In front of just shy of 4000 at Keys Park Stadium, and buoyed on by a fabulous visiting support, it was perhaps nerves that hindered the Holy Blues’ progress. And when Daniel Trickett-Smith was able to bear down on the Gainsborough goal, he had the presence of mind to square for Manny Duku to roll home, relatively unopposed. Trinity were not to be down-trodden, and when Fraser Preston ghosted off the right, and set his sights on curling home from the edge of the box, he held head in his hands as his effort clipped the cross bar on its’ way over the top.

A quick restart saw the Pitmen double their lead. Korey Roberts’ throw found the feet of the goal scorer Duku. And he was able to find attacking midfielder Omar Holness in space. Holness needing no second invitation to bend a sublime curling finish out of the reach of Dylan Wharton in the Gainsborough goal.

Half Time: Hednesford Town 2 Gainsborough Trinity 0

With the words from Trinity boss, Russ Wilcox still ringing in their ears, keep it tight, don’t concede a third, the next goal is crucial. All good advice, but as the Pitmen started the second half in similar vein to the opening period, the hosts struck the post, before Dominic McHale grabbed Hednesford’s third.

A deep Fraser Preston free-kick found Will Lancaster unmarked at the back post. His powerful header back across goal, looked to be sneaking in, but for a last ditch intervention by home centre back Josh Endall, clearing from under his own crossbar. Trinity could be forgiven for thinking it wasn’t going to be their day.

But then, when penalty appeals were waved away, the impressive Javelle Clarke looked to carry the ball forward. His driving run getting Wilcox’s men up the park. Not only did he manage to do that, but he managed to slice through the Town defence, like a hot knife through butter, Declan Howe taking a touch and finishing past Jack Rose. Howe’s strike getting Trinity right back in it, but also seeing him draw back level with Manny Duku (with seven) in his Emirates FA Cup and Mitre Golden Boot race.

Visibly shaken by the goal, Hednesford retreated, and somewhat disappeared into their shells. Howe’s goal had ignited a spark of belief amongst the travelling Trinity faithful who had travelled in their numbers for the historic occasion. And not to be outsang by their hosts, turned up the decibels. Mounting wave after wave of attack, and winning a succession of corners in front of the visiting fans, and backed by the vociferous support, Hednesford began to creak under the constant pressure. Wilcox’s men grew in stature. And soon had a second goal back. Clarke again instrumental in pulling the strings, finding the feet of Howe just inside the box, firing home first time, low to Rose’s left.

With time running out, Wilcox’s men threw everything they had at their hosts. Failing to clear their lines finally came back to haunt The Pitmen, when a poor defensive header was met by centre back Will Lancaster, who strode forward purposefully, taking a couple of touches thirty yards from goal, he unleashed a ferocious strike that cannoned in, off the underside of the crossbar to absolute scenes of pandemonium in the away end.

Gainsborough Trinity had done the unthinkable. They had gotten themselves back into the game, after seemingly being dead and buried with less than half an hour to play. In the jubilation some supporters spilled onto the pitch to celebrate. And ugly scenes saw referee Jason Richardson take the players back to the dressing room for ten minutes or so, before bringing the teams back out for the final ninety seconds of additional time.

Full Time: Hednesford Town 3 Gainsborough Trinity 3

For the third time of the afternoon, Hednesford came out of the traps quickest, Dominic McHale netting his second of the game, and Town’s fourth. The visitors would have it all to do again. Losing Howe and Ashley Jackson in the first half of Extra Time, dealt the Blues a hammer blow, but once again, attacking the end where the fantastic following was housed, anything was possible, and Javelle Clarke was the man to take the tie to spot kicks. A sensational turn from Preston on halfway, saw him ride a rash challenge, setting Sisa Tuntulwana galloping away down the right hand side. The youngster drilling a perfect ball into the box for Clarke to slide home.

Extra Time: Hednesford Town 4 Gainsborough Trinity 4

And to Penalties. An insane penalty shootout brought the tie to a pulsating conclusion. Eventually. Rob Stevenson, the second half substitute, put Hednesford one up. Dylan Cogill stepped up first, but blazed over the bar to hand the early advantage to Hednesford. Dan Sparkes made it 2-0 for the Pitmen, before teenager, Sisa Tuntulwana reduced the arrears. Dylan Wharton then saved his first penalty of what would be an impressive shootout for the Trinity number one. Bobby Johnson couldn't capitalise though, his effort clearing Jack Rose's crossbar.

Omar Holness added to his spectacular goals, by converting from twelve yards, heaping the pressure on Trinity's Joe Stacey, but he rose to the challenge and coolly despatched in front of the home support. Left back Joel Taylor, who had looked a threat in the 120 minutes of football stepped up, but dragged his effort wide of Wharton's left hand upright. And it was down to Will Lancaser to keep the Holy Blues in the game. And take the shootout to sudden death. The man who had struck in second half stoppage time, to take the game to Extra Time, found the back of the net, extending the intense game still further.

Sudden death began, with Jacob Gwilt sending Wharton the wrong way, before George Hornshaw back in blue, drew Trinity back level. And then the bizarre turned to the ridiculous. Sion Spence struck the underside of the bar, and rebounding to safety before Fraser Preston was denied by Rose. The Pitmen's skipper was then denied by the trailing leg of the diving Wharton, to make his second stop of the shootout, handing Javelle Clarke the chance to win the game, only to be rebuffed by Rose.

Blaine Rowe, then stepped up to heap the pressure onto the Blues, but his low effort saw Wharton spring to life, and dive to his left, to make it a hat-trick of penalty saves for the former Sheffield United youngster. And up stepped Jordan Helliwell to score the decisive winning penalty. The former Barnsley youngster, who spent last season languishing on the bench, at Step 6, giving Rose no chance, as the Pitmen's supporters torch lights behind the goal, we're extinguished.

Penalty shootouts, for one side, is always going to be a cruel way for a tie to end. Fortunately today, the footballing God's were with the Holy Blues. Trinity emerging victorious. 5-4 on penalties. And advancing to the Second Round Proper for the first time in 72 years. A rollercoaster of emotions just doesn't cut it. Riding a Tsunami on a surfboard, perhaps a little more apt. And the Magic of the Emirates FA Cup lives on, in Gainsborough, for at least one more chapter.

The Teams

Hednesford Town: Jack Rose, Korey Roberts, Joel Taylor, Simeon Maye (Sion Spence 66), Josh Endall (Blaine Rowe 90), Elliott Johnson, Daniel Trickett-Smith (Jacob Gwilt 89), Omar Holness, Manny Duku (Robert Stevenson 72), Dominic McHale (Daniel Sparkes 105), Jack Bearne. Subs not used: Zidan Sutherland, Ryan Brown and Abdulrasaq Alamu-Tajudeen.

Gainsborough Trinity: Dylan Wharton, Aaron Simpson (Sisa Tuntulwana 46), Ashley Jackson (Jacob McLoughlin 119), Bailey Conway (Bobby Johnson 46), Will Lancaster, Dylan Cogill, Lewis Butroid (Joe Stacey 46), Jordan Helliwell, Javelle Clarke, Declan Howe (George Hornshaw 105), Fraser Preston. Subs not used: Ollie Sykes and Kyle Simpson.

Referee: Jason Richardson
Attendance: 3866

Match Report by Rob Hughes (@AATM_Media)