AN own-goal was all that separated Step 5 Thornbury and Step 4 Bishops Cleeve on Tuesday night in the FA Cup Extra-Preliminary round replay, as the latter squeezed into the next round.

Bishops Cleeve had scored a 95th-minute equaliser to send the original tie to a replay after Saturday's thrilling 3-3 draw, denying Thornbury what would have been a famous win.

But they were forced to dust themselves down and go again on Tuesday night at the home of Tytherington Rocks, due to ongoing work at their usual home ground The Mundy's. 

Missing key men Harvey Pritchard, Joe Guest and Ollie Rawnsley, Thornbury were always going to be up against it.

Cleeve dominated possession throughout, but despite their control of the game, it was a long throw that glanced in off a Thornbury defender that broke the deadlock after 20 minutes.

It would prove to be the winning goal for the away side, who despite their dominance with the ball, were unable to create any clear-cut opportunities. 

But Thornbury themselves were unable to land any punches of their own. Marcus Wormwell came closest when his shot was pushed wide by keeper Lewis Clayton but that was as good as it got for the hosts, who were knocked out of the cup. 

But it was a monumental effort across both games by Thorns, who pushed their higher-level opponents all the way, something that manager Richard Joyce was keen to praise.

"We didn't really lay a glove on Cleeve tonight," he admitted. "It was pretty routine for them but with the squad of players and resources they have available to them, that shouldn't be a surprise.

"We pushed them all the way in the first game and they will have been relieved to have had another opportunity given how late they were getting their equaliser.

"When we were getting ready for the first game at Cleeve one of our lads turned to me and said it was amazing that we were playing Bishop's Cleeve's first team in an FA Cup match as for years all they remembered playing for Thornbury against Cleeve was playing against their reserves in the County League.

"That's a sign of how far this club has come and you have to credit the previous players and managers for all they've put in so that we are playing games like this at this level.

"I'd also like to say a huge thank you to Tytherington for giving us the opportunity to use their ground for the game. They have been great hosts."