Boulevard 1

Dandy Town 1 (aet)

Whether he is from Marrakesh or not, Moroccan winger El Karfa Farid certainly found the express route to Boulevard fans' hearts.

For the 26-year-old North African rescued Blazers' FA Cup dreams with a howitzer of a shot five minutes from time at BAA Field yesterday.

Down a goal to nil with the clock ticking away, Boulevard threw on the former Moroccan Second Division player and within seconds the switch paid dividends.

With his first touch he put over a right wing corner but with his second he brought the house down.

Receiving the clearance from his flag kick he let fly with a 20-yard strike that almost took off Town ‘keeper Antoine Lightbourne's gloved hands and sent the tie into extra-time.

Before the player was able to embark on a celebration run he was engulfed by a combination of team-mates and ecstatic fans and it took him more than a minute to emerge from the pile, his once white shirt now a dark brown.

“There was no other possibility than to shoot,” he said afterwards. “I tried to surprise the goalkeeper and it was what I aimed for - I intended the goal.

“It is my first season here and that was my first game and I am really happy to have scored.”

Farid picked up an injury shortly after coming on but with Blazers having already used all their substitutions he had to play on.

“I was really hurt but we weren't able to make any more changes so I had to continue,” he said.

No doubt the adrenalin from the goal will have helped to mask the pain and after making his first appearance the player now wants to become a fixture in the side.

“That is the aim of any player. I want to make it in the first team,” he said.

“We are aiming to improve, to get better and better, and I hope we can be the best - why not?”

The Moroccan's introduction certainly sparked life into a Boulevard side that for long periods lacked cohesion and direction.

After the opening exchanges were over, Blazers allowed Town to boss the match and it was no real surprise when the Hornets went ahead after 35 minutes.

A free kick on the left was flighted into the box and when Boulevard ‘keeper Shejuan Swan and an attacker rose to get to the ball it skidded off the pair of them and fell invitingly for Town stopper Brendan O'Riordan who powered home his header.

The half-time team talk did little to reinvigorate Blazers and had it not been for showboating by Town's strikeforce when more directness was needed to kill off the tie they might have found any hopes of a way back quashed.

Janeiro Tucker was guilty of trying to over-elaborate on a number of occasions but the player did come up with one strike of a note - a bicycle kick that just flashed past the post after he had taken the ball down on his chest with his back to goal.

That profligacy was almost punished for a second time just moments after Blazers equalised when O'Riordan slipped in the box allowing Raymond Burgess to latch onto the ball. However, he was falling as he let fly and the shot went just over.

Both sides had chances in the first half of extra-time.

Blazers' Tekeyh Walker played an impromptu game of ‘keepy-uppy' before hitting a shot with top of his boot that fizzed by the post.

Then ‘keeper Swan was called into action at the other end, his point blank save from the head of Wolde Place ensuring the teams went into the second period on level terms.

Town regrouped and had several opportunities to avoid a replay, but Sri Wilson headed over under a challenge, Place fired wide after making a hash of a through-ball and the same player headed wide after he found himself free in the box with 60 seconds remaining.

However, it would have been unfair for anyone to have taken the gloss off Farid's goal and so it was perhaps only right that these two sides will have to try again.