Football / FA Cup First Round: Agony for Accrington

Accrington Stanley. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .2

Scunthorpe United . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3

EVEN cup ties rarely throw up the kind of late drama that yesterday engulfed Turf Moor, where Third Division Scunthorpe tottered into the second round of the FA Cup.

When Chris Wood burgled an equaliser in the third minute of stoppage time, it looked certain to be Stanley's day at their lodgings. But United's substitute, Sammy Goodacre, still found time for the final word.

A second chance was no less than the Northern Premier League side had deserved for their effort, if not the quality of their performance in defence. A club in Accrington's parlous state would rate even a replay a success as they battle to climb up ladders and reclaim the League status they squandered amid bankruptcy in 1962.

'We are grateful to be in the second round,' United's manager, Richard Money, admitted. Ken Wright, the Accrington manager, said: 'We deserve better - that's the end of our season. It's back to the bread and butter now but the timing of the winner added to our pain.'

The comments of both managers summed up a tie won by Goodacre seconds short of the 95th minute. It was a second goal for the former Sheffield Wednesday striker, signed on, like so many of his team-mates, without a transfer fee.

Goodacre scored his first goal in the 81st minute after a corner needlessly conceded by Jim Connor, the villain who had earlier been the hero.

Connor's assured header after the best move of the tie, involving John Hughes and Paul Beck, came in the 66th minute of his first game on loan from Witton Albion.

A stooping header by Andy Toman in the 31st minute could easily have been the start of a landslide but for Stanley's resilience. If the goalkeeper, John Armfield, could be questioned over the first of Goodacre's goals he kept his team's hopes alive with a spectacular save in the 72nd minute.

Ian Thompstone hit the ball from 25 yards and it seemed certain the ball would end up in the top corner. But Armfield was able to lever the ball away and make a save television will be grateful to have captured.

Accrington Stanley: Armfield; Wood, Cooper, Connor, Moss, Williams, Grimshaw, Hughes (Senior, 73), Lutkevitch (Lampkin, 87), Beck, Hoskin. Substitute not used: Henry (gk).

Scunthorpe United: Samways; Alexander, Mudd, Hope, Knill, Carmichael, Thompstone, Martin, White (Goodacre, 63), Toman, Smith. Substitutes not used: Thornber, Wilmot (gk).

Referee: T Heilbron (Newton Aycliffe).