Shortwood Utd 3 (Bennyworth 10, Matt Green 27, 87))
Witney Utd 3 (Thompson 45 , Johnson 57, Mills 83)
Witney showed great spirit as they fought back from 2-0 down in the FA Cup !st qualifying round to draw a thunderous cup tie 3-3 at fellow FTL Futbol Hellenic Premier side Shortwood.
The visitors Witney had a woeful opening when Luke Bennyworth volleyed home a stunning goal for Shortwood with just ten minutes on the clock.
It got worse just before the half- hour when Witney keeper John Okole made a great save to deny Andy Hoskins, but Matt Green reacted quickest and prodded the ball home.
The visitors then took a stranglehold on the game.
After Ben Thompson hit a post, they were awarded a penalty right on half time when goalkeeper Rich Thomas flattened Ricky Johnson and was fortunate to remain on the field.
Thompson took the penalty which Thomas saved, but the Witney man poked home the rebound.
Just before the hour, United were back level. Andrew Younie did some great work on the wing before cutting the ball back to Johnson, who executed the perfect finish.
Witney’s tails were now up, and six minutes from time they looked to have grabbed the victory when Jon-Paul Mills saw his free-kick deflect into the corner of the net.
There was to be a final twist, though, when a deep free-kick was nodded into the path of Green, who despite being in an apparent offside position, tapped the ball into an empty net.
Despite Witney’s protests the goal stood.
The sides will now replay at the Polythene UK Stadium tomorrow night.
Witney Utd: Okole, J Smith, Henderson, Styles, Cattell, Mills, D Smith, Lewis, Johnson, Thompson, Younie (Butler 85). Subs not used: Byfield, Barrett, C Mays, Szczukiewicz.
Attendance: 108.
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