Hanley Town’s remarkable cup run continues as they beat Redditch United 3-2 thanks to a late Ricardo Fuller penalty.
In a game that saw a half- time sending off, two comebacks and an 86th minute penalty, it was Hanley that progressed into the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup.
After a very scrappy start the the game, it took until the 42nd minute for the deadlock to be broken when Hanley took the lead.
A long pass forward was matched with a lovely flick up by Tim Sanders to find Kie Brown, who turned and hit the ball on the half volley, with it whistling past the out stretched ‘keeper to find the top corner.
Just after the half-time whistle had blown, Redditch United’s Jack Storer saw red after an altercation in the changing room area, leaving the visitors down to 10 men.
In the second-half, despite being a man down, the visitors started brightly as they were awarded a penalty after a clash in the area – up stepped Thomas Rankin who levelled the game.
The visitors were then knocking on the door for the comeback to be completed, and it was when a free kick on the edge of the box saw Brandon Horton curl the ball into the back of the net.
After this, manager Mick Morton decided to bring on Brian Barton and Ricardo Fuller for some added fire-power up-front.
In the 82nd minute, this substitution paid off as the two combined neatly in the box for the ball to fall to Barton, who supplied a lovely finish into the bottom left corner to level the game.
With the game looking like it was going to penalties, the ball yet again wound up at Barton’s feet inside the visitor’s 18-yard box and a push in the back saw Hanley awarded a late penalty to win the game.
Ricardo Fuller picked up the ball, with the fans behind the goal waiting in anticipation as he ran up and calmly stroked the ball into the bottom corner sending the goal keeper the wrong way and winning the tie for Hanley Town.
The draw for the second qualifying round will take place on Friday 25th September.