Substitute Danny Elliott scored twice for John Rooney’s Silkmen as they came from behind to win 2-1 away at Scarborough Athletic in an Emirates FA Cup Third-Round Qualifying replay on Tuesday night. (AET)
Jake Hull’s early opener sent Scarborough ahead at half-time before Elliott equalised late on. The striker headed in what proved to be the winner in the 11th minute of extra-time for the Silkmen, who progressed to the Fourth-Round Qualifying where they will welcome Anstey Nomads to the Leasing.com Stadium a week on Saturday (17th October).
The Silkmen had an opening at goal inside under a minute played after positive build-up play from Paul Dawson and Fin Shrimpton set Josh Kay up with an opportunity to shoot, but his strike was straight at goalkeeper Ryan Whitley.
At the other end, Cameron Borthwick-Jackson did well to defend a dangerous cross from Rio Allan, with the Silkmen full-back clearing the resulting set-piece to safety.
Captain Paul Dawson, fresh from his two goals in Saturday’s initial tie, saw a strike from distance palmed around the post well by Whitley.
Jonathan Greening’s Seadogs’ were in front on 12 minutes when Hull beat Silkmen goalkeeper Christian Dibble in a crowded box to divert the ball into the net from a corner.
Searching for a response, Kay clipped a cross into the box, which was met by Jon Ustabasi, but his effort was denied on the line by Whitley.
Just beyond the half-hour mark, Hull pounced on a loose ball in the Silkmen box, with his attempt going over Dibble’s crossbar.
In first-half stoppage-time, the hosts saw Michael Duckworth stretchered off as they were forced into a substitution.
Seven minutes into the second-half, Dawson forced Whitley into a good low stop from a free-kick, as Macc aimed to level, before Luke Duffy was denied by the Scarborough stopper after being played in by George Wilson.
Midway through the half, a fast breakaway led to Luca Colville bending a shot goalwards, but the ball went high over Dibble’s crossbar.
Rooney made his first change of the cup tie on 66 minutes, with Elliott replacing Wilson in an attacking switch.
Macc went close to equalising with just under 20 minutes left, as Dawson’s shot thumped the post before being cleared.
Rooney then made a double substitution, bringing on Matty Apter and Carlos Dos Santos, in place of Shrimpton and Elliot Osborne.
The Silkmen were level on 78 minutes after Elliott was in the right place to finish off a well-worked build-up to strike beyond Whitley in the box.
Scarborough missed a chance to win it in the final minute of normal time after Jack Waldron squared to Mo Fadera who skied his effort from six-yards out high over Dibble’s crossbar, as the contest went to extra-time.
Early on in extra-time, Dos Santos delivered a pinpoint ball for Kay in the area, who was unable to generate enough power on the shot to test Whitley.
The Silkmen were in front 11 minutes into extra-time when Elliott met Borthwick-Jackson’s flick on from a corner to head past Whitley at the back post.
Dibble then had to superbly thwart Allan with his foot in the closing stages of the half, producing an important save to keep the Silkmen ahead.
A combination of Dibble’s save and Borthwick-Jackson’s goal-line clearance valiantly stopped quickfire efforts from Allan, whilst Waldron struck the crossbar with a free-kick.
In the three minutes of added time, Ammar Dyer cleared Will Thornton’s attempt off the line, as the Silkmen reached the Fourth-Round Qualifying on a night to remember in North Yorkshire.
The Silkmen are back in action at the Leasing.com Stadium on Saturday in the Enterprise National League North against South Shields, kick-off 3pm. Purchase your tickets by clicking here.
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