Fulham needed extra time goals from Mark Blake and Alan Cork to see off the spirited challenge of Southern League side Ashford Town in a second dramatic first round FA Cup tie.
The Third Division side were lucky to force a replay through two Micky Adams penalties in the original day played in horrendous conditions at the Homelands Stadium, but Ian Branfoot’s team looked set for safe passage into the second round of the FA Cup having scored twice in the first twenty minutes. Skipper Simon Morgan lashed in from the edge of the area to give the Cottagers the lead after being teed up by John Marshall and Adams arrived late at the far post to make it 2-0 by converting a clever pass from Michael Mison.
But Mark Stanton halved the non-league outfit’s arrears before half time, racing onto a through ball from full back Andy Morris after he had robbed Marshall of possession in midfield. The travelling Town fans were in dreamland nine minutes after the interval as Nicky Dent powered a header past Jim Stannard at the Putney End having risen highest to meet a flighted cross from the right by Morris.
Ashford had a goal disallowed by the linesman’s offside flag before Adams arrived late again on the edge of the box to lash home Fulham’s third from the edge of the area after Marshall had volleyed a ball across the area from the right flank. It looked as if the Whites had secured a place in the second round, but Stanton stepped up again in the last minute of normal time to latch onto another lovely through ball from Morris and beat Stannard at his near post with an outstanding outside-of-the-boot finish.
Brave Ashford battled all the way through extra time but were undone by Fulham’s superior fitness. Mark Blake rose highest to meet a corner in the first period of extra period and thundered a downward header into the net before Alan Cork, who helped Wimbledon win the FA Cup in 1988, finally put the tie beyond the plucky non-leaguers when he slotted home from Marshall’s right-wing cross.
FULHAM: Stannard; Jupp, Herrera, Blake, Moore; Morgan, Hurlock, Mison, Marshall, Adams; Cork. Subs (not used): Harrison, Angus, Haworth.
GOALS: Morgan (15), Adams (20, 88), Blake (98), Cork (110).
ASHFORD TOWN: Munden; Morris, Lemoine, A. Pearson, R. Pearson; Smith, Wheeler, Dent, Ross; Stanton, Arter. Subs: Ager, Carlton, Mace.
GOALS: Stanton (43, 89), Dent (56).
ATTENDANCE: 6,539.
