Dunsfold 5, Oxshott Royals Rebels 6 (after extra time)
Surrey Primary League Junior Cup; preliminary round
If you type “classic cup tie” into Wikipedia, don’t be surprised to see a photo from this match – muddy conditions, end-to-end play, a seesawing scoreline and a last-minute off-the-line clearance!
The home side took the lead after just 12 minutes but Royals gave as good as they got in the remainder of the first half and equalised eight minutes before the interval, when Brett slotted home a through ball from Nicholls.
Less than a minute after the break it was Oxshott who went in front, the Dunsfold keeper parrying a Brett shot and El Fadel heading into the net.
“Less than a minute after the break it was Oxshott who went in front, the Dunsfold keeper parrying a Brett shot and El Fadel heading into the net.”
Royals’ lead lasted less than three minutes, however, when the referee awarded a penalty for pushing and the home side fired the ball past Frazer.
As the second half progressed, Oxshott began to take control of the game and Nicholls shot them back into the lead in the 52nd minute but, with less than five minutes remaining, Dunsfold levelled to take the game into extra time.
Royals once again came out of the stalls at breakneck speed, pulling ahead after just a minute of extra time, when Mughal rose to nod in a Nicholls cross to give the visitors a 4-3 advantage.
Three minutes later, Dunsfold equalised again, to leave the sides level at 4-4 with the second 15 minutes of extra time to play.
Two minutes after the break Oxshott made it 5-4, Mughal nodding the ball down for El Fadel to fire it home, but this time the advantage lasted just 60 seconds as the home side once again cancelled out Royals’ lead.
Oxshott’s winner came with just two minutes remaining – Brett latching on to a superb Dolce cross from the right to rifle the ball home.
The drama didn’t stop there, however, as, in the final minute, Dunsfold won a corner and sent everyone, including their keeper, into the Oxshott area. As the ball bounced helplessly around in front of goal, only a last-gasp kick off the line by Mughal kept the match from going to penalties.
Man of the match was keeper Frazer, whose confident handling made a major contribution to helping the cup holders through to the next round.