Town win see-saw six goal stonker at Stafford to seal second round spot - Match Report: Stafford Town 3 Nuneaton Town 3 (4-2 on pens)

By Matt Jones

FA Vase 1st Round:
Stafford Town 3-3 Nuneaton Town
(Nuneaton Town win 4-2 on penalties)
(Hearsey 28, 63, 75 : Sawyers 51, McGrath 57, Jardine 90+4)
Attendance: 315

Nuneaton Town survived a huge scare to book their place in the FA Vase 2nd Round draw as they came on top on penalties after a topsy-turvy 90 minutes.

Callum Gillies replaced his unavailable left back namesake Carsley but it was an otherwise unchanged starting 11 as Alex Graham continued in goal for the injured Brandon Bache, and Danico Johnson continued up front.

The first half was a fairly drab affair, as both sides passed it well but were unable to break each other down. A couple of early chances came Stafford's way as Graham was forced to kick away under pressure after a mix up at the back, whilst shortly after Gillies lost the ball on half way and the break away led to a cross into the box, but Graham did well to close down the shot and it was cleared.

Pat Mazurkiewicz got on the end of a cross on 28 minutes but Michael McGrath was there with a last ditch block to concede the corner. But from the corner it was 15 goal striker Matt Hearsey who glanced it into the far corner to give Stafford the lead (0-1).

It was the only real moment of quality for the remainder of the half, although as the half time whistle blew, a disagreement between the two sides could have ended with cards being brandished but the referee was able to just about keep it under control.

Half time: Stafford Town 1-0 Nuneaton Town

Nuneaton started the second half much much better than they had played in the first, within seconds Kai Thomas drove to the byline and pulled the ball back just missing Sawyers and Johnson, Alex Lock fired over from the edge of the box.

On 51 minutes the equaliser came, and it was Harrison and Gillies who worked well for the latter to cross into the box. With his back to goal Johnson laid the ball off to Eesa Sawyers who found the bottom corner (1-1).

Nuneaton now had the momentum and belief and pushed for the second immediately, and it only took 6 minutes for the lead to come, Johnson was hauled over on half way and won a free kick. Charlie Jones' ball forward found Michael McGrath who's header beat the Stafford keeper who had come to punch away and the ball bounced into the net (2-1).

Despite Kyle Jardine replacing Johnson on 59 minutes, as Nuneaton looked to see the game out, it was Stafford who hit back. The dangerous Hearsey gave the away side a let off as he had a free header at the back post blocked by Graham, but he made up for it 3 minutes later as Loyiso Recci mistimed his sliding challenge by the corner flag and was booked, and Hearsey was found perfectly by the cross in, and headed in at the near post (2-2).

The game was end to end now, and with 19 to go Sawyers whipped in a low cross from the left which Jardine couldn't quite reach to get a toe on. However, it was Hearsey who was Nuneaton's nemesis again as he found a way to weave through the defence and fire into the near top corner past Graham to give Stafford the lead for the second time (2-3).

Aaron Brown and Stuart Hendrie replaced James Harrison and Dec Somel, but Nuneaton were struggling to find the equaliser as they pinned Stafford in their own half. However with potentially barely two minutes left of their FA Vase campaign, another Gillies cross this time found Brown, who's header back was turned home by Jardine to raptures from the strong away following (3-3).

And with that the full time whistle blew and Nuneaton's second penalty shootout in two weeks was earned.

Kyle Jardine, Loyiso Recci and Charlie Jones raced Nuneaton into a 3-0 lead as Hatton put his penalty wide, and Thomas had his effort saved by Graham. Stafford's keeper Jenkins scored to make it 3-1, McGrath had his effort saved before Williams scored for Stafford to make it 3-2. It was left to Aaron Brown to arrow the ball into the top corner to make it an unassailable 4-2 and send Nuneaton through to Round 2, having been seconds away from going out just a few minutes before. A huge collective sigh of relief!

Full time: Nuneaton Town 3-3 Stafford Town (Pens 4-2)

Team: Graham, Thomas, Recci, McGrath, Gillies, C Jones, Somel (Hendrie 84), Lock, Sawyers, Harrison (Brown 78), Johnson (Jardine 59)

Subs: Edwards, Hendrie, Jardine, Hesson, Brown