Thomas strikes
COUNTY edged out local neighbours Curzon Ashton to progress in this season’s FA Cup, with a confidence-boosting 1-0 win over Jon Flanagan’s side at Edgeley Park on Saturday.
In what proved to be a nervy affair, following a week in which Jim Gannon’s side’s confidence would have been fraught after back-to-back league defeats, the returning Adam Thomas capped a dream comeback by curling home a delightful winner ten minutes into the second half.
After what Gannon described as a “shambolic” evening the Tuesday prior in a 3-2 defeat at AFC Telford, the Hatters boss made three changes for the Third Qualifying Round clash.
Influential midfielder Jimmy Ball was ruled out after suffering a dead leg in the Telford loss, while Connor Hampson and Darren Stephenson dropped to the bench, with Sam Minihan returning from injury, whilst Scott Duxbury and Chris Smalley started in an attacking 3-4-1-2 formation.
County failed to test Curzon ‘keeper Cameron Mason in the entirety of the first half, with The Hatters undoubtedly rather tentative as they found their feet back in front of their own supporters after two defeats on the road.
Gannon’s men have enjoyed home comforts at Edgeley Park, with an unbeaten run stretching back to November 2016 in all competitions at their own ground – but the hosts took their time on Saturday in settling into proceedings, with 51 minutes on the clock before Mason was tested; before the winning goal shortly followed.
County owed a lot to the introduction just after the break of Gary Stopforth and Ben McKenna, both of whom offered great energy to the hosts who were struggling in that very department in a drab first half.
Stopforth, who’s gradually looking back to his effervescent best after returning from a six month stint in Australia, embarked on a typical lung-bursting run to tee up the marauding Sam Minihan on the righthand side.
Minihan’s low cross was volleyed goalward by Sam Walker and tipped wide by Mason – but it proved only a temporary reprieve for the visitors, as The Hatters struck the crucial blow shortly after.
Captain Stephen O’Halloran found himself in the final third to cross first-time towards Jason Oswell, and County’s top goalscorer – who had been kept relatively quiet by former Salford captain Steve Howson for The Nash – laid it on a plate for Thomas to instantly fire home a curling strike past the sprawling Mason.
As is so often the case, the opening goal seemed to change the course of the tie – and a County side which had huffed and puffed visibly grew in confidence, whilst a Curzon side which had been welldrilled began to concede possession and chances aplenty to their improving hosts.
Stopforth again strode forward to find Minihan, and the former Worcester man fizzed a trademark low cross across the face of goal, leaving Oswell and home debutant Bohan Dixon both inches away from connecting in front of an open goal.
But, despite County’s hard work after the break, the scoreline remained at 1-0 into the dying minutes; and the Hatters welldocumented “defensive frailties” almost cost the hosts once again.
Well into four minutes stoppage time, Curzon broke and won a freekick on the edge of the area after a shove by Chris Smalley on the advancing Niall Cummins.