A 90th minute strike from Mitch Pinnock
denied Haringey Borough a well-earned replay as AFC Wimbledon took a last-gasp
Emirates FA Cup victory at Coles Park to move into the Second Round Proper of
the competition.
This was the hosts biggest
game in their history after they had seen off Stanway Rovers, Brentwood Town,
Erith Town, AFC Sudbury and then Poole Town last time out to reach the First
Round Proper for the very first time, and they had a home tie with AFC
Wimbledon from League One, four leagues higher, on the Beeb on a wet Friday evening
in North London.
And a record crowd of
2,710 packed into Coles Park for this one and most of them had high hopes of a
big cup upset. And with the visitors
second bottom in League One and only three league wins all season maybe it
could be possible? The visitors had come
into this one off the back of a good 4-0 win in the Checkatrade Trophy tie though
so this may have boosted their confidence a bit.
The visitors certainly
started the better and saw a tame header from Joe Pigott and then a shot from
Wagstaff go wide in the first ten minutes as you felt the Bostick Premier hosts
were trying to adapt to the extra zip and pace of the League One visitors, and on
21 minutes Anthony Hartigan blasted narrowly wide for the visitors.
Terrell Thomas then headed
over a Dons corner three minutes later but the hosts were now beginning to settle
into the tie and went close just before the half hour mark but Michael O’Donoghue
saw his angled effort fly inches over the bar as the big crowd inside the ground
got very excited.
Two minutes later and it
was Haringey Keeper Valery Pajetat who was almost caught out from a cross,
having to backtrack to claw it away from under his bar, and ten minutes before
half time the visitors came very close to opening the scoring when Pinnock saw
his free-kick skim off the bar.
Late on in the half Pigott
sliced wide for the Dons, whilst up the other end Boro were screaming for a
penalty but these were waved away, and then Purrington fired straight at
Pajetat in the Boro goal and it meant the game reached its halfway stage
goalless and with the underdogs still very much in this tie.
Half Time Haringey Borough 0 AFC Wimbledon 0
The visitors almost netted
three minutes into the second period when Pigott headed a Pinnock cross just
wide, whilst minutes later the hosts looked to break on their opponents but Deji
Oshilaja managed to intercept in the nick of time to save the League One side.
It was a much more even half
though you felt in terms of possession and general play, but the visitors
almost netted in comical circumstances when a Pinnock cross caught the wind and
diverted onto the hosts bar before going over, and then two minutes later Kwesi
Appiah played in Toby Sibbick but the right-back had his shot saved by Pajetat
in the hosts goal.
The hosts then attacked in
the 71st minute and a ball through saw them fire home into the roof
of the net, sending the home fans wild, but the flag had gone up and to be honest
it was at least five yards offside so the correct decision, but it certainly
pumped more belief into the hosts that they could possibly get something from
this.
Pinnock then saw an effort
saved by Pajetat, before the hosts attacked through Nouble but as he was about
to shoot fell over teammate Ademiluyi in what was another comical moment and
had a few of us laughing in the crowd.
On a serious note though it was a decent opening wasted by the hosts.
With five minutes left Tom
Soares saw a good effort well saved by Pajetat from long range, as the hosts continued
to frustrate their Football League opponents, however as the clock ticked into the
90th minute heartbreak for the hosts as the Dons finally found a way
past Pajetat in the Boro goal as Pinnock saw his left footed effort deflect
beyond the keeper and into the net.
The hosts could not find
that heroic leveller to earn a replay, and it meant the visitors went through
to the next round. But whatever the
result Haringey Borough are the winners here, earning plenty of money along the
way as well as plaudits and fans, and no doubt anyone who hadn’t heard of the
club before would of sure done now, what a journey for them, and what an effort
they gave, well done!!!
Full Time Haringey Borough 0 AFC Wimbledon 1
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