Oforie double is Crows’ Cup tonic

ROYSTON TOWN 2 (K Oforie 2) HARWICH & PARK 2 (M Carmichael 2) IT WAS the late, late show at Garden Walk on Saturday as Kojo Oforie scored an 89th minute equaliser to give the Crows a second chance in the FA Cup. After a terrible first-half performance,

ROYSTON TOWN 2

(K Oforie 2)

HARWICH & PARK' 2

(M Carmichael 2)

IT WAS the late, late show at Garden Walk on Saturday as Kojo Oforie scored an 89th minute equaliser to give the Crows a second chance in the FA Cup.

After a terrible first-half performance, Phil Snowden's team looked to be heading out of the competition at the extra-preliminary round stage, before Oforie struck twice after the break.

There was little sign of the Crows managing even a draw during an opening 45 minutes that saw the visiting team completely dominate.

It took only five minutes for Harwich - who had lost 8-1 at home against Ipswich Wanderers in their previous game - to take the lead.

A long ball forward from Michael Lyness was controlled by Matt Carmichael, who held off Laurence Revell and rounded goalkeeper Scott Statham before firing into an empty net.

Within a minute Oforie had what proved to be Royston's only worthwhile shot of the half when he fired wide, but the rest of the half saw the ball almost exclusively in the Crows' half.

From then on it was one-way traffic as the Essex side poured forward, looking for a second goal.

Lyness saw an effort blocked on the line after a good ball from Carmichael, before Harwich made it 2-0 on the half-hour mark when a superb Lyness ball found the unmarked Carmichael, who clinically slotted into the far corner.

Lyness, Mike Murray and Martin Twose all had good opportunities to sew things up for the visitors before the break, but whatever new boss Snowden said at half-time had the desired effect as the Crows noticeably improved.

The diminutive Oforie powered down the left before firing home from an acute angle, leaving Harwich goalkeeper Ben Quade motionless.

Martin Caluse and Carmichael both had chances to restore the visitors' two-goal lead, but Royston gradually took control of the game as they switched to three up front with Dave McMurrough replacing Ryan Cannon

However, it took until the 89th minute before Royston grabbed a share of the spoils when Jason Nash crossed the ball back into the box after an attack had appeared to have broken down, and Oforie somehow out-jumped the defence to head past Quade and give the Crows another chance of cup glory.

Royston: S Statham, P Chappell, R Cannon (D McMurrough), S Snowden, A Reid, L Revell (R Rowlinson), J Nash, C Edwards, J Leveke, L Rogers, K Oforie. Unused subs: M Saunders, C Geldsart, J Moule.