Match Report

FC United were held to a 1-1 draw at Handsworth Parramore in the Emirates FA Cup as the home team equalised in the 89th minute and Tom Greaves then saw his stoppage time goal ruled out for offside.

The Reds came into the game on the back of four straight losses in the league and it should really have been a good distraction getting a draw against a team three steps below us in the non-league pyramid, but the afternoon was tougher than many would have expected.

The team that plies their trade in the Norther Counties East League Premier Division set up to make the game as physical and difficult as they could for the Reds and this made for a frustrating and not too memorable game of football.

Connor McCarthy saw his first half effort disallowed for offside as he put Jason Gilchrist’s effort over the line, but the breakthrough came just ten minutes before the break as Steve Irwin was bundled over in the box but he snapped up the opportunity from the spot to give the Reds the lead at the break.

Any thoughts of it being an easy passage through to the next round from there were soon shelved though as the home team missed a great opportunity when Adam Moxam drilled a low effort towards goal but saw that saved by Lloyd Allinson.

This saw FC take the front foot and two quick chances came along to add to the lead, firstly Craig Lindfield headed a great opportunity just wide and then Jason Gilchrist saw his effort come back off the crossbar.

The home team were camping out in their own half for large periods of the second half, but an organised defence and some tough; and sometimes questionable, tackling kept them in the game and going into the last five minutes they knew they still had a chance of getting something from the game.

That something came in the 89th minute as captain Pat Lindley fired the ball past Allinson to give the home team an equaliser and by the way the players and staff celebrated the goal you could really tell how much this meant to them.

But in the FA Cup dreams can turn to nightmares quite quickly and in stoppage time it looked like Tom Greaves had spoiled the fairy tale for the home team as he put a rebounded effort into the goal, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

The game now goes to a replay at Broadhurst Park on Tuesday night with the winner going through to the third qualifying round a week on Saturday; which is drawn on Monday afternoon.

Website man of the match: Steve Irwin – Scored the only (non-disallowed) goal of the afternoon and looks to be bringing his experience and influence all over the pitch.

Report by Craig Phillips