Holbeach United 2
Stourport Swifts 2
Skipper Gary King kept Holbeach United alive in the Emirates FA Cup after netting a late leveller against Stourport Swifts on Saturday.
The frontman rifled home a clinical finish six minutes from time to ensure the scores were locked together at 2-2 in an end-to-end first qualifying round tie at Carter’s Park.
Joe Phillips took advantage of some slack Tigers defending to smash Stourport ahead on 35 minutes, but Jordan Thomas hauled Holbeach level with a cracking finish 11 minutes into the second period.
Swifts went back ahead in stunning style when Ben Maund fired home a sensational 25-yard free kick via the under-side of the bar, but King had the last word with an emphatic late finish to set up a replay on Tuesday night.
That means Holbeach will face a 260-mile round trip to North Worcestershire for the replay – and boss Darren Jarvis admits it’ll be a tough ask.
He said: “That games shows you just home much of a game of ups and downs football is.
“For the first ten or 15 minutes I felt we were on top and played with a good tempo. At that point I felt very confident.
“We then took our foot off the gas a little bit and only really played in phases for the rest of the half.
“When we played with the right tempo we looked dangerous, but when we came in 1-0 down at half time your instinct is just to try and stay in the tie.
“But, in the second half we showed great character to get ourselves back into the game.
“Then, in the last few minutes we had three or four great chances to win the game through sheer hard work and could have nicked it.
“I’m relieved to still be in the FA Cup, but disappointed that we didn’t finish the job at the end.
“Now we face a long trek on Tuesday. A lot of the boys will have to see what they can do work-wise – that’s the reality of football at this level.
“We’d have taken the draw at half time, but we have to stay positive – we now go there Tuesday and know exactly what we’re facing.
“We’re still in the draw and our intention is to win on Tuesday.”
Holbeach started much the better in front of 152 fans at Carter’s Park, with Tommy Treacher firing a speculative early effort over.
But it was Stourport who went closest to breaking the deadlock with a long ranger bolt from the blue from Maund. His curling effort beat Ricky Drury, but came back off the inside of the post.
That seemed to rock the Tigers a little and Swifts then tested Drury when Baldwin unleashed a low drive from the edge of the area.
There was nothing the home keeper could do about Phillips’ opener moments later, though. Hesitant defending in their own box allowed the ball to break for the striker – and he duly fired home a crisp drive from ten yards out.
Holbeach did go close to levelling before the break, but King could only nod Andrew Tidswell’s whipped free kick wide of the far post.
The second period started as the first finished – with the visitors on top. Indeed, they were incredibly unlucky not to be awarded a penalty when Baldwin went down in the box under a challenge from Stacy Cartwright.
It looked a clear penalty, but the referee booked the Stourport man for diving.
That let-off seemed to galvanise Holbeach – and they were soon back on top. Treacher drew a low save from Dom Richards after a super turn and shot, before Thomas levelled matters.
The forward, making his first start since joining from Harrowby United, collected the ball on the right-hand side of the box and smashed it back into the opposite top corner to make it 1-1.
Player/coach and set piece maestro Tidswell then left the field with an injured hamstring seconds before Maund’s free-kick put the away side back in front with an effort he’d have been proud of.
At least 25 yards out in the middle of the pitch, the Swifts striker picked out the top right corner via the woodwork to leave the Tigers on the brink with 20 minutes to play.
In the end, it all came down to a big 60 seconds. Sub Stourport sub Matt Dean raced through on goal and forced a smart save from Drury, before Holbeach regrouped and worked the ball to King on the left.
He took one touch and fired across the keeper left-footed and picked out the bottom corner.
The captain could have won it, too. Sub Jake Clitheroe saw his close-range effort blocked by Richards, but the ball fell for King on the edge of the box. His low drive was heading for the bottom corner, but Jim Hanson was on hand to clear his strike off the line and earn his side a replay.
Tigers: Drury, Worthington, Ward (Gale 78), Warfield, Clay, Cartwright, Thomas (Clitheroe 78), Tidswell (Pinner 66), Ford, Treacher, King. Not used: Lovelace, Dougill.
Attendance: 152
