Following the 'excitement' of Saturday
an unchanged Terrors arrived at Priory Lane for this FA
Cup 4th Qualifying Round replay.
Boro made changes with Dan Smith and Liam
Enver-Marum starting and The Sports opened brightly dominating
possession and territory. On 11 minutes the home side
opened the scoring with Jamie Taylor up ended following
a neat ball into the channel, Paul Armstrong stroking
home the resultant penalty for 1-0.
On 22 minutes T&M responded with a
deep cross from the right but the ball was over hit for
the advancing strikers. Boro continued to dominate without
creating scoring opportunities; the visitors mostly unable
to get out of their half. Then on 29 minutes the scores
were level as against the run of play a decent move and
ball through the middle was met by Paul Vines who finished
over the advancing Danny Knowles - 1-1.
Following this set-back Boro again began
to enjoy the lions share of the game; Matt Crabb's free-kick
deliveries causing problems for United. It was from just
such a delivery that Gary Elphick finished high into the
roof of the net to restore his sides lead. The lead was
to be short lived, however, as following an excellent
move and cross from the left Allan McLeod drilled home
a half-cleared effort from 25 yards. 'Crabby' was crowded
out in The Terrors penalty area on the stroke of half-time,
bodies and feet flying in a goal mouth scramble, before
the 3 added minutes ran out with the sides level.
Neither side made half-time changes and
on 47 minutes Taylor's long range effort beat Dave King
in the River End goal all ends up; the bar saving his
blushes. The frame of the goal saved Tooting again on
52 minutes when an excellent turn from Liam Enver-Marum
allowed him to shoot across King; the ball off inside
of the far post and out ! King spilled a high ball on
54 minutes but Elphick was unable to nod home under intense
pressure, Boro applying all the 2nd half pressure. Ben
Austin blocked an excellent strike from Jamie Byatt on
59 minutes but the home side were enjoying the majority
of the play.
Ross Treleaven replaced Taylor on 69 minutes
and his introduction added impetus and urgency, an excellent
cross and committed challenge his 1st contributions to
the effort. A trademark Austin 'surge' to allow a Dan
Smith cross was met by Matt Crabb's head on 76 but the
effort lacked both power and direction. Enver-Marum drove
the ball across the face of the goal on 84 minutes; a
corner awarded, and Austin drew a save out of King from
the kick. Andy Atkin was introduced with 5 minutes remaining
and his presence started to unsettle the strong Tooting
back-four. With only 3 minutes of added minutes extra-time
beckoned and indeed there was to be no late drama.
As the 30 minutes of extra-time opened
Armstrong set Atkin away but the No. 9's touch was just
too heavy and King gathered bravely at Andy's feet, a
spell of treatment required for the stopper. On 98 minutes
Joe Vines crumpled under a challenge from Atkin in the
area, a penalty awarded and the Boro sub shown a straight
red. Matt York stepped up from the back-four and finished
with aplomb to put his side in front for the 1st time
in the game, 3-2 Tooting. With The Sports reeling from
the perceived injustice the referee's assistant then awarded
another penalty for the visitors for a Matt Crabb handball
that appeared outside the box and very much ball to hand.
Yorks's first strike was saved by Knowles but he followed
up to make it 4, his 2nd of the night. The Boro side had
performed a miracle on Saturday - could it be repeated
with only 10 men ?
Crabb hit King with the goal at his mercy
as the final 15 minutes began; The Sports now with little
to lose and everything appearing to conspire against the
side. Then, a lifeline. 10 minutes from the end a long
and deep delivery angled left to right found Austin who's
header arced gracefully over King for 3-4. It was not
to be - Dan Smith followed Atkin down the tunnel for an
off the ball incident - and the clock ran down for an
away win.
Careful analysis could point to missed
chances at Imperial Fields when on top, the frame of the
goal saving Tooting & Mitcham at crucial times in
both fixtures, curious refereeing decisions - especially
the 'Matt Crabb penalty' that ultimately proved the winning
strike - but Boro were in front twice at home, failure
to hold those leads costing the club dear - playing the
better football on the night counts for little if the
domination dows not convert into goals. Stockport County
will now host The Terrors of South London in the 1st Round
proper.
Words : Lee Peskett
