Keith Emmerson made it two in two FA Cup ties this season but it was Ryan Seager who stole the headlines for Hungerford Town as Cirencester Town pushed the Crusaders all the way in the Third Qualifying Round.
The bottom line is that Hungerford are in the draw for the Fourth Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, but it took Seager’s injury-time winner after the visitors had clawed their way back from 2-0 down to 2-2 and looked set for a replay in Gloucestershire.
Emmerson broke the deadlock on 48 minutes, as he had done against Truro City in the previous round – though then it was the only goal of the game, a corner was headed on and Emmerson ghosted in at the far post unmarked to side foot home.
This time, hot-shot Seager doubled the lead on 70 minutes but only after Luke Ciarney had saved a penalty for the Crusaders 90 seconds earlier, bundling the ball home at the far post.
The tied turned for Cirencester on 76 minutes, Ellis Dunton firing past Cairney and the leveller came two minutes later through Ben Whitehead.
Things then looked ominous for Hungerford with the momentum well and truly with Southern League Division One side when Callum Willmoth was sent off for a second bookable offence on 84 minutes.
The ‘proper cup tie’ status – as Newbury Today called it – was confirmed in injury time when Seager latched on to a low cross at the near post and hit it high in to the net from six yards to spark wild celebrations at Bulpit Lane.
Details on the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round draw are here.
