Congleton march on in Vase after shoot-out victory

CONGLETON Town reached the FA Vase fourth round for the first time in seven years with a 4-3 victory on penalties after a 1-1 draw at home to Coventry United.

Coventry were awarded a penalty in the 25th minute when Josh Ryder was adjudged to have pushed Josh O’grady.

But David Parton pulled off an excellent save from Riley O’sullivan’s spot kick, diving to his left.

A minute later Coventry were reduced to 10 men when O’grady was sent off for diving, receiving a second yellow card for his trouble.

The ten men took the lead, though, in the 30th minute when O’sullivan found the net with a low shot.

Parton made an excellent save from O’sullivan after the interval before the Bears came back into things.

They eventually levelled in the 72nd minute when Arron Johns converted a cross by Jordan Johnson. Despite plenty of pressure Coventry held out for a draw and the tie went to penalties.

Congleton were 3-1 down in the spot kicks but recovered to 3-3 to take it to sudden death.

Aaron Williams hit the bar for Coventry and then Billy Buckley stepped up to score the winner and clinch the £1,125 prize money.

Hanley Town’s recordbreaking run to the third round ended in defeat as they were beaten 2-0 at Long Eaton United.

Long Eaton went in front in the 14th minute when a long throw by Keiran Walker found its way to Alex Marshall and he tucked the ball into the bottom corner.

Kieran Brown had a shot saved by Jake Askew as Hanley hit back while Ben Chapman was then called upon to save well from Danny Gordon.

Ten minutes after the break, Long Eaton were reduced to 10 men when Alex Marshall was shown a straight red card for a bad challenge on Louis Anthony.

The 10 men doubled their lead, though, in the 72nd minute.

A Tom Marshall free-kick found Jamie Walker on the byeline and he volleyed the ball into the net from a tight angle via the post.

With 11 minutes remaining Hanley ‘keeper Chapman was sent off for a foul on Kameron Campbell.

They had used all of their substitutes so Callum Feeney went in goal but there were no further dramas.

Hanley picked up the £350 losers’ prize money.

Nantwich Town bowed out of the competition with a 1-0 home defeat by Hereford.

The visitors went close in the 10th minute when a cross from former Port Vale left-back Dan Jones was headed goalwards by Lennell John-lewis, only for Greg Hall to tip the ball over the bar.

Six minutes later a freekick by Chris Camwell flicked the top of the Nantwich bar. The Dabbers hit back with a Curtis Miller shot that went just wide.

After the break, Nantwich almost broke the deadlock when David Webb curled a free-kick over the wall, only for Brandon Hall to push the ball out for a corner.

Hereford took the lead in the 67th minute when Kyle Finn got to the bye-line and squared the ball to JohnLewis and he stabbed it home from close range.

Nantwich came close to taking the tie to penalties in time added on when Callum Saunders, pictured, struck the bar. Nantwich were left with just the £1,250 losers’ prize money.

Kidsgrove Athletic’s league visit to Ilkeston Town was postponed because of a waterlogged pitch.