Terrace Onions 2 Southampton Rangers 1 (aet; 1-1 at 90min)

Corona League side Terrace Onions claimed the prized scalp of First Division promotion hopefuls Southampton Rangers in the FA Cup preliminary round at Goose Gosling Field on Sunday.

With the game ending 1-1 at 90 minutes, Antonio Bailey's own goal gave Onions an extra-time winner to spark scenes of joy at the final whistle, and Onions starter Jack Higson was thrilled with the victory.

“We attempted to stifle Rangers and not allow them to play through us easily,” Higson said. “We did that exceptionally well, and we deserved the win. We want to go all the way, we think we can win it.”

Onions limited Rangers in possession, pouncing on every loose ball and poor touch. They forced an early turnover in the opening exchanges and Rangers goalkeeper Daischon Chin was forced into a fingertip save when James Finnigan struck a powerful shot from just inside the penalty area.

The West End club continued to struggle in possession, thanks in large part to Onions' solid mix of pressure and discipline, and could have been behind on two or three further occasions as the Corona side continued their impressive start.

However, Rangers took the lead against the run of play thanks to some quality from skipper Donte Brangman, who cut inside Onions defender Ross Orr on the right flank before firing a powerful low shot into the far corner past goalkeeper Parker Saunders. Brangman, who was making the Blues tick and working his socks off without possession, went off at half time with an apparent thigh injury.

The goal failed to boost the confidence of the First Division match favourites and player-coach Keith Jennings came on to try to orchestrate the extension of momentum and they did gain more control of possession with Nacori Smith and Jahni Bean finding more rhythm on the ball after the former Somerset forward came on.

However, they were not able to turn their control of the ball and territory into clear-cut opportunities. Thus, Onions created their equaliser from a confident move through midfield, with Finnigan firing a through ball into striker Kyle Godfrey, who chested down for Stuart Foster to square into the path of Chris Alexander, who produced a low side-footed strike past Chin.

Onions enhanced the pressure on Rangers with a much higher defensive line in extra time as the match opened up and both sides tried to find the winner, with Onions producing the decisive moment from a set-piece.

Oliver Pidhorecky whipped a free kick into the penalty area from about 30 yards out and substitute Antonio Bailey diverted the dangerous ball into his own net from about eight yards out under pressure from Andrew Brooks.

Dominique Hill had a beautiful opportunity to equalise for Rangers and send the match to penalties but he misdirected his effort wide after being played through by Smith to give Onions the second First Division scalp claimed by a Corona team at Goose Gosling Field on Sunday,

Earlier, Somerset Eagles had been the victim of a giantkilling after Inter BDA also won 2-1 in extra time

SCORERS

Terrace Onions: Alexander 57, Bailey og 102

Southampton Rangers: Brangman 40

TEAMS

Terrace Onions (4-2-3-1): P Saunders 6 – R Orr 5, J Marshall 6 (sub: A McBirnie, 110min), A Foster 5 (sub: A Brooks, 80 6), O Pidhorecky 6 – J Higson 6 (sub: A Kempe, 105), J Finnigan 6 – S Foster 6 (sub: J Wood, 75 6), C McCrossan 6, C Alexander 6 – K Godfrey 5 (sub: D Thompson, 105).

Southampton Rangers (4-2-3-1): D Chin 7 – Z Ray 5 (sub: M Joell, 68 6), R Wright 4, R Cann 5, K Douglas 5 (sub: A Bailey, 91 5) – D Brangman 6 (sub: F Williams, 46 5), Z Smith 6 – R Lowe 5 (sub: K Jennings, 61 6), N Smith 5, J Bean 5 – D Hill 5. Substitutes not used: K Symonds. Booked: Wright, Jennings, Bean, Hill

Referee: M Wyer