WEALDSTONE will head for Cambridge on Saturday after Lee Chappell’s first half goal won a dramatic replay.
The former skipper’s sweet left foot shot settled matters in a game which the hosts finished with nine men and the visitors with 10 courtesy of a fiery second half.
However, the nine Stones heroically withstood a late Alamo siege and deserved their huge ovation at the final whistle.
The breakthrough came on 27 minutes when Kurtney Brooks found Richard Jolly on the right side of the box and he rolled the ball left to Chappell (pic) in acres of space. The former skipper took one stride forward and thumped a low shot wide of Louis Wells left hand and inside the far post.
The visitors forced a succession of corners in response, but it was from open play they came close when Jon Wallis drilled a low shot just wide with Jonathan North struggling.
They were close again in stoppage time when Lee Noble found space down the right, but his cross was just too far ahead of the stretching Jacob Erskine.
A subdued start to the second half was sparked on 62 minutes by a foul by James Rogers on Chris O’Leary and in the melee that followed it was the Wealdstone man who was sent off.
As the game boiled over, the man advantage lasted barely a minute before original sinner Rogers was dismissed for a reckless tackle on Peter Dean.
Chappell saw another effort deflected behind, but with 20 minutes left Stones were down to nine when Smith was late on Noble and became the third red card in eight minutes.
The Darts big chance came three minutes from time when Danny Harris found Lee Burns with time in the box, but with only North to beat the full-back fired wide.
Five minutes of stoppage-time followed but the depleted Stones were not to be denied this late.
