Match Report

FC United are through to the second round proper of the FA Trophy for the first ever time after beating Harrogate Town of the Conference North 4-0 at Bower Fold on Saturday afternoon.

Captain Dean Stott scored a first half brace, the first goal from 50 yards and the second from the penalty spot, Matthew Wolfenden added a third minutes into the second half and Greg Daniels completed the rout with eight minutes to go.

The scoring began on seven minutes in spectacular style when Craig Lindfield lofted a free-kick into the arms of Harrogate goalkeeper Phil Barnes. He bowled the ball out towards halfway where it was met by Stott. The FC United right-back lofted the ball forward, it sailed over Barnes’ head and into the net for a goal that only Stott will know if it was meant.

The Reds were seeing most of the ball and chances continued to be made with Lindfield firing wide and Tom Greaves bringing a save from Barnes.

The lead was doubled on 21 minutes when the ball was played into the box and was blocked as a shot came in. It dropped to Daniels who was tripped as he looked to work an opening. Stott fired the penalty past Barnes to score his second.

Moments later, Lindfield had another great chance when he pounced on a slip in the Town back line but he fired his shot wide. With two minutes left in the half, Stott should have sealed his hat-trick but he headed a corner wide from inside the six yard box. In first half stoppage time Greaves had another chance but he rolled his shot past the far post.

With just three minutes on the second half clock a good move found Lindfield on the right. His dipping cross to the back post was met by the head of Wolfenden, who placed the ball past Barnes.

It took until 73 minutes for the away side to register a shot on target with Louis Swain shooting straight at Dave Carnell.

The chances continued to come for FC United with Wolfenden shooting high from inside the six yard box and bringing put a good block from Barnes.

With seven minutes remaining, the scoring was ended when the ball dropped to Daniels at the edge of the box, his shot arrowing into the bottom corner for FC United’s fourth goal.

It was a performance of domination from the Reds against higher opposition and one that bodes well for the rest of the season.

Website man of the match – Dean Stott. It could easily be any one of the FC United players but Stott just pinches it thanks to his two goals and his general play, where he barely put a foot wrong.