Heanor made the 60 mile trip to Wolverhampton to face Midland League outfit AFC Wulfrunians in the first round proper of this seasons FA Vase.
The match started in frantic fashion, a lazy tackle from Kieran Debrouwer in front of the dug outs saw the Wulfs bench appeal theatrically attempting to get the forward booked, in response to this the players all squared up and members of both bench joined in. The final decision came with the referee sending Heanor coach Steve Huntington to the stands. All that and only four minutes in.
Wulfs Craig Gregg headed wide in the ninth minute and Heanor’s Sam Jones missed the target in the fifteenth minute.
Just a minute later another memorable challenge went in, this time from John Hill on Paulo Piliero. Two footed challenges usually end in a red card – this one ended rightly so with a caution for Heanor’s goalkeeper Ian Deakin who had ventured forward to protect his team mate, being the only player in a green kit he was always going to be noticed.
With the Wulfs looking most lively in the opening twenty minutes it was of no surprise that Deakin again had to be at his best to prevent Scott Stevenson from scoring.
Debrouwer tested Jono Brown, in the twenty third minute, who only managed to push the ball wide, to the feet of Grantham who fired wide of the upright, his blushes spared by a linesmans flag.
Paulo Piliero delivered a corner kick in the swenty seventh minute, the powerful header of Strzyzewski meeting the ball and diverting it goal bound – only for the Wulfs defence to scruffily clear.
Debrouwer looked to be back to his best, with the ball glued to his foot he managed to beat four Wulfrunians players and find himself in the six yard box. Unluckily though his touch let him down, again enabling the Wulfs defence to clear their lines.

The second half can only be described as an onslaught from Heanor. Wulfrunians created a small number of chances but it was one way traffic in the main.
Gerry Moran found himself free of the last man but only succeeded in scooping his volley high over the bar with his unflavoured left foot in the forty ninth minute.
Gary Ricketts, who had started at centre back due to the injury crisis, moved back to his regular position of striker in the fifty eighth minute, McNicholas replaced Piliero and Shaw slotted in at centre back.
Three minutes later Stevenson fired low and hard for Wulfs, but the tired looking forward only succeeded in cutting the grass as the ball rolled wide.
Chances came thick and fast for Heanor, Debrouwer forced a fingertip save from Brown in the sixty forth minute, Sam Jones headed a corner wide on seventy three minutes, Ricketts volleyed wide when well placed in eighty one minutes, Wells tested Brown a minute later.
With six minutes of normal time left Wells retreated to the bench with Scott Rogers coming on to replace him.
Debrouwer and Marriott both had efforts on goal in the dying minutes but neither player could prevent the tie going to extra time.

The first period of extra time came, Ricketts saw his textbook header saved by Brown on ninety one minutes, the effort coming from a McNicholas corner.
Deakin saved another Wulfs shot in the ninety sixth minute, Michael Robertson ready to celebrate a goal.
Gerry Moran, the smallest man on the pitch, found himself in another glorious position four minutes later. Side footing his shot he managed to beat Brown, the shot also missing the net as it passed the upright.
The second half of extra time seemed to fizzle out with Wulfs looking tired but still determined to prevent a Heanor winner.
Stevenson again managed to find space to fire at goal in the second minute of the half. His looping shot crashed off of the crossbar as his side went searching for a goal. Five minutes later Deakin had to give all his strength and agility to save twice from Wulfs strikes at goal, his quality shines through when faced with such situations.
Ricketts found himself in the note book in the last minute, the referee taking exception to a 6 foot 4 striker beating a defender to the ball by using his strength.

The final whistle came, both sides ready to try again on Tuesday evening.

Heanor: Deakin, Marriott, Shaw, Moran, Ricketts, Strzyzewski, Grantham, Piliero (McNicholas 58), Wells (Rogers 84), Jones, Debrouwer
Subs not used: Henshaw, Ratcliffe, Baker.

Star Lion: Ian Deakin