Bristol Rovers completed an incredible last-ditch comeback to beat Crawley Town in their FA Cup Second Round Replay on Wednesday night.
It was back on 7 December that these two sides contested an exciting 0-0 draw that saw Rovers' goalkeeper Steve Mildenhall taking all the plaudits for a string of excellent saves. Fast forward a month, and the two postponed matches that have fallen victim to the harsh weather, and the clash finally got underway with the visitors triumphing and earning a tie with Birmingham City.
Crawley Town 1-2 Bristol Rovers
The FA Cup Second Round Proper replay,
Wednesday 8 January 2014,
Broadfield Stadium,
Winners receive £27,000
Crawley dominated the opening half of this replay andthey deservedly grabbed the lead after 15 minutes. Andy Drury’s pass put Nicky Adams away down the right and his cross was met by Jamie Proctor’s powerful header at the far post which flew past the keeper and into the net.
Rovers refused to lie down and be defeated; The first of their two best chances of the opening period arrived in the 30th minute when only a fine save from Crawley goalkeeper Paul Jones denied David Clarkson a goal off his head after connecting firmly with a far post cross off the boot of Michael Smith.
It was another ball in from the right-hand side – this time by Tom Lockyer – that then yielded Rovers’ next opportunity in the 38th minute, but John-Joe O’Toole was unable to get neither enough power or direction in a side-foot volley to beat Jones from around the edge of the six-yard box.
Sergio Torres in action for Crawley against Bristol Rovers
Proctor’s goal looked to have out the tie beyond doubt as Rovers looked to be lacking a response on either side of the interval but the visitors got their rewards with eight minutes remaining when Eliot Richards volleyed home.
And with seconds remaining Rovers grabbed the victory when O'Toole hit a right-footed shot from the centre of the box in to the back of the net to send the visitors in to raptures and his side in to the next round.
