Second half goals from Colin Day and John Stephen secured a famous win for non-league Hayes as they knocked Third Division Fulham out of the FA Cup in front of the Sky cameras at Craven Cottage.
The visitors fully deserved their giantkilling having held firm despite prolonged spells of early Fulham pressure. Simon Morgan, Glen Thomas and Kelly Haag all spurned good chances to put the hosts ahead in the first half and were made to pay as the visitors showed them how to finish after the interval to record the first upset of the first round proper.
Day, a production controller, put the part-timers ahead with a fine free-kick from 25 yards that the Spurs fan said afterwards was inspired by his hero, Paul Gascoigne. After Glen Thomas had fouled Darren Seabrook, the 22 year-old lashed home a thunderous effort that flew in off the underside of the crossbar. “That is definitely the most important goal I’ve scored,” the midfielder smiled. “We got the free-kick and one of the lads said, ‘Just hit it’. I’ve seen Gazza do it loads of times, so I thought I’d have a go”.
Fulham put the Diadora League outfit under sustained pressure in the final quarter of an hour and Hayes right back Warren Kelly cleared off the line from Haag to keep Harry Manoe’s men in front. They sealed the finest moment in the Middlesex side’s 82-year history when substitute Steve Pope slid a ball through the remnants of the home defence and Scottish striker Stephen finished emphatically past Jim Stannard.
Manoe said afterwards: “It has got to be the club’s best-ever moment and certainly the tops for me since I came here. The lads did us proud. We felt that if we could hold them for half an hour we’d have a chance. Colin’s free-kick was superb and it changed the game for us. We really don’t care who we meet in the next round – it’s just great to be there.”
FULHAM: Stannard; Newson, Pike, Morgan, G. Thomas; Scott, Onwere, J. Marshall, Cobb, Brazil, Haag. Subs (not used): Nebbeling, M. Kelly.
HAYES: O’Reilly; W. Kelly, Keen, Leather (Clarke 72), Cox; Hayward, R. Marshall, Day, Dixon (Pope 75); Seabrook, Stephen.
GOALS: Day (66), Stephen (86).
REFEREE: Paul Alcock (Kent).
ATTENDANCE: 6,404.
