
Photo credit: Braithwaite Photography
Colne finally laid the bogey of Trafford FC on Tuesday night as they battled their way through to the Ist Qualifying Round of the Emirates FA Cup with a dramatic 2-1 win. The Reds had never beaten Trafford during the last five seasons that they have been in the same league but fought all the way to clinch a famous victory in this FA Cup replay.
The game got off to a lively start and in only the first minute Reece Webb-Foster saw his angled shot knocked away with an instinctive save by Trafford keeper Niall Jordan. And Jordan was in action minutes later as he raced out of his area to clear the ball from the path of Enoch Takpe who was bearing down on goal.
Trafford soon settled into the game and tested the Reds defence with some well built attacks and Alfie Belcher and Matty Morgan saw their angled shots fly just wide of the far post in the Colne goalmouth. In the end-to-end play, Webb-Foster looked to have a good chance when he beat the advancing keeper to a through ball, but Trafford central defender Adam Rooney hacked the ball clear to deny the Colne striker a golden opportunity.
With half time approaching, Harry Winstanley’s ball down the left wing released Webb-Foster for a run into the opposing penalty area and he shrugged off the defender before blasting an angled shot into the far corner of the net past a helpless keeper to give Colne the lead after 43 minutes.
Both sides pushed forward as the second half began and Mike Burke shot just wide of the Colne goal after a good run through the middle. But the Reds came close at the other end when Tom Dean fired over the bar of the Trafford goal after a great build-up involving Billy Hasler-Cregg and Takpe.
After 56 minutes, Tyler Forbes’ through ball sent Webb-Foster through on goal and again he shrugged off the attentions of the defender before finding the net with an unstoppable shot past the helpless Jordan in goal to double Colne’s lead.
Both sides battled hard as the contest became physical and Hakan Burton advanced from his goal to head a dangerous ball clear before making a good save to keep out a shot from Morgan. But after 77 minutes, Jack Dorney curled a low shot through a crowded goalmouth into the bottom corner of the Colne goal to reduce the arrears to 2-1.
Minutes later, Trafford came close to an equaliser when Harry Sheridan’s low shot brought a fingertip save from Burton to push the ball round the post.
As play swung to the other end, Webb-Foster looked to be clear on a through ball by Alex Dodd, but Aidan Roxburgh did well to win the ball with a last ditch tackle. And Winstanley came close when he headed just over the bar from a Colne corner kick.
In the closing minutes of the game, Trafford threw everything at the Reds. In a heart-stopping moment the ball flew across the unguarded Colne goalmouth before Burton made another vital save as Rooney burst through the Colne defence.
The Reds held on for a famous victory and they will play Stalybridge Celtic in the next round on 4th September.
Colne F.C. Line Up:
Burton / Forbes / Winstanley / Roberts* / Dean / Taylor / Williams / Dodd / Takpe** / Webb-Foster / Hasler Cregg
Subs:
Turner* / Dugdale / Cannon-Noren** / McFarlane
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