BROMSGROVE Sporting finally edged out Stourport Swifts as they prevailed 3-2 in their FA Vase first qualifying round replay.
It had taken 240 minutes to separate the two sides, before Simon Fitter eventually rifling in seven minutes from penalties to seal a memorable win.
The defeat comes as an early set-back to a promising opening to the season for Swifts, the Vase not the only silverware manager Rod Brown and his staff have their eyes on.
The club travel to high-flying Evo-Stik side Leek Town on Saturday 13th and following two pulsating encounters with the Midlands Football League division one opponents over three days, there is little time to recover.
Tuesday night's replay got off to the worst possible start, after offering little in attack and struggling with the three-man defensive system, Bromsgrove's Chris Conway stabbed in after Brendan Bunn could only parry Sam Wills' free-kick on 26 minutes.
Seven minutes later the hosts doubled their advantage, Wills dispatching a penalty confidently after Jamie Willetts had fouled Conway.
Kevin Spencer's tame header over on half-time was all a lacklustre Swifts could muster.
Five minutes into a livelier restart and the visitors reduced the arrears, a soft foul on Lewis Pountney saw Michael McGrath curl a wonderful free-kick into Jake Bedford's top corner.
Sporting should have put the tie out of sight on the hour as skipper Scott Smith's header was somehow kept out, before Conway volleyed over and Wills stretched Bunn.
The Walshes Meadow men did all the late pushing, substitute Luke Morris shot straight at Bedford on 84 minutes before Willetts came closest as his header came back off the upright.
There was still time for one more attack and as McGrath whipped in a delightful corner, Jon Griffin got across his man to steer his header beyond a distraught Bedford.
With extra-time understandably pedestrian, it looked as if it was heading to a shoot out before Fitter received the ball on the left and hit a fine strike over Bunn and into the far top corner to send The Victoria Ground into raptures and Sporting through. |