LONG MELFORD 1 HAVERHILL ROVERS 2

At the second time of asking Haverhill made it through to face Leatherhead in the next round of the F.A. Cup, a goal in the first half holding them in the lead before a late second goal, and one for the hosts, led to a tense finish.

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F.A. CUP FIRST ROUND QUALIFYING REPLAY

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Melford went for the early goal with a few chance headed towards the Haverhill goal, Pablo Chaves, Ben Judge (who will have felt he could have done better), Hassan Ally and Steve Adams all having chances in the opening six minutes but none finding their way past goalkeeper James Philp.

It was the away side that edged ahead with a goal after 17 minutes, Mickey Davis' good play ending with his solid drive from 20 yards out finding the outstretched hand of 'keeper Glen Morrison, the ball then ricocheting off his leg and Ben Bradley applying a side foot finish from 15 yards that put the ball low and past Morrison.

Chances after that, and indeed the half time break, dried up a lot of the time until a goal came Haverhill's way to put them 2-0 up with 84 minutes gone, the ball being slipped in to Prince Mutswunguma left of goal, who wrong footed Morrison with his near post shot and it ended up finding the net off the shot stopper's foot as he dove to his left.

The game was far from over, though, as Melford got a goal back on the stroke of 90 minutes, substitute Will Winfield's effort from 15 yards out taking a deflection and finding a way past Philp down the middle of the goal, but the hosts could not find a way to take the tie into extra time.

ROVERS : Philp, Carroll, Fox, Noble, Holmes, Moody, Abbott, Bradley (Haines, 86), Lovell, Mutswunguma (Burr, 88), Davis (Halls, 90+2). Subs not used – Tait, Lewis, Sartini.

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Steven Esdale