Ten-man Stockport come from two goals down to survive huge scare at Cray

Harry de Cosemo
BBC Sport England

League One Stockport County survived a scare to beat Isthmian League side Cray Wanderers 3-2 after extra time in the FA Cup first round.

Cray were nine minutes away from defying a 113-team gap in the football pyramid after Sammie McLeod and Alex Hernandez put them ahead in the first half.

Stockport goalkeeper Luca Ashby-Hammond was sent off after 31 minutes before Kyle Wootton and Mikael Mandron levelled late on for the visitors.

Lewis Fiorini's extra-time penalty then proved enough for County on an incredible afternoon at Flamingo Park.

After a slow start for both sides, the game sprung to life through McLeod's tidy finish on 20 minutes. Stockport were dispossessed, and Olajuwon Ogunwamide drove forward before picking out the perfect cross.

Ade Yusuff thought he should have been awarded a penalty after he went down under a challenge.

Moments later, County's misery was compounded. John Ufuah lobbed Ashby-Hammond, and although his effort was cleared off the line, the goalkeeper was sent off for colliding into the Cray player.

From the resulting free-kick, Hernandez doubled the lead with a sumptuous effort, sending the fans wild.

Suddenly, a famous upset was in their grasp.

Cray looked set to close the game out, but substitute Wootton headed in from close range after Josh Dacres-Cogley's cross on 81 minutes, changing the dynamic of the game in an instant.

Stockport's quality began to tell, and Mandron found the leveller in stoppage time to restore parity and force an extra 30 minutes.

Fiorini put Stockport ahead for the first time from the spot after 101 minutes after JJ Briggs committed a foul in the area. Ultimately, that put an end to a brave Cray fight.

'Dreamland!' - Cray score brilliant free-kick as Stockport down to 10

We nearly got there - O'Shea

Cray manager Tim O'Shea speaking to BBC Sport: "We were in dreamland at half-time. We couldn't believe where we were.

"They just kept coming. We've caused them more problems than perhaps some opposition in their own division. That is something I can take from this.

"We try and play on the front foot. I'm super proud. It is a shame we couldn't get over the line. We nearly got there."

It was set for an upset most people wanted - McNulty

Stockport manager Jimmy McNulty speaking to BBC Sport: "I thought we needed to be exceptionally brave.

"It was set for an upset that most people who came here wanted to see.

"We had to go for it, we had to show absolute bravery against a team who, even a man up, I thought would fatigue.

"It was mad, but we got there. We are disappointed with that performance, but we knew these guys would be fired up."

McNulty: 'I had a high belief'

Player of the match

A. Hernández
8.14
9 A. Hernández
8.14
16 S. McLeod
8.13
11 O. Ogunwamide
8.10
3 F. Morgan
7.91
23 J. Ufuah
7.83
10 A. Yusuff
7.82
2 C. Lema
7.68
1 J. Briggs
7.66
8 F. Raymond
7.60
17 T. Tinubu
7.58
18 B. Spencer-Adams
7.55
6 R. Strachan
7.52
5 S. Sanogo
7.38
7 L. Adaja
7.23
4 A. Payne
7.23
19 S. Kader
7.08
14 S. Hutchinson
6.86
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