Joe Hanks scored two superb free-kicks as Gloucester City came from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 and force a replay in the FA Cup 3rd round qualifying round against Hemel Hempstead.
Goals from Jake Robinson and James Kaloczi had given the visitors a seemingly unassailable 2-0 lead with 25 minutes to go, but two sublime moments of skill from Hanks kept the Tigers in the pot for the next round.
The Tudors had centre-back Tony Diagne sent off in the 80th minute for a challenge on Gloucester’s excellent Zack Kotwica and with the Tigers on the ascendancy it looked like a replay may not be needed, but the away side held on.
The return fixture will be played Tuesday 4th October at Vauxhall Road, with kick off at 19:45 BST.
The first half saw an
end-to-end game with the visitors having more of the possession. Excellent vision from goalkeeper Jamie Butler saw his long punt fall perfectly for Robinson, whose tidy finish was enough to see Hemel go into half time a goal to the good at Whadden Road.
end-to-end game with the visitors having more of the possession. Excellent vision from goalkeeper Jamie Butler saw his long punt fall perfectly for Robinson, whose tidy finish was enough to see Hemel go into half time a goal to the good at Whadden Road.The Tigers improved drastically in the second half with some good chances for the likes of Eli Phipps and Kotwica, but they couldn’t find the break-through and a mistake from full-back Leroy Odiero saw the ball eventually fall to Kaloczi to smash in to double their lead.
That looked to be the game as a contest finished, but the Tigers continued to battle and a sublime free kick from Hanks brought them back into the game. With just 20 minutes left, Hanks had another free kick in a similar position and again put the ball in the top corner past Butler to earn the Tigers a deserved draw.
After the game, man of the match Joe Hanks said he was “really delighted with his two goals and to be in the hat for the next game.”
“We’re disappointed to have gone two goals down, the momentum was with us at the end and I think we could have won it, but we’ll go again on Tuesday.”
“We’re disappointed to have gone two goals down, the momentum was with us at the end and I think we could have won it, but we’ll go again on Tuesday.”
Manager Tim Harris also said after the game he believes the side should be “extremely grateful to be still in the FA Cup. We conceded two poor goals and the two free kicks from Hanks have given us a lifeline.”
Teams:
Tigers:
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Jasbir Singh
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Keiran Thomas
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Leroy Odiero
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Spencer Hamilton
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Sam Avery
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Tom Owen-Evans
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Joe Hanks
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Tom Webb [c]
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Eli Phipps
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Zack Kotwica
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Ed Williams
Subs:
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Jack Deaman
14.Joe Parker
15.Craig Reid
16.James Fitzgibbon
17.Calvin Dinsley
18.Marc Richards
21.Paul Tassel
Hemel Hempstead:
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Jamie Butler
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Kyle Connolly [c]
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Jack Kelly
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James Kaloczi
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Aaron Hayden
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Tony Diagne
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Lewis Taafe
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Matt Saunders
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Jake Robinson
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James Potton
-
Graeme Montgommery
Subs:
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Sam Carcaran
14.Jonny McNamara
15. David King
16. Mitchell Weiss
17. Jordan Parks
18. Matthew Spring
21. Dean Snedker
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