Tuffley U18s snatch FA Youth Cup tie with injury time winner against Fairford
Josh Kennedy forced the ball home in the 91st minute to earn his Tuffley Rovers U18s side a hard fought 3-2 victory against Fairford on Thursday night, setting up a trip to Paulton Rovers in the next round of the FA Youth Cup.
With the game locked at 2-2 and looking destined for penalties, Luke Roberts tricked his way up the byline and poked across goal for Kennedy to bundle the ball home, sparking scenes of joy for the hosts, who had been in front before coming from behind.
Tuffley broke the deadlock through Precious Abeiya’s strike on 32 minutes, but Heiko Skeete levelled soon after the break.
Fairford then snatched the lead through substitute Moses Preece Smith, but the hosts levelled with seven minutes as Ellis Mayo slid home to restore parity with 25 minutes to go.
Rovers will now head to Paulton Rovers in the First Qualifying Round the week commencing 15 September.
The two sides kick off their Cheltenham Youth Floodlit League campaigns next week, with Tuffley heading to Slimbridge on Tuesday (9 September) and Fairford hosting Cinderford on Thursday (11 September).
The game itself started at a frantic pace, with both sides looking to get the ball to centre forwards Precious Abeiya and Liam Wood – with Roan Young and Drew Oliver having to come off their line to sweep away.
Wood got on the end of a ball forward and looked set to score on 10 minutes, but Tuffley defender Andrew Bolger-Allen made a superb last ditch challenge to take it off the striker’s toes.
Zak Jones had the first shot of the game, but as Young’s clearance fell to him 35 yards out, Jones’ follow up effort flew wide.
Deshan Tyler bent a volley wide on 16 minutes, as Tuffley began to really settle into the contest, before Tyler then skipped into the box and flashed a ball across goal.
And on 32 minutes, Rovers got their lead, as Abeiya took the ball into his stride on the edge of the box and fired past Young.
Warren Thomas and Rhys Bevan had chances for Fairford before half time, but neither could hit the target.
Fairford made changes at the break, with Moses Preece Smith one of those coming on and he made a real difference to proceedings.
Bevan’s free kick was diverted home by centre back Heiko Skeete on 49 minutes, with Preece Smith clipping in a glorious second just before the hour mark.
The Fairford man did well to retrieve the loose ball after another superb last ditch challenge from Bolger-Allen, to then clip his effort over Oliver.
But Tuffley levelled with their next attack, as a free kick fell to Kaelen Venna at the back post and his scuffed effort fell for Ellis Mayo to slide the ball past Young.
Rovers should have scored with just over 10 minutes to go, as another free kick fell through to Venna, with the Tuffley man somehow unable to keep his effort down from about eight yards.
Luke Roberts came off the bench for Tuffley and after having an effort blocked by Young, he continued to look lively as both sides went in search of a winner.
And Roberts was the architect of the dramatic winner, skipping past two men on the left byline, before poking under Young.
As the ball fell to fellow substitute Josh Kennedy, he just about squirmed the ball past two Fairford defenders trying to get back on the line.
Tuffley were ecstatic and celebrated as the full time whistle went. The two were set to meet in the league in two weeks time, but it will be re-scheduled due to the next round of the FA Youth Cup.
Tuffley Rovers U18s: Oliver, Smith, Staite, Bolger-Allen, Hansen, Shyamapant, Venna, Mayo, Abeiya, Tyler, Jones
Subs: Kennedy, White, Roberts, Morrison, Muskwe, Roche, Ahmed
Fairford Town U18s: Young, Taylor, Ponte, Baker, Skeete, Winslow, Bevan, Gabb, Wood, Thomas, Ford
Subs: Morley, Blackwell, Bates, Preece Smith, Snell, Keogh, King
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Andre Bolger-Allen (Tuffley Rovers U18s)
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