Bishop’s Stortford’s produced a late show similar to their last visit here in the FA Trophy, to force this tie into penalties that they won 5-3 to progress to Round 4.
Hayden White returned from injury while Jordon Ibe also started as home fans were treated to the name of Rakish Bingham on the teamsheet as he took his place on the bench after a nine-month lay-off.
There were plenty of chances in the opening minutes. Fleet earned the first with just two minutes on the clock when Nathan Odokonyero picked out Dominic Samuel through the middle and though goalkeeper Jack Giddens blocked the shot, the ball ricocheted back off Samuel’s shoulder to run wide.
Mark Cousins was called into action moments later when a shot from Mbunya Alemanji forced the Fleet keeper to tip the ball on to the crossbar.
The visitors tried to unsettle the Fleet in a fast-paced opening quarter and White had to intercept Ryan Charles inside the box before Darren Foxley’s shot from distance was pushed away and gathered at the second attempt by Mark Cousins.
Play switched to the other end and Samuel sent a great shot curling just wide of the upright from Myles Kenlock’s ball across. Toby Edser then started and ended a neat move with Odokonyero getting the one-two back to the Fleet midfielder whose shot was pushed aside by Giddens to roll just wide of the post.
Bishop’s Stortford settled into the match, putting a halt to the Fleet’s chances for a while until Luke O’Neill did very well to get in front of a covering defender but his shot could only find the side netting.
Fleet might have broken the deadlock five minutes before the break when Edser squared a ball into Samuel who delayed his shot to take a touch that was blocked and Darren McQueen’s follow-up was well saved by Giddens.
The second half lacked the clear-cut opportunities of the first as it began although the Fleet threatendd with their best chance on 56 minutes. A high corner swung over by Edser was met as Luke O’Neill climbed highest and his header was cleared off the line by Foxley, with the Plough End shouting in vain for a handball.
Stortford weren’t creating much but Osman Sow got the wrong side of the last Fleet man as Gio McGregor’s pass slid through to him but Cousins dived on that.
A triple substitution was made on the hour and greeted with applause from all four sides as Bingham made his welcome return, Greg Cundle and Dominic Poleon also introduced.
And Cundle took barely four minutes to made a difference, hitting the back of the net after Samuel had feinted a ball from right to left and Edser helped it on to the substitute to open the scoring.
The Fleet were now in full control and went in search of a second. McQueen’s excellent solo run saw him send a shot just wide and the same player got away down the right from a quickly taken free-kick. He beat his man to supply Samuel who saw the ball nicked off his toes by Giddens.
O’Neill twice went close with another header from an Edser corner and then he sent a rising shot along the six-yard box and past the goal. Samuel again tried his luck with 11 minutes to go, another great run through the middle turned behind by the impressive Giddens.
Bingham was denied by Giddens’ outstretched leg when he let fly from McQueen’s pass and McQueen was again supplying the chances in the final minute, Poleon arriving at the far post but unable to dig the ball out from under Giddens.
McGregor sent a shot over from a good position as the visitors came forward and they sent all the blue shirts up for a last free-kick. It paid off, Giddens’ sending a high ball into the Fleet box where substitute Kane Critchlow got on the end of it to stab home the equaliser.
To penalties it went and eight of nine of them were scored, but Samuel’s spot-kick that cleared the Plough End roof in the middle of the shootout proved costly and the National League North side took victory from defeat.
EUFC: Cousins, O’Neill, Kenlock, White, Cissé, Edser, McQueen, Amoo (Cundle 61), Samuel, Ibe (Bingham 61), Odokonyero (Poleon 61). Subs: Martin, Sterling-James, Tanner, Chapman
BSFC: Giddens, Haines (Adebowale 70), Thomas, Robbins, Beadle, McGregor, Alemanji, Foxley, Olufemi (Walker 81), Sow (Critchlow 64), Charles. Subs: Marlow, Greene, Alexander
Attendance: 586
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