St Helens Town 1 Pickering Town 1 : Pickering Town 3 St Helens Town 2 (after extra time) TOWN'S AXA FA Cup hopes evaporated in North Yorkshire on Tuesday when hosts Pickering came off the ropes to win a thriller in extra time.

Saturday's initial encounter at Hoghton Road was a dull affair played in hot conditions and neither side did themselves justice with goalmouth incident sparse indeed. Pickering keeper Campbell parried a Laird blast over on the half-hour before persistence rather than pressure paid off for Town when Steve O'Neill forced home a 39th minute corner kick.

Campbell's block then prevented Cunningham adding a second to close a half in which Pickering's only noteworthy effort was a cross bar rattler from Urwin in the eighth minute.

Town resumed sluggishly and a rare error by keeper Hollywood enabled the visitors to level on 52 minutes through Gaughan and a low key second half ensued with only a late Pennington header which was deflected wide by O'Reilly, threatening to end the stalemate. By contrast, Tuesday's replay was a blood and thunder affair and Town, despite missing a host of chances, appeared to have it won with the game entering added time when goals by O'Neill (34 minutes) and Pennington (84 minutes) outweighed Morton's (76th minute) header for Pickering.

Sadly another header from a set piece by Sturdy robbed Town at the death to earn extra time and amid high tension and drama Pickering won the day when Thornton drilled in a nod down from a long throw-in.

It was a bitter pill indeed for Town to swallow as their early second half blitz had the 'Pikes' reeling but chance after chance went begging while penalty appeals were waved away

. A header by Laird looked well over the line as Groves hacked the ball away with his keeper beaten. Town were creating chances at a rate of four to one but simply could not finish and they were to rue letting Pickering off the hook.

So Town suffered their first defeat of the season but it should never have been and they need to put their disappointment and frustration behind them for Saturdays tough league encounter at Mossley (kick off 3pm, coach 12.30pm).

Next Wednesday, September 15, Town entertain Cheadle Town at Hoghton Road (kick off 7.30pm).

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