Northwich Vics 2

Hednesford Town 2

FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round

Saturday, October 16

THE familiar sight of Bruce Grobbelaar racing out of his area to join the outfield play is the type of antic that has given him a reputation as one of the game's craziest characters, writes NICK SMITH.

But he almost wrecked Vics' FA Cup dreams when he conceded a needless free-kick next to the corner flag seven minutes from the end of this Fourth Qualifying Round tie.

Jamie Bates sliced Gary Twynham's near-post curler into his own net and put Hednesford 2-1 up.

However, two minutes later another veteran of many a hard-fought cup tie, Colin West, claimed an equalizer when his left-foot shot from the edge of the box rolled over the line after hitting the post then keeper Phil Morgan.

This strike ended an 18-minute spell of four goals which woke up the match from its first-half slumber.

The only chance of note for Vics came when Liam Robinson slid in to meet West's header but steered the ball wide on 34 minutes.

The 42-year-old Grobbelaar then showed ageless agility to tip a teasing Twynham free-kick round the post on the stroke of half-time.

Robinson was again wasteful on 64 minutes when he raced clear of the defence but couldn't beat Morgan, who smothered the rebound at the feet of West.

Three minutes later, the deadlock was broken when Bates swung in a deep cross from the right and Val Owen ghosted in beyond a static back line to volley in with his left foot.

The midfielder's return to the side after injury could hardly have had a greater impact. He has scored five goals in the last five games, the only matches he has started all season.

On 74 minutes, Hednesford levelled when Neil Ellis was robbed on the half-way line by sub Ross Rhodes, who played in Twynham to slide the ball past Grobbelaar.

The goalkeeper's rush of blood on 83 minutes not only earned him a yellow card, but directly resulted in Bates' disastrous mis-kick.

However, West showed he had also not lost the ability to turn games, when his immaculate control and steady boot set up the replay.

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