Stockport County 1 Brackley Town 1
Jimmy Ball's 73rd minute leveller saw hosts Stockport County earn a replay at Brackley Town's St James Park in their quarter final tie after they drew at Edgeley Park in Stockport.
This all Vanarama North Division contest saw Brackley Town probably slight favourites given their higher league position, and the fact that they had beaten County earlier in the season, albeit that was in Northamptonshire.
The first attempt on goal went the way of the visitors as Armson struck a fourth minute effort wide, and the visitors enjoyed much of the possession in the opening ten minutes, however County did see a Warburton effort deflect past the Brackley post.
On the quarter hour mark a ball over the top of the County defence found visitors leading scorer Williams, but his toe-poke was comfortably saved by Hinchcliffe, however as the half reached it's twenty minute mark the hosts were settling more into the tie and saw a free-kick from Thomas blocked, and after half an hour there were still no goals and few chances to really speak of.
Just past the half hour mark Adam Walker tried his luck from distance but saw County keeper Hinchcliffe equal to the effort, and seven minutes before the break Walker's cross aimed for Ndlovu saw the Brackley striker head thin air whilst under pressure from Duxbury, and the hosts cleared the danger.
Two minutes before the break Byrne's free kick into the hosts box found Gudger, whose header went the wrong side of the post, and in added time at the end of the first half Stopforth fired wide of the visitors goal and the whistle then went to end a rather uneventful opening forty five minutes.
Half Time Stockport County 0 Brackley Town 0
Two minutes into the second period County's Duxbury curled a free kick wide of the Brackley upright, and two minutes later another effort from Duxbury was held by Lewis.
In the 52nd minute Gudger headed over a visitors corner up the other end, before Armson's shot from the edge of the area was saved by keeper Hinchcliffe.
And then moments later County put togethe their best move of the match so far when Stephenson weaved in from the left, before squaring to Thomas who could only fire narrowly over, whilst down the other end Brackley skipper Dean headed over their latest corner kick. It had certainly been a brigther start to this half than the first.
In the 62nd minute the Hatters attacked and after Brackley failed to clear, Warburton sent a curling shot at goal which keeper Lewis did well to tip around the post, and then a minute later O'Halloran saw a long range effort deflect narrowly past the visitors post.
And then three minutes later the visitors so nearly grabbed the lead when after Smalley had headed a corner out to Graham, the visitors player saw his effort strike the bar although Ndlovu had already been flagged for a handball, so it would not have counted in any case, and then down the other end Duxbury's cross just failed to find Oswell as the County striker attempted to head home.
However in the 69th minute came the breakthrough, and it went to the visitors, as from another corner Gudger nodded the ball back from beyond the far post and Ndlova tapped home, but just four minutes later the hosts bounced back to level the tie as Cowan's cross was met by Oswell whose header hit the bar, before Ball netted the rebound.
With twelve minutes remaining County saw a free-kick from Warburton go wide of the far post, and the majority of the 2,213 in attendance were willing their side onto finding a winning goal.
But with five minutes left it was Brackley who almost found the winner when Hinchliffe had to produce a brilliant save to deny Walker, and it meant a replay would be needed to see who would make it through to the Last Four of the Trophy.
Full Time Stockport County 1 Brackley Town 1
Here are some photos of the game courtesy of Mike Petch:-
So it all meant a replay at St James Park, Brackley, which was scheduled for the Tuesday, however this was postponed due to 'The Beast from the East' meaning the replay was moved back a week to March 6th, and this is what happened in that replay:-
Brackley Town 2 Stockport County 1
Goals from Williams ans Byrne saw Brackley end Stockports run in the FA Trophy and saw the Northamptonshire side reach the Last Four of the competition.
The hosts grabbed the perfect start in this replay, as after only four minutes saw Ndlovu's through ball find Williams who chipped home to give the hosts the lead, and County tried to respond as they did in the first game, but saw a Ball header glanced over after ten minutes.
County had another opening in the 18th minute when Cowan cross found Oswell, who under pressure could only head straight at home keeper Lewis, whilst a minute later up the other end Hinchliffe had to dive and save an effort from Armson.
In the 26th minute and from County's fifth corner, the ball found Stopforth whose shot was hooked into the arms of keeper Lewis, and on the half hour mark Brackley's Ball tried his luck from distance but Lewis was equal to it.
County then went close ten minutes before the break when Stephenson skimmed the bar, and from the visitors seventh corner of the half four minutes before the break, Oswell saw his effort turned past the post by Lewis. The Hatters had been the better side in the last twenty minutes but could not find that goal.
Stephenson then saw another shot blocked by Graham, and then down the other end in stoppage time Armson volleyed over, but the hosts did lead at the break thanks to Williams early goal, but if the visitors could continue their momentum into the second period they had a great chance to get back into the tie.
Half Time Brackley Town 1 Stockport County 0
And sure enough just three minutes into the second period County levelled when Duxbury's cross from the left was tapped in by Oswell for his first goal in ten games, and you felt the visitors could go on and maybe win this tie.
However just two minutes later Brackley nudged themselves back ahead in this tie, as Byrne's effort from the edge of the box found the net and County had to find a way back into the contest yet again.
Brackley had the ball in the net again courtesy of Armson in the 54th minute, however this was ruled out for offside against Williams, and then two minutes later down the other end Duxbury saw a shot blocked before Oswell saw a header straight at Lewis.
Just past the hour mark Oswell saw a low shot take a deflection before being smothered by host keeper Lewis, and in the 66th minute Warburton fired narrowly over for the visitors as they continued to find a leveller once again.
Cowan then drilled in a low cross that Brackley keeper Lewis stooped to gather, before the hosts tested Hinchliffe in the County goal, as the keeper parried Walker's effort past the post to keep the Hatters in the tie.
The 506 in attendance were certainly kept on the edge of their seats and with thirteen minutes left Brackley saw Armson volley wide of the upright as the hosts looked to put this tie to bed once and for all.
Ndlovu then shot from distance with six minutes remaining but saw Hinchliffe parry forward before gathering the ball at the second attempt, but despite County's endevour they could not find a leveller and it meant Brackley Town progressed into the Semi Finals of the competition.
Full Time Brackley Town 2 Stockport County 1
Here are some photos from the game, courtesy of kappasport.co.uk:-
So Brackley are through after seeing off a very competitive Stockport County side, and they now take on Wealdstone over two legs in the Semi Finals of the competition.
Right here is a review of the other Quarter Final ties that took place:-
Saturday 24th February
Billericay Town 2 Wealdstone 5
Bradley Bubb fired Wealdstone one step closer to Wembley as they blitzed Billericay Town 5-2 in the Buildbase FA Trophy sixth round. The Stones netted four times in the first half with Bubb opening the scoring after 20 minutes before Rob Swaine responded seven minutes later. It took Bubb just two minutes to double his tally, which Ricky Wellard and Matt Whichelow then increased, leaving Billericay trailing 4-1 at half time. The forward completed his hat-trick on 50 minutes, with Ricky Modeste’s 66th-minute strike merely a consolation for the home side.
Leyton Orient 3 Gateshead 3
Six goals were scored between Leyton Orient and Gateshead as a spirited display saw the Heed return from 3-0 down to earn a draw at Brisbane Road. Josh Koroma opened the scoring for Orient on 35 minutes with a fine strike from outside the box. Orient deepened Gateshead’s predicament after the break, as Ebou Adams found the top-right corner from 25 yards on 52 minutes and Josh Coulson turned a free-kick in from close range five minutes later. But Danny Johnson hammered home on 68 and 78 minutes to give Gateshead hope of a comeback, which was duly delivered by Peniket’s heroic last-gasp finish.
Bromley 0 Spennymoor Town 0
The only goalless game was not short of excitement, as Bromley drew at home with Spennymoor Town to force a replay. Bromley’s Louis Dennis had a low strike cleared off the line on 16 minutes by defender James Curtis, before George Porter brushed the crossbar from 20 yards out. Curtis was heroic for Spennymoor, bravely going in for a goal-saving challenge on Dennis on 37 minutes. The visitors had their share of chances, with Brandon Hanlon’s header on 83 minutes giving Bromley their best scoring opportunity of the match but an outstanding performance from Spennymoor stopper Dan Lawson ensured they clung on to force a replay.
So two of the other three ties went to replay's too, and after both were postponed due to the snow, Gateshead and Orient managed to replay on March 6th, here is how that one went:-
Gateshead 3 Leyton Orient 2
Former Wales U21 international Richard Peniket notched late on to fire Steve Watson’s Gateshead to a 3-2 fourth-round replay victory over Leyton Orient and into the semi finals of the Trophy. Danny Johnson had Gateshead in dreamland in the first half of their clash with the O’s at the International Stadium, the ex-Cardiff City man scoring twice inside the opening 16 minutes. He prodded home from a Jordan Preston cross with just 95 seconds on the clock before Johnson fired home from the penalty spot after he had been tripped by Dan Happe. Eight minutes after the break though, James Brophy half-volleyed into the net to make it 2-1 and the visitors were level when the same man swung in a free-kick for captain David Mooney to head home. But with ten minutes to go, Scott Barrow won the ball back out wide and crossed or Peniket to grab the winner.
The final replay, Spennymoor Town vs Bromley, was postponed for the second time, with the surface at the Brewery Field failing a pitch inspection held by the match referee. This was after the club had called the game on earlier in the day, meaning Bromley had already arrived at the ground when the game was called off. And after the pitch at The Brewery Field failed to recover the following week the tie was switched to Darlington's Blackwell Meadows.
Here is how the relay unfolded:-
Spennymoor Town 1 Bromley 2
Frankie Raymond's second half goal was enough for Vanarama National side Bromley to progress into the Semi Finals of the Trophy. It started well for the Vanarama North hosts as they took a fifth minute lead when Glen Taylor sent an effort beyond Gregory into the bottom corner, however the lead lasted just two minutes as the visitors pounced on an error from Dan Lawson, missing a straight ball and seeing Louis Dennis roll into an empty net to level the tie. And then ten minutes into the second half Bromley netted what proved to be the winner when Frankie Raymon swung in a free-kick which missed everyone and ended up in the bottom corner, and saw the visitors progress to face Gateshead in a two legged semi final tie.
So after all that here are the Semi Final ties:-
Saturday 17th March
First Legs
Brackley Town vs Wealdstone
Bromley vs Gateshead
Saturday 24th March
Second Legs
Gateshead vs Bromley
Wealdstone vs Brackley Town
So we are down to the final four and two ties from a place at Non League Finals day at Wembley in the Buildbase FA Trophy final on May 20th.
The first semi final sees Brackley Town and Wealdstone go head to head, with the Northamptonshire side third in the Vanarama North having won four of their last five, whilst Wealdstone are 12th in the Vanarama South with just one win in their last five outings, however they will be more than a match for their opponents no doubt. This is also my featured tie too.
In the other semi final it's an all Vanarama National tie as 12th placed Gateshead take on 10th placed Bromley, with both having similar records in their last five games, so this proves to be a rather close two legged affair. Lets hope the weather doesn't intervene!!!
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