Match Report
WEST AUCKLAND 3-2 WINTERTON RANGERS
Sat 15 Sept, 3:00PM, FA Cup First Qualifying RoundMatch Sponsor: Neil Vickers - GRP Exavations Ltd
A tense game saw West Auckland through to the next round of the FA Cup after an amazing start to the second half from the hosts followed by spurned chances from Winterton as West gained revenge for last season's cup defeat.
Winterton started brightly forcing several corners that were well defender before West Auckland should have taken the lead in the 14th minute when Kevin Bromley's corner was headed down and Jonathan Milroy blasted the ball over from 6 yards with a shot on the turn. A couple of minutes later Lee Ellison tested the keepers handling with a low shot to his right after Kevin Bromley did well to win possession from the left back.
However Winterton looked dangerous and Andy Holt nearly pinched the ball from Mark Bell after Brian Fairhurst's head back but the keeper, outside of the box, did well to challenge then clear from the midfielder. In the 22nd minute, Lee Mohammed should have scored when he found himself unmarked at the back post but from 4 yards, headed back across the face of the goal and wide.
From another corner West Auckland came within inches of taking the lead when Scott Nicholson's goal bound head was headed onto the underside of the bar by the player on the post and Jamie Middleton's follow up blocked on the line.
That was in the 29th minute and Winterton came close to testing Mark Bell at the other end just 60 seconds later when Mark Whitehouse's run and low cross was just too far in front of Andy Holt. Ian Maddison saw a shot easily held before being tackled as he was about to pull the trigger on the edge of the box as West pushed for the lead just before the break.
And forward Lee Ellison gave them this when Michael Heckley's ball forward bounced over the head of the defender and from just inside the box the forward turned and fired a shot in off the post. However this was short lived as a minute into injury time a Danny Clarke looped a long range effort over Mark Bell who was stranded and Winterton went in level at the break.
The second half started with West Auckland coming out on fire and it took just 1 minute and 20 seconds for Danny Richmond to run and fire a bullet into the top corner from 20 yards to restore the hosts lead. West then seemingly wrapped up the tie in the 52nd minute when Brian Fairhurst's long ball over the top of the defence released Jonathan Milroy and he calmly beat a defender's last ditch tackle and side footed past the keeper into the bottom corner to the joy of the home crowd.
Winterton were shell shocked but pulled one back in the 57th minute when Jamie Middleton's attempted clearance cannoned into Lee Mohammed and he raced clear to smartly finish past Mark Bell. Lee Ellison tried to restore West's two goal cushion but could only shoot into the side netting a few minutes later.
Winterton now pressed for the equaliser in the 61st minute with a good effort from Mark Whitehouse rattled the bar and came back out where it was cleared. Two minutes later Andy Holt found himself clear in the box with only Bell to beat but pulled his shot narrowly wide as West struggled to cope with a lively Winterton side.
After this Danny Clarke's low free kick was comfortably held as tension mounted before the same player headed a long cross wide in the 67th minute. West tried to stem the tide - firstly Lee Ellison's shot was saved before a good move saw Brian Fairhurst feed Lee Ellison, he knocked the ball back into the path of Jonathan Milroy and the forward was denied by a Ben Simpson's good low save, in the 76th minute.
Danny Robinson failed to test the keeper three minutes later, blazing over a 25 yard effort before Winterton finished the game applying the pressure as they looked to force a replay. Another gilt edged chance came for the visitors just five minutes from the end when Andy Holt met a corner but from 6 yards headed wide again as West Auckland held on.
1. Mark Bell, 2. Michael Heckley, 3. Brian Fairhurst, 4. James Middleton, 5. Scott Nicholson, 6. Ian Maddison (15. David Bayles 80 mins), 7. Danny Robinson (14. Bradley Woods 85 mins), 8. Danny Richmond, 9. Jonathan Milroy, 10. Lee Ellison, 11. Kevin Bromley.
Subs Not Used: 12. Stuart Owen, 16. Gary Close, 17. Lee Hutton
Pictures