Zola snatches replay for Burton

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The underdogs thought they had been handed victory in a topsy-turvy contest when Brewers defender Damien McCrory put through his own net in the 86th minute.

But Zola headed in a Jordan Chapell cross in the third minute of added time to spare the blushes of the League Two side.

Burton failed to heed the warning after surviving a major scare in the fifth minute. Mark Oxley was adjudged to have brought down visiting midfielder Simon Richman in the area but the on-loan Hull goalkeeper redeemed himself with a brilliant one-handed saved to deny Damian Reeves from the spot.

However, Altrincham’s slick football was rewarded when winger Nicky Clee beat two defenders to set up a close-range finish for Carl Rodgers in the 29th minute.

Burton suffered more embarrassment five minutes later as Nathan Stanton stabbed a Clee corner into his own net.

But the hosts were back in the contest in the 53rd minute when skipper Zander Diamond side-footed home Lee Bell’s free-kick from close range.

And Burton should have been level 10 minutes later, only for Robbie Weir to blaze his spot-kick yards too high after a handling offence by Jake Moult.

It was left to Diamond to make his mark on the game for a second time when he bundled in another Bell free-kick in the 76th minute.

But McCrory handed the lead back to Altrincham when he sliced sub Duncan Watmore’s cross into his own net, only for Zola’s even later intervention.

Zola snatches replay for Burton

admin

The underdogs thought they had been handed victory in a topsy-turvy contest when Brewers defender Damien McCrory put through his own net in the 86th minute.

But Zola headed in a Jordan Chapell cross in the third minute of added time to spare the blushes of the League Two side.

Burton failed to heed the warning after surviving a major scare in the fifth minute. Mark Oxley was adjudged to have brought down visiting midfielder Simon Richman in the area but the on-loan Hull goalkeeper redeemed himself with a brilliant one-handed saved to deny Damian Reeves from the spot.

However, Altrincham’s slick football was rewarded when winger Nicky Clee beat two defenders to set up a close-range finish for Carl Rodgers in the 29th minute.

Burton suffered more embarrassment five minutes later as Nathan Stanton stabbed a Clee corner into his own net.

But the hosts were back in the contest in the 53rd minute when skipper Zander Diamond side-footed home Lee Bell’s free-kick from close range.

And Burton should have been level 10 minutes later, only for Robbie Weir to blaze his spot-kick yards too high after a handling offence by Jake Moult.

It was left to Diamond to make his mark on the game for a second time when he bundled in another Bell free-kick in the 76th minute.

But McCrory handed the lead back to Altrincham when he sliced sub Duncan Watmore’s cross into his own net, only for Zola’s even later intervention.