Saturday’s FA Trophy second round game between Bury Town and Herne Bay ended in chaotic scenes when the home side’s makeshift goalkeeper popped up with a 94th-minute equaliser to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat.
The man in goal for Bury at the time was actually midfielder Craig Nurse, who was reluctantly handed the gloves when first-choice ‘keeper Neil O’Sullivan was sent-off in the 91st minute for deliberately handling the ball outside of his area.
Three minutes later, with his side trailing 0-1 and things looking desperate, Nurse tottered up for a later corner. The rest, as they say, is a replay at Herne’s place on Tuesday evening.
Here’s how the scene unfolded, presented in very matter-of-fact fashion by Bury’s official Twitter account…
SENT OFF: Neil O’Sullivan – Bury Town (91′) https://t.co/PbTBTOjXUE
— Bury Town FC (@BuryTownFC) November 14, 2015
GOAL: BURY TOWN 1-1 Herne Bay – Craig Nurse (94′) https://t.co/PbTBTOjXUE — Bury Town FC (@BuryTownFC) November 14, 2015
FULL-TIME: Bury Town 1-1 Herne Bay https://t.co/PbTBTO2mw4
— Bury Town FC (@BuryTownFC) November 14, 2015
Thankfully, the cameras were present to capture the mayhem…
@BuryTownFC megalolz pic.twitter.com/hGB3dDhHe5
— Dave Bawden (@daveybawden) November 14, 2015
“There’s lots of firsts today – first time going in goal for a Ryman League club, first time scoring as a goalkeeper and first time being kissed by so many men,” Nurse told BBC Radio Suffolk after the match.
What a hero.