On a day of high drama in the Buildbase FA Vase second round qualifying, Enfield sealed their progress into the first round proper with an unforgettable 5-4 victory at Stowmarket Town.
The E’s, who ply their trade in the Essex Senior League, travelled to Suffolk to take on last season’s Eastern Counties League Division One champions and with a pulsating tie locked at 4-4, Abiola Balogun pounced in the final minute of extra time to settle matters.
Luke Thomas and Carl Mullings had earlier put Enfield two goals to the good before Amar Lewis reduced the deficit before the break.
In the second period, Ollie Brown and Josh Mayhew struck to turn the tie on its head and the latter scored once again to make it 4-2 to Stowmarket.
Enfield were far from dead and buried though and with ten minutes to go, Josh Sykes made it 4-3.
Joe Staunton then grabbed the equaliser to force an added 30 minutes, allowing Balogun to round off the visitors’ stirring comeback in the dying throes of the match.
Elsewhere, Windsor, of the Hellenic League Premier Division, lined up for their clash with Whitchurch United with former Premier League hitman Barry Hayles among their ranks and promptly romped to an 8-0 win.
However, the 45-year-old didn’t get himself on the scoresheet.
That honour instead went to the likes of Nadir Shafi, Riccardo Cannon and Andrew Ingram, who all helped themselves to braces.
Windsor’s dominant victory was rounded off by Kieran Knight and Jack Denton, who got in on the act late on at Stag Meadow.
Racing Club Warwick were one of the biggest scorers of the round, courtesy of their 7-1 triumph over fellow Midland League Division One outfit Coventry Copsewood.
Luke Cole was the star of the show at Townsend Meadow as he hit a hat-trick to put the G’s to the sword, with Sean Kavanagh helping himself to a brace while
Henry Leaver and Luke Church also got in on the act.
City of Liverpool reigned supreme in their meeting with Merseyside rivals AFC Liverpool, Daniel Dalton and Thomas Peterson notching either side of the break to round off a 2-0 success.
Meanwhile, Biggleswade United secured their progress thanks to a 2-0 win over Thrapston Town, Charlie Black firing his side into the lead with just two minutes gone before finishing off the job himself with 12 minutes to go.
On Friday night, Horley Town beat AC London 5-0 while Whickham held their nerve to edge out Blyth 3-2.
