Will Lancaster: Gainsborough’s unlikely FA Cup hero running on adrenaline after first round thriller
When Gainsborough Trinity went three goals down away at Hednesford Town in the first round of this season’s FA Cup, very few predicted that the Holy Blues would mark a heroic comeback.
Even fewer would’ve marked centre-back Will Lancaster as the man to bag the equaliser in the dying moments of normal time, crashing a shot home off the underside of the bar.
Now the dust has settled on a remarkable afternoon at Keys Park, the 22-year-old admits that he hasn’t, and probably won’t score a more important goal in his entire career.
“It was just unbelievable,” he told the NPL.
“It came to me, and when I hit it, it felt like an hour's worth of play in about half a second.”
There was only one thought going through the defender's mind as he took the shot on. “Hit the target and keep it low,” Lancaster recalled.
Whilst the crossbar isn’t famed for its proximity to the ground, Lancaster joked that his efforts usually fly high into the stands
Nevertheless, his sublime strike forced extra-time, and although Hednesford re-took the lead in the 95th minute, the Holy Blues found a response again through Javelle Clarke.
“We all knew that we could get another [after going 4-3 behind], and we were all quite calm with 15 minutes to go,” Lancaster admitted.
“The team talk [at half-time in extra-time] wasn’t that dramatic. It was just to concentrate and create a chance to get another goal.”
When Javelle Clarke levelled things again, Lancaster felt his afternoon was over as penalties commenced.
However, that was far from the case.
It was now Lancaster’s turn to go from unlikely goalscorer to unlikely penalty-taker, as injuries and substitutions meant that their regular spot-kick specialists were no longer on the pitch.
“The Thursday before the game, we practised penalties and everyone took one - probably about 20 takers - and I was the only one who missed - I hit the post!
“Once the full-time whistle went, I thought I’d done my job, but now I was going from relaxed back to nervous again.
“Once you get to the spot, it’s just you and the goalkeeper. I tried to stay as calm and focused as I could, and getting though to the next round was a brilliant feeling.”
Lancaster’s penalty kept Gainsborough in the shootout, which they went on to win 5-4.
The result, which means the Holy Blues are the only remaining Northern Premier League side in this season’s competition, was described post-match by manager Russ Wilcox as “the craziest game” he had ever been involved in.
Into the second round for the first time in 72 years, the only thing standing in the way of them and a potential meeting with Premier League opposition in the next round is League Two Harrogate Town, who welcome seventh-tier Gainsborough to the Exercise Stadium on Friday 29 November.
