Chichester City produced more FA Cup heroics to see off Hartley Wintney
Battling Chichester City forced higher-division Hartley Wintney to a replay.
The first five minutes here were action-packed. Joint top scorer Scott Jones, back after injury, won a corner that home keeper Luke Williams punched clear.
The hosts broke down the right and Ty Smith forced a smart save from Chi custodian Steve Mowthorpe. The ball came out to Josh Webb, who’s shot cannoned off the post and into Mowthorpe’s arms.
Captain Connor Cody almost picked out Jones before fellow centre-back Corey Heath tidied up under pressure from Jack Ball. Gicu Iordache allowed Williams to beat him to a throughball. Hartley’s Alex Albert got something on a Matt Drage free-kick.
Things settled but chances came and went at both ends.
A super piece of skill from Jones enabled him to get a shot off but it was blocked by a Hartley defender.
Ryan Davidson got his body in the way of a fierce effort after a dangerous cross by Mickel Platt.
Iordache skewed a shot wide and Mowthorpe was in Scott Jones, back for City after injury, fires at goal in Saturday’s 0-0 draw at Hartley Wintney
the thick of it again, punching clear after a throw-in was flicked on into the box.
Ball glanced a Webb cross over and Emmett Dunn hooked away another delivery from Hartley.
There were opportunities for Josh Clack and Jones but both went begging.
Platt blazed wide before things opened up for Lloyd Rowlatt after a mazy run, only for the midfielder to drill an effort off target.
Heath did well to clear a
free-kick from Webb following a neat exchange between Hollamby and Sal Abubakar, then Matt Axell got a timely block in to deny Platt.
Chichester forged the first opportunity after the interval but Iordache wasn’t able to get to Jones’ delivery.
Jones tried desperately to undo the Row back four on 53 minutes but lost the ball.
The hosts countered and Abubakar and Webb created a chance cleared to Tom Bird, who pulled a fine stop out of
Mowthorpe. Referee Hugh Gilroy dished out a yellow card just before the hour for a foul on Jones. Axell’s set-piece didn’t trouble Williams.
The home side should have made more of a spell they dominated. Mowthorpe rose to beat Platt to a cross from Bird then Cody blocked a cross by Webb, before Heath cleared another one whipped in by Bird.
For Chi, Jones hit one narrowly wide and Rowlatt went close after nice play from Iordache, Heath and Dunn.
In the 65th minute Jimmy Wild replaced Axell. Matt Drage and Webb linked up in the hosts’ next move as Hartley forced pressure.
There were two heart in the mouth moments for Chi fans when a Platt cross-come-shot just drifted away from the goal and a freak deflection off Dunn might have given the hosts the lead. Kaleem Haitham came on for Iordache and Jones, named MOM, headed not far off with ten to go.
The home side also made changes with substitute Jack French instrumental in winning a corner that Heath managed to clear.
Clack found Jones who nodded the ball towards Wild in the box but it was an awkward one and Wild, who scored the opener against Cray Valley last weekend, couldn’t get the kind of purchase on it that he would have liked.
The referee waved away 85th minute penalty appeals after French went down as an onrushing Mowthorpe came out to save low down and preserve a third clean sheet in four games.
Davidson got a towering header on the subsequent corner that sent Chi surging forward only for Drage to keep his cool with a fine bit of defending just before the final whistle.