Bashley FC score eight to seal FA Cup progression in 10-goal thriller

FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round: Bashley FC 8 Whitchurch United FC 2

BASHLEY FC progressed to the next round after they smashed eight goals past FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round opponents Whitchurch United at the Glen Mex Stadium.

After Bashley FC chair Elisabeth Marrion addressed the players before kick-off, the home side started with intent.

Harry Morgan was first to test the Whitchurch defence, but it was Conor Whiteley who broke the deadlock. In the 12th minute, he cut in from the right to score from the edge of the box. Within two minutes, Whiteley claimed his second with a near-identical effort, this time cutting in from the left.

Bashley seemed to be in cruise control, but any thoughts of complacency were quickly dispelled when Aaron Randall’s free-kick hit the back of the net leaving Bashley keeper Harry Gravett rooted to the spot.

Ten minutes later, Bashley won a penalty when Lewis Ross was felled from behind. Whiteley stepped up with hopes of claiming a first-half hat-trick. He shot low and hard, but Whitchurch’s Ashley Downs saved superbly.

With half-time approaching, Morgan made it 3-1 when he got on the end of a pass after impressive build-up play from Ross and Harry Bunce.

The second-half began at a frenetic pace, and many spectators missed the home side’s fourth goal. Harry McGrath plucked a looped cross from the air before playing a short pass into Morgan who swivelled and shot to complete his double.

Three minutes later, McGrath smashed an unstoppable effort from wide left to make it 5-1. With the result beyond doubt, Bashley made changes as Cameron Beard, Chris Onoufriou and Liam Farrugia came off the bench.

The visitors pulled one back almost immediately when Rian Long scored the rebound after Gravett made a superb save. Bashley were unperturbed, and Onoufriou restored the Bashley advantage after timing his run to perfection to meet a firm Bunce cross.

In the dying minutes, Ross dribbled along the edge of the box before finding a small gap and firing quickly into the net. Within seconds of the restart, Ross was set up by McGrath for his brace to send the Bashley faithful into delirium.

Bashley: Gravett, Webber, Thompson, Smith, Morris, Ross, Strickland, Bunce, Whiteley, Morgan, McGrath. Used Subs: Beard, Onoufriou, Farrugia.