The Isuzu FA Trophy

The Sparks advance in The Buildbase FA Trophy after drama late in extra time

Wednesday 16 Nov 2016

It took three and a half hours of football but Kieran Lavery helped South Park come from behind three times over two games to stun Hastings United 3-2 and reach The Buildbase FA Trophy third round qualifying.

Ollie Rowe’s extra-time header looked to have put Hastings through, but two goals in the last seven minutes, from James McElligott and Lavery seconds before a shootout, turned the tie on his head.

Having been unable to see off 10-man South Park in Saturday's 1-1 draw, Hastings started strongly in the replay, with Steve Watt heading wide from a Sam Cruttwell cross.

But they took the lead on 22 minutes when Harry Stannard played in Matt Bodkin, and he found the back of the net despite the best efforts of James Wastell.

Hastings had the better of the first half, with and could have extended their lead but Stannard was just short of Cruttwell’s cross with goal at his mercy.

But South Park really fought hard in the second half, hitting the post before deservedly equalising 10 minutes from time. It came from a great move down the right, with the ball drilled across for Joe Jackson to tap home.

Rowe put Hastings back in front eight minutes into extra time, with a header from a free-kick, only for McElligott to equalise nine minutes from time.

And just as it looked that penalties would be needed to split the teams, Lavery popped up to head home a corner at the near post and send South Park through.

By FA Staff