Walsall 3 Exeter 2
Wednesday 23rd November 2011, 10:00PM GMT.
George Bowerman became Walsall’s FA Cup Superman as they edged out Exeter in extra-time.
The super-sub struck a 98th minute winner – his second goal in two games – as the Saddlers finally dumped out the Grecians to reach the second round.
Jon Macken and Alex Nicholls scored within five second-half minutes to put the Saddlers ahead after Richard Logan’s opener.
Elliott Frear’s deflected effort made it 2-2 late on before Bowerman settled the first round replay.
It handed Walsall a second round trip to Dagenham & Redbridge after the League Two club beat Bath City 3-1.
Goalkeeper Jimmy Walker, Andy Butler, Richard Taundry and Will Grigg all returned after the weekend’s 4-2 defeat to Bury and the Saddlers made a positive start.
Nicholls thundered a dipping 20-yard effort off the bar, before Grigg dragged a volley wide after neat play by Macken.
But, after a bright opening, the game slipped into a malaise where neither side stamped their mark and showed why they are struggling in League One.
Macken’s pot-shot was easily claimed by goalkeeper Artur Krysiak before the Grecians went ahead on 42 minutes
Logan had already gone close when he out-foxed Oliver Lancashire before he hooked in the opener from six yards, after the Saddlers failed to deal with a deep free kick.
But, fresh from a half-time rocket, the hosts raised their game and levelled on 64 minutes when Lancashire headed down Taundry’s corner for Macken to turn in.
Five minutes later, the Saddlers turn the game on its head when Nicholls drove in from 15-yards following Bowerman’s pullback.
They failed to capitalise, though, and Frear’s deflected effort crept past Walker 13 minutes from the end to send the game into extra time.
And just eight minutes in Bowerman, who scored his first senior goal at the weekend, struck the winner when he latched onto Nicholls’ throughball, rounded Krysiak and rolled in from a tight angle.
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