Wellingboro’ Whitworths 0 Harboro’ Town 1
An exciting prospect was in the offing as Wellingborough Whitworth played host to Harborough Town in the FA cup pre-preliminary round. Both sides are yet to win a domestic game this season so it was set perfectly for one of these teams to end their short drought. This match also held extra significance as the winning team would receive the best part of a £3000 split. As we know, anything can happen in the FA cup so it was up to the players to put in a quality performance to secure a place in the next round against Cambridge City.
Harborough were subject to some mixed injury news in the build-up to the game with captain, Ben Williams, only able to make the substitutes bench after a failed fitness test following his premature departure against Daventry in midweek. However, Goalkeeper Glen Giles returned from an elbow injury that had kept him out of the squad in the opening two matches.The first few minutes began rather tense and cagey as both teams attempted to get an early foothold in the game. Harborough managed to carve out the first sight of goal when Harry May delivered a corner into the box that was headed away to the edge of the area where Jordan Lever’s eventual effort was cleared away by Whitworth’s backline.Whitworth then hit back with a decent spell of pressure of their own when their rangy captain, Cavell Jarvis, won a flicked header in the centre of the park which released the shackles of Daniel Uche who raced through but couldn’t find the finish. A loose piece of play at the back then allowed Nicky Charlton to step in and go one on one with Giles who made himself big and produced a vital save with his right boot.Harborough were then back on the offensive when Harry May played a delightfully disguised through ball to Daniel Forbes who managed to get his shot away from a tight angle, putting it across the keeper but agonisingly wide of the post.Greg Usher then displayed his strength down the right wing, holding off a defender to reach the by-line and drilled in a phenomenal ball across the six-yard line, just evading the outstretched leg of Forbes.Whitworth then sliced their way through the Harborough ranks with a fluid move which involved a flicked header from Jamie Black to James Harvey who threaded it through to Jarvis who cut inside and forced a sharp save from Giles at his near post, preserving his clean sheet.Usher and Forbes came close to combining once more as Usher sent in another dangerous driven ball that flashed inches wide of the woodwork, leaving keeper Luke Reay, stranded.May then began to turn on the style in midfield as he glided nonchalantly past two spectators to slide a neat ball into the direction of Forbes but was intercepted in the nick of time by the defence.At the heart of midfield, Callum Steer received the ball in an advanced position, reigning in on the Whitworth rear-guard and fed it wide to Tony Bartlett who did commendably to reach it. He fired in a low cross into the corridor of uncertainty where their defender was fortunate not to put it into his own net. From the same spell of play, the ball found its way to May who rippled the side netting.May was at the centre of the piece once again as he found Forbes inside the 18-yard box who’s effort was closed down rapidly. Forbes picked himself back up was then toppled over inside the area but the Bees were only awarded a free kick much to the disappointment of the Harborough faithful.The referee then called a halt to the game for half time with the score still very much in the balance. Harborough were certainly deserving of a lead going into the break but they needed to regroup and refocus for what was going to be a key second half.
May began the second half as he had ended the first with great intent as he found Perry Johnson in the box who couldn’t quite sort his feet out in time to convert the opportunity which Reay gathered comfortably.A double switch was then made by Stuart Spencer and Chris Church, replacing Jamie Mastropierro with Mohamed Soumah and taking off Greg Usher for Aaron Preston up top.Another opportunity arose for Harborough as Giles bowled a long throw out to May on the right who drove into the final third before releasing Soumah down the line. He then cut inside and laid the ball across to Jordan Lever who’s connection wasn’t as sweet as he’d hoped and the ball trickled into the palms of Reay.A clever piece of interplay between Bartlett and May eventually resulted in Bartlett being brought down by Jamie Black who received the first caution of the afternoon.
Whitworth managed to finally break out of their own half and eventually a loose ball was latched onto by Anthony Jasczcun who stormed in to rifle an effort from 30 yards, perhaps just grazing the bar on its way over. This was certainly a wake-up call for the Bees not to lose their concentration as the game ticked into the dying minutes.Harborough then responded by sending a sumptuous lobbed pass over the top for Soumah to run onto and clip it past the keeper but not past the alert defender who had read the situation well.Another yellow card was then issued to Whitworth when Lever was professionally fouled by James Harvey as he was galloping into their territory.May then fired a dangerous ball into the path of Aaron Preston who reached the ball before the keeper to direct it into the corner of the net. However, Harborough’s jubilation was short-lived as the linesman had flagged for offside.
One final substitution saw the introduction of Harry Henbury in a straight positional swap for Harry May in a late attempt to steal a late victory. Henbury was swiftly into the action as he picked up the ball on the right flank, riding the challenge of their defender before firing a left footed effort marginally wide of the target.In the 96th minute of the game, Harborough pressed forward one final time with Henbury stepping inside his man and swinging in a cross that was glanced into the bottom corner by Aaron Preston who had made a superb late run from the left. The sheer joy and emotion was clear to see as the players and substitutes converged on the match winner to congratulate him.
The referee blew his whistle one last time to bring to a conclusion a dramatic grand stand finish. Harborough had finally triumphed this season with the last kick of the match and the relief amongst the Harborough support was plain to view. A truly thrilling finale to a tense and captivating spectacle with Harborough grinding out a well-deserved victory. A fantastic financial boost has now been awarded to the club for their progression in the competition and long may it continue. The Bees’ attention now turns to Saturday as they return to league duties against Eynesbury, looking to kick-start their campaign following this enormous confidence enhancer.
-Match report by Harry Shephard
