Gorleston made it past the FA Cup extra preliminary round for the first time in four attempts as Connor Ingram’s hat-trick helped them to a 4-2 win at Stanway.
This was Gorleston’s 100th game since Ricci Butler took charge although Reserves’ boss Scott Butler was standing in for him in the dug-out as he served the second of a three game touchline ban.
Stanway went close to opening the scoring in the sixth minute when a long ball caught out the Gorleston defence, allowing Wayne Blackman to prod the ball past Taurean Molloy but it bounced away off the outside of the post.
Four minutes later it was the Greens who opened the scoring. Ingram played a corner out to Mitch McKay who thumped a volley goalwards. It was blocked but fell back to Connor Deeks who drilled in a low effort through two defenders which clipped off the inside of the post into the net.
Stanway reacted well and within a minute Joe Heron hit a shot which rebounded back off Molloy’s crossbar, but six minutes before the break Gorleston doubled their lead.
McKay tried his luck with a shot from outside the box but shinned it. However it turned into a superb pass out to Ingram who stepped inside the defender and slotted the ball into the bottom corner.
The hosts pulled a goal back in the final minute of the half through Taylor Bannister after the Greens had given the ball away in midfield but the visitors restored their two goal advantage six minutes after the break. McKay picked a loose ball and squared to Ingram who hit a fantastic dipping shot from 25 yards to put his side 3-1 up.
Again Stanway fought back and midway through the half made it 3-2 when Bannister was given a free header. Three minutes later however Gorleston gave themselves a two goal cushion again.
Jordan Stanton’s cross from the right struck the arm of a Stanway defender and a penalty was eventually awarded, with Ingram calmly converting. The Greens then saw out some late pressure to secure their place in the next round.
Gorleston: Taurean Molloy, Isaac Burrage (Elliott Hannant 73), Luke Goreham, Mitch McKay (Max Woolsey 83), George Yusuff, Aarron Taylor, Kyle Ingram, Connor Deeks, Joel Watts, Connor Ingram, Ismael Fatadjo (Jordan Stanton 59). Attendance: 92.
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