WILLOWS 3 STAND ATH 3 (after extra time)

IT took five weeks to finally get a match on, three of those weeks were involving this Manchester Cup tie.

And after two hours of hard slog on a tricky Elms pitch, nothing has been decided, and it must now go on again tomorrow.

Willows switched this match to Stand's Elms Park ground, after both their own Salteye Park and Ewood Bridge were unfit and both set of players gave everything in what turned out to be an epic match.

After 35 minutes, the danger shown down Willows right hand side was seen to bear fruit as Helme headed powerfully home from a bye-line cross.

The lead didn't last long. Karl Brown worked the ball through to Wilson, who rounded the keeper and slotted home.

After the break, Stand increased their lead when Wilson's driven corner was met by Steve Brown, whose header was directed into the net from close range by Mark Bartholomew's head.

In the final minutes Willows went downfield and Helme, who had been a thorn in Stand's side at times, was tripped up in the box by Gallagher. He got up and converted the spot kick himself to force extra time.

A low cross from the left missed every Stand defender and Mulligan was on hand to put his side into the lead after five minutes.

It then took a further 20 minutes for Stand pressure to result in Wilson equalising from his own rebound after first hitting the keeper's legs.

STAND ATHLETIC: Rooney, Channon, Davis, Gallagher, Telfer, O'Brien (Leonard 75mins), Brown K, Vine-Jones, Bartholomew, Wilson, Brown.