Chelmsford City 1 Stevenage Borough 2

Stevenage Borough made it through to the first round proper of the FA Cup as they squeezed past a resolute Chelmsford City to progress. Peter Vincenti was the hero as he scored a last minute winner to prevent the game going to a replay on Tuesday evening but Charlie Griffin used his head once again to level the scores, just as he did in the pre season friendly earlier this year.

Borough made three changes from the game on Tuesday evening. Jon Ashton started in place of Darren Murphy as Michael Bostwick pushed up into midfield. On the flanks Eddie Odhiambo replaced Michael Brough while Andy Drury was in for Chris Beardsley who took his place on the subs bench alongside David Bridges who returned to the squad.

The opening quarter of an hour saw plenty of midfield action but no real clear cut chances. Ronnie Henry and Bostwick both shot wide of goal, while Drury could only send his weak effort down the throat of Ashley Harrison.

Borough took the lions share of possession and forced a handful of corners in a good spell but Borough were unable to take the initiative with their best opportunity a shot from distance by Ashton who sent the ball just over the bar.

With twenty six minutes on the clock the game got it’s first goal. City sent a long ball from the defence over the top of everybody as it bamboozled the defence. Rob Edmunds latched onto it and rounded Chris Day to slot the ball home with ease.

Borough kept the ascendancy throughout the rest of the half and continued to force corners. Just before the end of the half Borough had their best chance of the half.  As Charlie Griffin connected to a good cross only for his header to beat Harrison but not the post, bouncing off the upright.

Right from the off of the second half City tried to double the lead with Antonio Murray testing Day when one-on-one with him.  Day pulled off an excellent save to deny him and keep the deficit to one.

Borough tried to work their way into the game and Yemi Odubade and Odhiambo sent three balls across the goalmouth that hit City shirts, but the signs were encouraging for Borough.

On sixty-three minutes, Borough had levelled and deservedly so. Possession finally turned into a goal when Odubade was ruled not to have been fouled in the area. City had a player down with an injury but it is not in the rules to stop the game unless the referee said so, play continued and Laird crossed in for Griffin to head across goal and into the net.

Things went from bad to worse for City when they were reduced to ten men. Simon Glover went in with two feet on Charlie Griffin and after a brief altercation between the teams, he rightly saw red and had to leave the field of play.

Borough fought hard to get that winner and Griffin will be wondering how he missed from all of two yards as he sent a ball back to Cole, who had sent in an excellent cross to the far post. 

It looked like there would only be one winner as Borough made the most of the one man advantage but it took until injury time for Borough to take the win. Vincenti came on for Charlie Griffin on the stroke of time added on and that was the catalyst.

Vincenti won the ball and gave it to Odubade who fired a ball across goal for Vincenti to slot home and send Borough fans into raptures. Now fans will await the draw tomorrow afternoon at one o’clock to see who they will play on the 7th November.

 
Stevenage Borough (4-4-2) C Day - R Henry, J Ashton (Sub: M Cole, 80), M Roberts, S Laird - A Drury, M Bostwick, J Byrom (Sub: D Bridges, 88), E Odhiambo - C Griffin (Sub: P Vincenti, 90), Y Odubade
Substitutes Not Used: A Bayes, M Albrighton, C Beardsley, S Long
Booked: Ashton, Laird
Attendance: 1762