Stoppage time heartache as FC United crash out of FA Cup at Telford

Two stoppage time goals saw FC United’s run in The Emirate’s FA Cup end in dramatic fashion as they went down 3-1 against AFC Telford on Saturday afternoon in front of 1,451 supporters.

The two late goals gave a slightly unfair reflection of how close the game was and on a different day it could have been a different story. With a place in the first-round proper on the line the game began with a tentative feel and neither side imposed themselves early in the first half, with Connor McCarthy having the first real opportunity as the Telford defender lost his footing leaving McCarthy one-on-one but his effort was straight at Telford ‘keeper Jasbir Singh.

Singh made another two great saves in the first half to keep the scores level, denying great long-range strikes from Steve Irwin and Kallum Mantack and the Reds were unlucky to go into the break without troubling the scoreboard.

The visitors started a bit slow in the second half and the home side took advantage of this quickly as Elliot Newby’s cross from the left was directed home by Marcus Dinanga to make it 1-0 to the Bucks. Tom Greaves almost equalised minutes later, trying an audacious bicycle-kick that went just wide of the Telford goal, before Steve Irwin had the best chance of the afternoon finding space on the edge of the six-yard box but again the effort went straight at Singh at the home team kept their lead.

With 15 minutes left the Reds got their break though as a Joel Logan free-kick from the left was headed back towards goal it somehow got bundled over the goal line with Craig Lindfield looking like he may have got the final touch of a messy looking - but very important - goal to tie things up.

A tense game was getting nervier as the FC United defence looked a bit shaky but they stayed strong to deny a couple of efforts from long range before Jason Gilchrist hit a volley towards goal only to see his effort hit Tom Greaves and bounce away from goal.

As the match went to stoppage time it looked like we would be heading to another replay at Broadhurst Park for the third round running, but this cup run has not been without drama and it was only fitting that it should end in dramatic fashion.

Gilchrist was appeared to be fouled by a Telford defender when chasing a through ball he looked favourite to get, but the referee waved play on and the home team went down the other end and earned a controversial penalty. An outstretched Lloyd Allinson was penalised for seemingly making contact with the Telford forwards feet as he rounded him in the box.

Dinanga powerfully fired the penalty home to make it 2-1 in the 92nd minute of the match. FC kicked off and went forward looking for an even more dramatic finish, but the Bucks got a hold of the ball broke down the other end. Louis McGrory put the ball away to put Telford’s name into the draw for the next round of the cup.

The nature of the defeat made it even more disappointing but the Reds had more than enough opportunities to get something more from the game and it was a sense of what could have been as we made our way back towards Manchester. Now it’s time to focus our attention on the league once again and bringing the fight and never say die attitude that has been a key part of this cup run to the next fixtures, starting with a trip to Chorley next weekend.

Website man of the match: Scott Kay – The captain showed great work ethic and led by example in the middle of the park.

Report by Craig Phillips