By Kevin Marriott at Blaise Park
FA CUP EXTRA PRELIMINARY ROUND (SATURDAY)
St Blazey 1 Ivybridge Town 3
A WONDERFUL individual goal from Sean Thomson three minutes into time added on secured victory for Ivybridge after they withstood a second half fightback from St Blazey.
With an enthralling tie moving past the 90-minute mark and finely poised at 2-1, Blazey had a corner which almost squeezed in at the near post but somehow Ivybridge scrambled the ball away.
Thomson picked up possession on the edge of his own penalty area, ignored runners to the left and right of him, and advanced to just outside the Blazey penalty area before lifting his shot over keeper Shaun Semmens into the net and confirm their place in the next round where they welcome Tavistock on August 17.
All of which left Blazey feeling flat but they had given it their all after being played off the park in a one-sided first half where they indebted to some outstanding goalkeeping from Semmens.
Ivybridge almost scored one of the fastest goals in FA Cup history – 12 seconds – when they kicked off attacking the clubhouse end and sliced straight through the home defence. The move ended with Connor Rush firing what looked like a goal all the way before Semmens’ outstretched hand deflected the ball onto the post.
Ivybridge continued their excellent start and home left-back Mark Wilson almost headed into his own net in the 10th minute after a mix-up with Semmens on the edge of the box.
Scott Pocock was then denied by the legs of Semmens but the breakthrough duly arrived in the 22nd minute when Thomson’s pace took him clear along the left and his quick cross into the box was only half cleared, leaving Rush to curl home a superb left foot shot.
Before half-time, only an excellent block by Blazey centre-half Freddie Walter prevented Rio Daly from scoring, and shortly afterwards a Dane Hewings shot was brilliantly kept out by Semmens.
Having started the first half like a rocket, Ivybridge did similar at the start of the second half as Bailey Mabin found himself unmarked on the edge of the Blazey penalty area 20 seconds after the restart, but his lob over Semmens bounced wide.
But Blazey raced to the other end of the pitch and after a mad scramble around the penalty spot, Jacob Rowe forced the ball over the line to equalise.
It was very much against the run of play at that stage but it proved to be something of a turning point as the home side suddenly found their rhythm while Ivybridge started to struggle to put two passes together.
Rowe was an increasing threat for Blazey and had several half chances to put them ahead but just when it seemed they were looking favourites to nick it, Ivybridge came back to life with a bang.
Thomson raced along the left and produced a superb cross towards the near post where substitute Rory Busby arrived to make it 2-1 with 11 minutes to go.
Blazey poured forward in a brave bid to find another equaliser and Will Tinsley’s throws from the right were as good as corners; one of them caused panic in the Ivybridge penalty area in the first minute of added time but somehow the visitors managed to clear the danger.
Then came the Thomson special, and it was game over.
ST BLAZEY: Shaun Semmens, Will Tinsley (capt), Freddie Walter, Scott Sanders, Mark Wilson; Charlie Hambly, Eli Evans, Preston Russon (Ogheneovo Ememerurai 74); Jacob Rowe, Jayden Gilbert, Noah Maund. Subs not used: Jack Ratcliffe, Daniel O’Hara, Liam Hill (gk).