Peter Duffield was able to name an unchanged side as The Ambers looked to make it 14 games unbeaten, but what a test awaited them at Sandy Lane in this 1st Round tie in the FA Vase. Northern League high fliers Shildon rolled into town installed as second favourites to win the competition.
With a large following behind them, it was clear from the start that the opposition was a step up in class from most of our recent opponents, and Archie Sneath was called into action early on when he smothered a Connor effort at close quarters. However, it was The Ambers who struck first when, in just the fifth minute, Kieran Wells released Danny Buttle down the left, and the winger’s fine cross was steered home effortlessly by Wells.
The visitors, as expected, came back strongly with Doninger looking particularly lively and a couple of quick breakaways caused some consternation in the home ranks but Sneath was equal to anything aimed towards the home goal. The visitors continued to look dangerous as the half hour mark approached, but that’s not to say that The Ambers were continually on the defensive. Driven on by Luke Fletcher and Steve Warne in the centre of the park, they tested the Shildon defence on a number of occasions but found the experienced Brown in particular, in dominant form.
Just a minute after Sneath stood up well to block a Connor effort, The Railwaymen snatched a deserved equaliser, albeit in fortunate circumstances, when a Doninger effort somehow evaded Sneath and found the back of the net.
The Ambers responded well, with Simon Harrison showing some good form on the right and knocking in some excellent crosses which Shildon defended well, and it was the visitors who then took the lead on 43 minutes when a Connor cross found Doninger at the far stick. His initial header struck the post but the striker was quickest to react and headed in the rebound.
The Ambers though refused to lie down and were back on level terms within a minute, and from an unlikely source. Left back James Cullingworth played a good ball in to Jon Froggatt’s feet and when the ball was laid back, Cullingworth bent a low shot into the far corner from 20 yards, thus meaning that every one of the ten outfield Ambers has now been on the score sheet this season.
As the half time whistle blew, everyone inside Sandy Lane took a breather after what had been 45 minutes of excellent cup football.
After a relatively sedate start to the second half with both sides battling for midfield supremacy, it was The Ambers who came close when Harrison volleyed over from the edge of the box after a half cleared corner. The next goal duly arrived on 56 minutes when a Froggatt header found Wells tearing into the box, and the hit man made no mistake by slamming the ball home at the near post after holding off his defender.
The Ambers then looked to be in the ascendancy as the visitors started to chase the game and lost some shape, resulting in a terrific run and cross by Buttle falling to Fletcher who shot over under pressure. Shildon immediately responded and only a superb save by Sneath denied Greulich-Smith whose header seemed destined for the back of the net. However, the visitors did not have to wait much longer for an equaliser, and it came via a Brown header after a needlessly conceded free kick out on the right.
Both Managers then started to make substitutions in an attempt to force the issue, with Colin Marrison and Alex Rippon coming on for the Ambers. The home side were then indebted to Sneath again when he repeated his save from Greulich-Smith, and then a great run and shot from Shildon sub Rae cleared the bar. The Ambers should have clinched it two minutes from time when Wells sent Rippon away on the right and his shot beat the keeper but was cleared off the line by the back pedalling Jones, and there was still time for Bell and Doninger to go close for Shildon before Rippon ran at the defence and saw his shot roll agonisingly the wrong side of the post.
And so to Extra Time, and the chance for the crowd to watch another half an hour of a pulsating game that had ebbed and flowed, and I doubt if anyone could have picked a winner at this stage.
The Ambers got off to the best of starts when, four minutes in, a Ben Starosta cross found Froggatt in the area, and his header towards goal was bundled in by his strike partner Wells to claim his first hat trick of the season. Froggatt then wriggled free and shot wide from distance before an off the ball incident reduced the visitors to ten men following a red card to left back Ellison. Maybe at this point, The Ambers faithful could finally sense that victory was within their grasp.
Five minutes into the second period came the killer blow. Buttle ran at the away defence, now visibly tiring, and his shot was parried by the keeper at full stretch, but only to the feet of Froggatt who gleefully stroked it home. Froggatt was withdrawn shortly after with Nathan Joynes coming on to hold up the ball, which he did to great effect. The game should have been put to bed when Wells broke clear but he dallied when in a two on one position and Handsworth were almost punished but for a great save by Sneath. As the third minute of Extra Time approached, the referee awarded a penalty to the visitors for a push and Doninger converted to claim a deserved hat trick with the very last kick of the game.
So, it’s The Ambers who are in Monday’s Second Round draw after a quite breathtaking game in which both sides played their part. What a great advertisement for non-league football!