Bartram scores late winner to send Squires Gate into next round

Gate went close in the first minute when an inswinging corner from Harrison Webster was flicked wide by Josh Westwood before a dangerous cross from Hughes went without a touch and an effort from Nathan Cliffe flew off target.

Against the run of play though, Cammell Laird took the lead on 21 minutes from the penalty spot.

Bartram was the man penalised for bundling a man over inside the box and Kieran Hamm made no mistake from 12 yards.

The game became very scrappy after the opening goal, with Gate having to wait until the 39th minute for their next opportunity.

A ball down the left saw Cliffe break in behind the Laird defence but his low effort was well saved by the keeper.

However, Luke Evans’ men did get their equaliser on 42 minutes through captain Josh Westwood when a Gate corner was only half cleared with the loose ball picked up by Bartram who swung in an excellent cross that was nodded home by Westwood.

In the second half, Cliffe sliced an effort well off target for Gate on 61 minutes before Nathan Pennington was called into action at the other end to make a vital save.

Sean Aluebhosele entered the action on 66 minutes in place of Yelegon, before Cliffe went even closer to getting his goal as a rasping drive flew narrowly over the crossbar.

Both sides hit the woodwork after the 70 minute mark as a looping cross from Cammell Laird clipped the top of the bar, before a Gate corner was flicked onto the post by Dan Gray.

It was Squires Gate who got the winner though on 82 minutes through Bartram when a corner was swung in by Harrison Webster, Bartram getting across his man and flicking his header superbly into the far top corner.

Pennington had to be aware to keep out an instant equaliser at the other end, before substitute Mekkaoui-Abouzaid missed a golden chance to wrap it up for Gate, firing wide after breaking in behind a tiring Lairddefence.

It didn’t matter though, as Gate saw the game out to progress into the Second Round of the FA Vase.