Gosport secure late Gloucester replay in cup thriller
By Connor Steel
GOSPORT BOROUGH clinched a ‘replay’ in the FA Cup Second Qualifying round as they produced a late second half comeback against Gloucester City on Saturday afternoon; eventually earning a two-all draw from this very entertaining cup tie between two competitive Southern League teams that was watched by over 500 supporters at the AEI Stadium.
The hosts started confidently in glorious sunshine and created the first chance after seven minutes as Harry Kavanagh broke down the right wing to find Dan Wooden; whose attempt was gathered well by Nathan Harvey off the bounce. In response an effort by Brandon Smalley drove over the bar, before an injury and substitute for Keiron Phillip halted play.
Proceedings resumed with both teams having fine periods of possession and little chances until the twenty-fifth minute; replacement attacker Harry Emmitt lashing over for Gloucester. But the visitors made full advantage of a bad defensive error as Dayle Grubb won the ball and passed to Joe Manks who feigned a touch and tucked into the far corner for 1-0.
Gloucester doubled their advantage within thirty-three minutes when a pass was stolen from Richard McIntyre and was threaded into Grubb; the midfielder driving a fierce low effort past the home keeper Ryan Gosney from sixteen yards. It could have been three in added time as Grubb rattled the bar, before Asher Yearwood did the same just moments later.
The second half began with Harry Burns causing problems on the wing and a whipped pass nearly drew a third goal on 48 minutes off a deflection. Down the other end Alfie Stanley went closest with a neat effort and Dan Wooden’s delivery evaded everybody on 53 minutes; the ‘momentum’ seemingly fading when McIntyre was forced off after an ankle injury.
Home supporters were then celebrating on the hour mark as Yearwood collected a pass and ran through the struggling backline before sliding easily inside the near bottom corner; a solo goal that was described as “one of a kind”. This was a spur for substitutions across the teams before a flashpoint involving Gloucester management after a “stamp” incident.
Borough used their frustrations correctly as they pushed for an equaliser through Bradley Tarbuck and Danny Hollands; this pair both seeing different shots denied by Harvey. But the stadium erupted in the eighty-ninth minute when Samuel Faniyan was fed by Joe Morrison and a pass was tapped into the empty net by Wooden; thus earning an ‘away replay’.
An extra fixture wasn’t the ideal result for either team given a long list of injuries, but they will both be in Monday’s draw for the Third Qualifying round. The 2 sides will play again on Tuesday evening at the Tiger Turf Stadium before Gosport make another long journey to Wales next weekend as they travel up to Merthyr Town for their key Southern Premier tie.
PICTURED BY M&J PHOTOGRAPHY: Asher Yearwood finishes off his brilliant solo effort to spark an away comeback.
