Avro head to a replay in the FA cup after drawing 1-1 to fellow Northern Premier League West Division side Nantwich Town.
It would be a poor start for the Ro as twelve seconds in, Bryon Harrison was able to tackle the ball away from Cian O’shea and slotted it into the bottom left corner. After the goal, both sides were unable to create any dangerous chances for most of the first half.
In the 40th minute, Avro would find themselves with the chance to take the lead from a set piece. The ball would be played into the box for the waiting Avro players, and after a scramble, it would almost cross the line, but amazingly, Nantwich was able to stop it on the line.
Just before the end of the first half, Nantwich would put the Ro’s backline under a lot of pressure as the ball would be hammered into the box consistently until it found one of the waiting Nantwich players, who was able to head the ball towards the net. However, heroically, David Fitzpatrick would clear the ball away and out of the box to stop the visitors from extending the lead.
Avro would pick up the tempo for the second half, eager to find an equaliser to keep them in the FA cup. In the 54th minute, Kyle Hawley would have a great chance to get an equaliser; however, his shot would be stopped by the Dabbers keeper, who got low to stop the shot with his legs.
Not long after the chance, the Ro would send the ball into the box, desperate to find the equaliser, and after a scramble in the air, the ball would eventually land at the feet of captain Jack Morrow. He would take a touch before sending a low driven shot into the crowded box and into the bottom corner of the net to level the score. With plenty of time remaining, both sides would have plenty of chances to find a winner.
Around the 80th-minute mark, Avro would start a counterattack with substitute Harry Salt leading the charge on the left flank. He would whip the ball into the box, hoping for one of Hawley or Dylan Gairns to get onto it. Gairns would be the one to get on the end of the cross, and he attempted a half volley, but unfortunately for the number 11, it would only hit the side netting.
Despite building on the pressure during the last ten minutes of the match, the Ro were unable to find a winner as Nantwich was able to hold on and force the game to go to a replay.
Lineup:
Avro – O’Shea, Kenny, Fitzpatrick, Igwenwanne (62” Salt), Maphosa, (59” Hickman), Davidson, Thiam, Hawley, Warburton (67” Putnam), Gairns (79” Iwobi)
Subs not Used – Mason, Deane Smalley, Dominic Smalley
Nantwich Town – Garratt, Roxburgh, Bircumshaw (64” Williams), Mellor, Hockenhull, Kennedy, Panter (69” Moore), Green (79” Saunders), Harrison, Connolly, Greenop (59” Jarrett)
Subs not Used – Brown, Robins, Clarke-Phillips
Written by – FRoss Lunt
