NORTHWICH Victoria, semi-finalists in the FA Vase last season, have been forced into a replay with lower division Wythenshawe Town after a breathless afternoon at Wincham Park.
Three times Vics held three-goal leads in the 90 minutes but a crazy tie ended 5-5 after a period of extra-time which remained in deadlock.
They will have to do it all over again at Ericstan Park on Tuesday, bonfire night, kick-off 7.45pm.
A Jamie Reed hat-trick in the opening 15 minutes suggested the tie was all but won against the eighth-placed North West Counties First Division South outfit.
Former Buxton striker Martin Pilkington gave the visitors a chink of daylight with a 26th-minute response on debut.
Normal service resumed five minutes later when Rob Doran, making a rare start, restored the three-goal cushion.
And within three minutes Liam Crellin Myers fired one back for Wythenshawe, leaving the contest at 4-2 at half time.
Saul Henderson’s fourth goal in three games in the first minute of the second period again left Vics in a comfortable position.
But Wythenshawe were not going away.
Ex-Vics man Michael Clarke (51mins) netted the first of three Wythenshawe goals in 15 minutes to bring the scores level, with Brad Byrne and Connor Brotherton bagging the others.
After all that had occurred, it was surprising that very little action of note arose in the last 24 minutes of normal time or in the additional 30 minutes. - other than for the two sides to complete 14 kick-offs between them!
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