FA Cup First Qualifying

Round Replay

Cinderford Town 2

Merthyr Tydfil 0

(after extra-time)

CINDERFORD go to Eastleigh on October 1 in the next round of the FA Cup after killing off a determined Merthyr effort on Tuesday night.

Beating the Welshmen guarantees Town a £3,000 bonus – which will rise to £4,500 if they overcome Eastleigh.

There were chances galore at both ends at The Causeway on Tuesday night, but incredibly it remained 0-0 after 90 minutes.

Both sides missed sitters, but the keepers also played a part in keeping it scoreless.

Merthyr made the better start with Ryan Prosser proving a handful. He twisted and turned his way into the box, but his shot was deflected wide for a corner. Gary Shepherd blazed over the bar when well placed, then Prosser scuffed a shot wide from close range with the goal at his mercy.

Town grew into the game, winning a series of corners. Nick McCootie flashed a back post header just wide of the post.

In the second half the game continued to flow from end to end.

Ryan Dorrian had a shot deflected wide for Merthyr, then a Jason Pena effort looked destined for the top corner until it struck Dan Harrison's knee and flew over the bar.

Lewis Sommers showed great skill to turn inside his marker down the touchline and break into the box, but he side-footed his shot just wide of the post with Merthyr keeper Joe Perry stranded. Town made a double substitution midway through the half, bringing on Dale Evans and Matt Barnes for Greg Lewis and Nick Hancock. Andy Lewis dropped into defence.

Barnes and fellow wide man Dean Lee found themselves with plenty of space down the flanks, but Town still could not find the net. Their best outlet remained Sommers, who collected a McCootie flick and fired a half-volley inches past the post.

Towards the end of the match Merthyr finished strongly.

Ben John kept the hosts in the game with three outstanding saves. He made a full length dive to keep out a Leigh Smith shot, then got Warren Archer out of trouble after the defender under-hit a back pass. He also did well to deny Griffiths.

The match went into extra-time and Town lasted the pace the better.

A well worked move down the left wing finally created the opening goal.

Dean Lee knocked a testing cross into the box and Nick McCootie eased in front of his marker to thump a firm header into the top right corner.

Merthyr refused to lie down, even though some of their players looked out on their feet.

Steve Williams headed a corner narrowly wide.

By the second period of extra-time, Merthyr had little left to give.

They plugged on gamely, but paid a heavy price for squandering so many chances when Town broke at pace through a vacant midfield in the dying seconds.

Nick McCootie waited for the advancing keeper to commit himself, then coolly rolled the ball into the bottom corner of the net.

Cinderford Town: Ben John, Warren Archer (capt), Danny Haines, Dan Harrison, Greg Lewis, Craig Tait, Nick Hancock, Andy Lewis, Nick McCootie, Lewis Sommers, Dean Lee. Subs used: Matt Barnes, Dale Evans, Dale Peckham. Not used: Matt Smith, Mike Whittington.