FURNESS ROVERS...1

ELTON VALE...2

ELTON eventually made their 220-mile round trip to Barrow a rewarding one as they clinched this tie in dramatic fashion, coming from behind to score twice in the last five minutes.

After playing much better in their previous two games yet finishing as the losing side, Vale struggled their way through this dour contest but then had an overdue visit from Lady Luck to thank for the winning goal.

The small pitch together with a howling wind blowing in from the Irish Sea meant that any semblance of open, flowing football was going to be minimal but that was no excuse for Vale's shaky start where they were very fortunate not be two down in the first ten minutes.

Rovers' striker Mike Doherty got behind the visitors defence to meet a long ball and lobbed advancing 'keeper Steve Crossley but saw his effort go just wide.

Then his strike partner Liam McNulty broke clear and rounded Crossley only to stroke the ball against a post and Doherty somehow managed to put the rebound the wrong side of the upright.

Having heeded the wake up call, Elton gradually began to steady themselves and Des Hutchinson brought a good full length save from Furness 'keeper Johnny Rodd who, in the 35th minute, improved on that effort when he turned Hutchinson's penalty around the post after centre back Michael Broadfoot was adjudged to have handled.

It was Rovers though who opened the scoring in the 53rd minute and from Elton's point of view, the goal was a real comedy of errors.

Crossley came out wide for a ball that he never looked like reaching but Dave Wilkes looked to have done a good covering job only to direct his clearance straight to Steve Crompton who gratefully drove the ball into the unguarded net.

Vale huffed, puffed and slugged their way forward but didn't pose any real threat apart from a Hutchinson header that Rodd palmed onto a post and a free kick from Wilkes that was comfortably dealt with by the Rovers custodian.

But just as the well proportioned diva was flexing her vocal cords Elton conjured up an equaliser when Stuart Stott found space in a crowded six yard box to head home Wilkes' long throw-in.

Having got out of jail, the Vale management would now happily have settled for extra time but hadn't counted on a bemusing decision from the referee to aid their cause.

Andy Sensale and defender Broadfoot were neck-and-neck as they chased a ball into the penalty box but both teams were then stunned when the ref pointed to the spot, indicating a slight tug of Sensale's shirt by the Furness man.

Having suffered several knock-back's this season, Elton weren't about to look this particular gift horse in the mouth and up stepped Steve Howson to blast home the spot kick and put Vale through to the next round, thus ensuring the coach ride home was a noisy one.

TEAM: Crossley 6, Hannon 6, A.Doran 6, Wilkes 5, Jones 6, Hopkins 5, Howson 7, Stott 5, Read 5, Hutchinson 6, Sensale 5 Subs: S.Doran (for Hopkins, 58mins) 7, Burke (for Read, 68 mins) 7, Saxon (for Hannon, 78 mins) 6