HEREFORD’S Samuel Clucas hit back just when League Two’s Cheltenham thought they had earned themselves a plum home tie with Everton thanks to Shaun Harrad’s penalty.
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Shaun Harrad celebrates after scoring the first goal for Cheltenham
They went to Hereford in a second-round replay and at stake was the glittering prize of a third-round TV clash with David Moyes’ men.
The opening goal came seconds before the break, when Andy Gallinagh fouled Jermaine McGlashan and Harrad put the spot-kick away. The cash-strapped Bulls, whose badly needed FA Cup run has already helped them settle their debts with Revenue and Customs over unpaid VAT and PAYE bills, fought hard.
Hereford’s Luke Graham was a tower of strength at the back and Clucas came close for the home side but keeper Scott Brown denied him.
Hereford’s Luke Graham was a tower of strength at the back
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Gallinagh fired over from inside the area and Hereford’s efforts looked to be in vain until Clucas struck after 74 minutes.
His fiercely struck cross-shot beat the startled Brown to take the game into extra-time.
In the other second round replay, League One’s Bury went to League Two Southend and were pegged back.
The Shakers took the lead on the hour mark through an unmarked Zac Thompson, after Luke Prosser blundered by giving the ball away to Andy Bishop.
Thompson beat Daniel Bentley from inside the box.
That 59th-minute effort was cancelled out four minutes later, when Sean Clohessy provided the cross for Gary Tomlin to find the back of the net with his header.
Bentley then made a fine save from Tom Soares to keep the scores level and take things into extra-time.
Bury seemed to have more cutting edge, despite having a transfer embargo placed on them this week.
The other two replays – Barrow v Macclesfield and Notts County’s game with Rotherham – were called off because of frozen pitches.