Chesterfield 3-3 West Brom: Thomas-Asante's equaliser earns replay
Chesterfield 3-3 West Brom: Brandon Thomas-Asante hits stoppage time equaliser to take National League side to replay after Armando Dobra’s brace looked to have taken The Spireites through
- Brandon Thomas-Asante scored in stoppage time to secure West Brom a replay
- Armando Dobra had earlier struck a brace for National League Chesterfield
- Thomas-Asante and Karlan Grant twice put the visiting Baggies in front
- Chesterfield’s first-half goals came from Tyrone Williams and Dobra’s double
This was everything that remains bonkers and brilliant about the FA Cup.
We had tinfoil trophies being waved in the stands and that unique energy that comes from a sold-out crowd expressing pride in their home town.
Then there was that bloody-minded determination of an underdog to maul opponents ranked some 66 places higher than them. Not that you would have known there was such a gap.
West Bromwich Albion’s Brandon Thomas-Asante struck twice including in stoppage time
Chesterfield are no pub league cloggers – they’re a high-flying National League outfit with ambitions to get back into League Two at the end of the season – but to push Championship West Brom so close was a mighty fine achievement.
In the end, it was so very cruel on the non-league side. Brandon Thomas-Asante heading home three minutes onto stoppage time to ensure a share of six goals and a replay.
The Spireites had summoned the spirit of ’97, when they went all the way to the semi-finals of this grand old competition.
Their modern-day hero was Armando Dobra, who maintained his record of scoring in each round of Chesterfield’s run so far this season. Anstey Nomads, Northampton, AFC Wimbledon and now West Brom… they just can’t stop Dobra.
Paul Cook’s side were glorious, the superior team throughout and West Brom boss Carlos Corberan almost paid the price for making wholesale changes in anticipation of an easy afternoon.
The Baggies led twice, through Thomas-Asante and Karlan Grant, but they simply didn’t reckon on Chesterfield’s ferocity and the raucous energy around the ground.
Armando Dobra celebrated with his Chesterfield teammates as he nabbed their second goal
The hosts levelled through Tyrone Williams first time around then Dobra netted twice in five barmy minutes just before half-time.
But just when Chesterfield thought they’d got over the line, West Brom pulled it out of the fire with a late leveller.
Some of their fans delighted in it a little too much, invading the pitch and goading the home support. There was a brief flashpoint, but it was all a bit embarrassing given the circumstances.
Chesterfield fancied their chances of an upset here anyway, but even more so when the teamsheets showed 11 West Brom changes from their most recent Championship fixture.
The non-leaguers more than matched the Baggies in the first-half after an early setback.
Just 90 seconds were on the clock when Karlan Grant surged down the left and cut the ball back, where Thomas-Asante was one of two players in yellow and green waiting to finish.
But that early West Brom goal only had a galvanising effect on the Spireites, who redoubled efforts on the pitch as a sell-out crowd cranked up the decibels in the stands.
Dobra’s brace looked to have taken The Spireites through until late drama caused a replay
They were back on level terms just five minutes later. Jeff King’s corner kick routine led to him hanging a cross to the back post, where captain Jamie Grimes nodded the ball back down and Williams scored from close range.
That certainly raised optimism levels that West Brom’s back line could be beaten though it was the Championship side who went back in front on 17 minutes.
Grant was a menace and his pace was too much for Chesterfield’s defenders when Tom Rogic slipped him clear down the left, his eventual shot going in despite the best efforts of Williams.
But the National League club were never likely to roll over. They took the game to West Brom and forced a succession of corners which piled on the pressure.
Carlos Corberan utilised the West Brom bench in search of an equaliser against Chesterfield
From one of them, King’s low cross was prodded goalwards by Liam Mandeville and keeper David Button had to get down to turn it around the post.
A few minutes later, a cheeky Mandeville flick from Dobra’s delivery, again following a corner, had to be dealt with too.
As half-time approached, Chesterfield felt hard done by to trail but, boy, did they do something about it with two goals in the space of five minutes.
Both were scored by Dobra, the Albanian youth international considered something of a ‘magician’ in these parts.
He was in the perfect position, having dropped off his marker, to fire home after Mandeville worked space to cross from the right.
With the Baggies rocking, Chesterfield again attacked down the left, with Joe Quigley’s initial effort parried out by Button before Dobra picked out the top corner for 3-2, sparking pandemonium.
Thomas-Asante scored twice for West Brom in securing the draw at the Technique Stadium
Fans held tinfoil trophies resembling the FA Cup during a back-and-forth thriller on Saturday
‘Championship, you’re having a laugh,’ taunted the home fans towards the away end.
The big question was whether Chesterfield could maintain their maelstrom of intensity for another half. Early signs were promising as Tim Akinola danced through a series of tackles before shooting over.
Carlos Corberan turned to his bench to try and inject some energy into West Brom’s lacklustre performance, with forward Daryl Dike introduced for midfielder Rogic.
There was a crucial goalline block to thwart Semi Ajayi as the Baggies finally showed some signs of life, while Dike was off target with a near post header.
But there was nothing in the way of sustained pressure and Chesterfield still enjoyed their moments, with sub Kabongo Tshimanga seeing a shot deflected into the side-netting.
The crowd was still bemoaning the addition of five minutes stoppage time when Thomas-Asante took us back to The Hawthorns.
MATCH FACTS AND RATINGS
Chesterfield (4-1-4-1): Fitzsimons 7; King 7.5, Grimes (c) 7.5, Williams 7.5, Clements 7 (Horton 72, 6); Jones 7; Mandeville 7.5, Akinola 7.5 (Asante 86), Oldaker 7 (Banks 72, 6), Dobra 8.5 (Uchegbulam 87); Quigley 7 (Tshimanga 77)
Substitutes not used: Covolan (GK); Clarke, Sheckleford, Palmer
Manager: Paul Cook 8
Scorers: Williams 7; Dobra 36, 41
Booked: Quigley
West Bromwich Albion (4-4-2): Button 6; Gardner-Hickman 5, Ajayi 5, Kelly 5 (O’Shea 56), Ashworth 5 (Molumby 46); Diangana 5 (Wallace 65), Livermore (c) 6 (Yokuslu 72), Rogic 6 (Dike 55), Reach 5; Grant 6.5, Thomas-Asante 6.5
Substitutes not used: Palmer (GK); Townsend, Phillips, Swift
Manager: Carlos Corberan 5
Scorers: Thomas-Asante 2, 90+3; Grant 17
Referee: Rebecca Welch (Tyne and Wear) 6
Attendance: 9,819 (1,992 away)
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