Ainsworth: 'Late goal was tough on Hayes & Yeading'

Nov 8 2010 By Greg Burns

Gareth Ainsworth

FA CUP hero Gareth Ainsworth had sympathy for Hayes & Yeading after his late winner robbed the Conference side of a deserved replay.

The 37-year-old Wanderers captain took a gamble and dashed into the box for a stoppage time corner with the score at 1-1 at Church Road.

After a goalmouth melee the former QPR man, who got targeted by home fans during the first round clash, stabbed the ball home to complete a 1-2 win.

The win sets up a home second round tie with Blue Square South side Chelmsford City but Hayes could count themselves unlucky not to be in the draw themselves as Ainsworth admitted after the game.

"It just dropped nicely to me and luckily I got my toe to it before anyone else. I am not usually in the box for corners. But for the last one I said to Lewis Montrose 'you stay out and let me go in' and luckily it paid off.

"It was great to score the winning goal. I was having some good banter with the Hayes & Yeading fans and getting some stick from them so it was always nice.

"They have a good set up and, fair play to them, they gave us a good game and they were unlucky. If it had ended a draw no-one could have complained.

"I used to play for Northwich so to have a league side at home in the FA Cup is massive so for them to play the way they did means they deserve tremendous credit."

Ainsworth was on the wrong end of a giant-killing when his Preston North End side crashed out in the fifth round to non-league Kidderminster Harriers in 1993/

He said: "It was a potential banana-skin and I am so pleased we avoided a cup upset."

Follow us on Facebook and Twitter for all the latest Wycombe Wanderers news.