| Date | Tuesday 11 September 2012 |
| Match | Royston Town v Wingate & Finchley |
| Competition | FA Cup with Budweiser: First Round Qualifying Replay |
| Result | Lost 3-2 (AET, 2-2 at 90 minutes) |
| Royston Scorers | Ingrey(2) |
| Attendance | 155 |
| Crows MoM | Ryan Ingrey |
A devastated Crows team bowed out of the FA Cup after two games of more than matching their higher division opponents, on this occasion it was more difficult to take as they had raced into a two goal lead.
Manager Paul Attfield had lamented the fact that missed opportunities from Saturday’s first game may come back to bite his side and that may be the case but The Crows can consider themselves highly unfortunate not to be in the next round.
Commanding defender Joe De La Salle was withdrawn from the side an hour before kick off due to injury, this didn't help plans but The Crows gave a storming first half performance which really rattled the visitors.
Within the first minute they were ahead with Luke Robins and Lee Wilson combining down the left and a low cross was bundled in by Ryan Ingrey at the near post. The pace of the home side's game was relentless and a double goal lead was secured on 12 minutes when Tommy Malins raced away down the right and crossed for Ryan Ingrey to glance a header in at the near post.
Wingate offered sporadic moments of quality going forward and had one good chance when Smith's angled effort hit the inside of the post and was scrambled clear but The Crows stayed on top with serious amounts of pressure. Around a dozen first half home corners caused the visitors severe defensive problems but didn't come to anything and from open play Kaan Fehmi shot just over from 18 yards and had a close range volley from another excellent cross misplaced wide.
The visitors were also very fortunate to have ten players on the pitch when a crude challenge on Ryan Ingrey by a Wingate forward was only cautioned. Ideally Royston could have done without half time the way they were playing.
Wingate came out for the second half with a change of formation and intensity but The Crows had a great first minute chance when Fehmi released Malins who ran on goal but fired over the crossbar.
The visitors began to probe hard and on 53 minutes got back into the game when Royston conceded a free kick with the whipped in delivery headed in from eight yards by Smith.
The game became end to end with Royston looking the more likely to score but neither keeper was tested. Another poor tackle by the same Wingate forward on Lewis Endacott incensed the home parties but a more than lenient official saw it differently and the visiting management wisely substituted the offender very quickly.
The visitors were level on 70 minutes in cruel circumstances when Smith turned on the edge of the box with his wayward shot taking a wicked deflection off a leg diverting the ball into the bottom corner.
Royston had a chance to regain the lead just a minute later when an excellent run and cross from Luke Robins found Kaan Fehmi free eight yards from goal but his strike smacked against the post and was cleared.
The game finished tensely as it became open and end to end with Wingate also having an excellent chances when Karagul raced clear but miskicked wide with just Norris to beat but both keeper's were untested going into extra time.
Tom Malins had a rasping drive in the opening minute of extra time that stung the hands of the keeper as did a Wingate forward whose 20 yard left foot volley was well dealt with by Will Norris.
The winning goal came midway through the first period of extra time when a wayward Royston pass in midfield found the visitor's Pinto who looked up and smacked a 35 yarder into the top corner stunning the home side.
There was still time for Pinto to get sent off for a poor tackle on Lewis Endacott after being cautioned for removing his shirt celebrating his excellent goal.
Royston pummelled the visiting area in the second period with relentless pressure but the massed Wingate defensive unit stood firm and determined and there was no way through the well-drilled visiting defence as the time ran its course.
Team: Norris, Endacott (Apostolos), Collins, Wilson, Bradshaw, Edwards, Ingrey, Malins, Lockett, Fehmi (Standen), Robins. Unused: Howard, Skeggs.
