Bluebirds stun Truro in FA Cup thriller

9:50am Wednesday 1st October 2008

A BRACE from David Pratt helped Chippenham Town edge out Truro City 4-2 in extra time, in a thrilling FA Cup night at Hardenhuish Park on Tuesday.

Further goals from skipper Iain Harvey and a late effort from substitute Joe White saw the Bluebirds through to the third qualifying round following a blockbusting encounter.

Pratt's 85th-minute header cancelled out Scott Walker's first half strike, and after the home side went behind to Marcus Martin's deflected effort in extra time, Harvey equalised again.

Pratt put The Bluebirds ahead for the first time on 114 minutes with a powerful strike from 18 yards, before White sealed the win with a tap-in at the death.

It was the first defeat City had suffered in any competition this season.

Truro looked the more composed on the ball early on and they took the lead on 13 minutes.

Walker broke from midfield and cracked a terrific strike into the bottom right corner from 30 yards, giving Chris Snoddy no chance.

On 17 minutes Andy Watkins' cross-shot just skimmed over, before Pratt had two decent chances.

First he shot into the side-netting after running onto Allison's through-ball, and then was denied by a smart block from Wilkinson.

With nine minutes left of the half, Watkins cut inside from the left flank and stung the palms of Snoddy on the angle.

Chippenham started well after the break, passing the ball much better than they had done at the end of the first period.

But it was after the hour when they created their first real chance of the second half.

Following a period of sustained pressure, Kevin Halliday cracked an effort from the edge of the area that Wilkinson gathered at the second attempt.

On 66 minutes Andy Taylor squared a free kick for Joe Boad, who lashed just over the crossbar.

Soon after Chippenham's luck was out as Gullick's shot was repelled by Wilkinson and ricocheted to safety.

Ross Adams had a looping header tipped over by Wilkinson and Pratt nodded a great chance off -target, before The Bluebirds finally got heir reward on 85 minutes. Holly's near-post corner was flicked on and Pratt crashed a header in off the bar to level matters.

The action continued to come as Scott Lye tried his luck from range and seconds into injury time, Cortez Belle chested Stewart Yetton's header off the line.

Snoddy saved from Truro skipper Matt Hockley early on in extra time and Yetton shot into the side-netting with 100 minutes played.

The match looked over when Marcus Martin's 20-yard strike took a outrageous deflection off Ross Adams and dropped into the right corner with Snoddy helpless.

But with half time of extra time seconds away, Pratt laid back for Harvey and the midfielder struck sweetly into the left corner from 18 yards.

Pratt had two more chances after the break, the first a tricky header and the second a weak shot straight at Wilkinson.

But the former Swindon Supermarine striker sent the Hardenhuish faithful wild when he netted the third on 114 minutes.

From Scott Lye's pass, Pratt cut across the edge of the penalty area and unleashed an unstoppable strike into the bottom right corner.

Sean Seavill came on for Pratt in the final stages and after he was denied a headed goal by Wilkinson, he was involved in the fourth.

The substitute striker forced Wilkinson to parry his shot and fellow substitute Joe White was on hand to tap home.

Chippenham endured five nerve-wracking minutes of injury time but survived a late Truro onslaught, and will now play Ashford Town (Middlesex) in the next round.