AFC Wimbledon ruin Curzon Ashton FA Cup dreams

AFC Wimbledon crush Curzon Ashton FA Cup dreams in thrilling comeback

AFC WIMBLEDON produced one of the all-time great FA Cup comebacks to break the hearts of non-league Curzon Ashton in a thrilling FA Cup second-round tie at Tameside Stadium yesterday.

Curzon looked set to reach the third-round for the first time in their history after an Adam Morgan hat-trick put them 3-0 up with half an hour to play, but four goals in fifteen minutes from the visitors turned the tie around and spared the blushes of the League One outfit.

Morgan had earlier given the National League North side the lead with a 30-yard strike before doubling the hosts advantage from close range.

Morgan had his third shortly after half time with another close-range finish before the League One side scored three times in three minutes to flip the tie on its head.

Tom Elliott headed in from a free-kick in the last minute of injury-time to complete the comeback and send Wimbledon into the third round at the expense of the non-league side.

The manner of defeat will be hard to take for the Jon Flanagan’s side, who arguably deserved at least a replay after they more than matched their League One opponents for the opening 45 minutes.

The Dons had only reached the third round once prior to Sunday, losing to 2-1 to Liverpool two years ago, and they looked set for a surprise exit when Curzon Ashton took a shock lead after only 32 seconds when former Liverpool striker Adam Morgan picked up the ball 30-yards from goal and unleashed a superb drive into the top corner.

Wimbledon, who sit 7^th in League One, struggled to impose themselves against their National League North opponents and the Nash took full advantage when Morgan tucked home his second from six yards out to double Curzon’s lead.

Take a bow, @aMorgan94! The former @LFC man celebrates his #EmiratesFACup hat-trick. Fairytale stuff! ??? https://t.co/0TpW7RIWni

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) December 4, 2016

The visitors then began to get a foot-hold in the game as the first half drew to a close, as first Tom Elliott’s left-foot shot hit the post before Hakan Burton saved well down to his left from Jake Reeves, but Curzon held out to go in to the interval with their two-goal lead intact.

The League One side came out strong in the early exchanges in the second half and enjoyed plenty of territory, and they almost pulled a goal back when Burton pulled off a spectacular flying save from Reeves’ 20-yard volley that was bound for the top corner.

Lyle Taylor spurned another chance for Wimbledon moments later when he sliced wide from 10-yards after Elliott’s flick-on and Chris Robinson also headed wide as the Dons pushed to get back in the tie.

Morgan, who made three appearances for Liverpool in the Europa League, then sent Tameside Stadium into raptures as he volleyed home against the run of play to claim his hat-trick and to give the Nash a seemingly unassailable three-goal advantage with less than half an hour to play.

Massively disappointed after that today but also so so proud of each an every person at @CurzonLive what a football club this is…

— Adam Morgan (@AMorgan94) December 4, 2016

The Dons continued to dominate in front of goal and it was only desperate defending from Curzon that saw the home side survive a frantic goalmouth scramble.

Wimbledon eventually gave themselves a late lifeline with ten minutes to go when Elliott slotted past Burton, yet this started an astonishing passage of play that saw the Dons score three goals in the space of 162 seconds to completely turn the tie on its head.

After Elliott slammed into an empty net, Dominic Poleon stabbed home from close range before substitute Tyrone Barnett headed into the corner past a stationary Burton to draw the sides level.

The drama wasn’t over there though. Tom Elliott crushed Curzon’s FA Cup dreams with virtually the last kick of the game in the 94^th minute to spare the blushes of the League One side.