead, but they come up against a resolute Stratford side that would not go down without a fight.
Tackle after tackle, block after block, save after save, it just seemed the Pilgrims had no answer for what the Bards put in front of them.
And then, with 12 minutes to go, a moment of magic put the hosts back in front. After soaking up so much pressure, the Bards went on the counter-attack and time seemed to stop when Dawes found himself with only Sykes-Kenworthy to beat.
Sykes-Kenworthy came rushing off his line to narrow the angle, but Dawes had the nous to just slide the ball under the Pilgrims shot-stopper and into the back of the net leading to fantastic scenes of pandemonium.
A tense final 13 minutes followed and after more resolute defending, only five minutes of stoppage time was left between the Bards and a home tie against Shrewsbury Town.
Those five minutes felt like 50 and right on the cusp of full-time the Pilgrims carved out one last chance in a bid to send this thrilling cup tie to extra-time, but Leesley saw his shot ricochet off the crossbar and go behind for a goal kick, ensuring it was the Bards who would progress into the first round.
BARDS: O’Brien, Vann, Isaac, Fry, Magunda, Williams, Gordon (Dawes 74), Grocott, Sammons, James (Wilson 64), Obeng (Andoh 83). Unused subs: Lafferty, Awadh, Beresford, Turner.
PILGRIMS: Sykes-Kenworthy, Platt, Shiels, Green (Spokes 86), J.Wright Jnr (Burrow 62), Ferguson, Elliott, J.Wright Snr, F.Preston (J.Preston 81), Leesley, Leake. Unused subs: Crook, Tootle, Duxbury, Garner.
ATTENDANCE: 1,253
