Lewis Fiorini’s extra-time winner saw ten-men Stockport County come from behind to beat Cray Wanderers 3-2 to reach the second round of the 2026-27 FA Cup.
Fiorini completed Stockport’s comeback win at Flamingo Park with a 101st-minute penalty after JJ Briggs clattered into Mikael Mandron.
Sammie McLeod fired the Wands into a 21st-minute lead with a sweeping finish from Ola Ogunwamide’s pass.
Alex Hernandez doubled Cray Wanderers’ lead with a curled 35th-minute free-kick into the top-right corner, after Stockport goalkeeper – Luca Ashby-Hammond was red carded following a collision with John Ufuah.
Late headers from Kyle Wootton and Mandron saw Stockport salvage extra time before their comeback was completed, ahead of the second round draw which takes place at 6:45pm GMT on Monday 9 November.
Despite 90 places separating seventh-tier Cray Wanderers and second-placed Stockport of League One, the Wands matched Stockport’s intensity in the opening 20 minutes which lacked any notable clear-cut chances until Cray Wanderers unexpectedly found a 21st-minute breakthrough.
The Wands won possession around the halfway line and slipped Ogunwamide up the right flank from which he calmly cut back across the box, where McLeod was alert to sweep the pass into the far-bottom left corner to put the underdogs in front.
Cray Wanderers however were denied a 29th-minute penalty after Ade Yusuff was brought down yet referee, Lewis Sandoe ignored the clear penalty appeals, much to Stockport’s relief.
The Hatters’ relief however swiftly di just two minutes later after Luca Ashby-Hammond was shown a red card following a collision with Ufuah, as the goalkeeper came out to make a clearance only to clatter into the forward as he lobbed the ball over him.
Josh Dacres-Cogley however was alert to clear the shot off the line as Stockport desperately tried to contain their hosts.
Cray Wanderers however soon punished Stockport’s slowness in bringing Oliver Whatmuff on as Ashby-Hammond’s replacement – with Che Gardner substituted, as Hernandez curled the consequential free-kick into the top right corner to double their lead.
Stockport struggled to halve their deficit and almost found themselves three goals down at half time, if not for Yusuff firing a 43rd-minute shot wide of the bottom-left corner.
Yusuff then headed a cross wide just seconds into the second half as Cray Wanderers looked to kill the tie off within the opening minute of the restart.
Stockport soon fashioned their first proper chance in the 48th minute as Mandron laid the ball off to Harry Wood, whose shot deflected back to him but he blazed his own attempt over the bar.
Yusuff continued to waste his opportunities to find the net as he fired wide in the 58th minute as the Wands continued to trouble Stockport, whilst the third-tier side began to find a consistently solid footing in the half as Briggs saved Jack Diamond’s low shot.
Stockport continued to push higher up the pitch and eventually broke the Wands’ resilient defence as Dacres-Cogley met a 81st-minute pass to the right post, where he dinked the ball upwards for Wootton to nod in past Briggs to half the Hatters’ deficit.
Cray Wanderers almost dug deep to deny Stockport an equaliser until Mandron rose highest to nod Diamond’s cross past Briggs to force extra time.
Stockport subsequently displayed more intensity and won a 100th-minute penalty after Briggs leapt too late trying to save a cross, and clattered into Mandron.
Fiorini stepped up and dispatched the penalty a minute later down the middle to complete Stockport’s comeback, despite late misses for McLeod, Tobi Tinubu and Lateef Adaja.
What’s Next?
Cray Wanderers resume Isthmian League Premier Division action at home to Three Bridges FC on Tuesday 10 November at 7:45pm GMT.
Stockport County too are in action that evening as they host Tranmere Rovers at Edgeley Park in their Northern Group F tie in the Jersey Mike’s Trophy, albeit at the earlier time of 7pm.
Teams
Cray Wanderers: JJ Briggs, Crossley Lema, Bayli Spencer-Adams (Tinubu 84′), Rob Strachan, Ola Ogunwamide (Adaja 79′), Sammie McLeod, Frankie Raymond (Sanogo 80′), Frankie Morgan, Alex Hernandez (Payne 102′), Ade Yusuff (Kader 86′), John Ufuah (Hutchinson 103′)
Substitutes: Lateef Adaja, Shae Hutchinson, Oscar Johnson, Soul Kader, Alfie Payne, Seido Sanogo, Quade Taylor, Tobi Tinubu, Billy Wall
Stockport County: Luca Ashby-Hammond, Josh Dacres-Cogley, Eoghan O’Connell, Tom Wilson-Brown (Pye 46′), Che Gardner (Whatmuff 35′), Lewis Fiorini, Jason Adigun (Wootton 61′), Tayo Edun, Beno Andresson (Diamond 46′), Mikael Mandron (Ilara 105′), Harry Wood
Substitutes: Oliver Whatmuff, Ethan Pye, Jack Diamond, Kyle Wootton, Jay Mingi, Odin Bailey, Joe Astles, Oliver Huddleston, Richard Ilara
Referee – Lewis Sandoe
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