STONE, Staffordshire (Interstat) — In a dramatic FA Cup encounter that defied pregame projections, Stone Alleynians edged visiting Chasetown 3-2 at Wellbeing Park on Friday, advancing to the next round on the strength of a late winner.

The match, part of the ENG FA Cup competition, delivered a back-and-forth spectacle that saw the lead change hands twice, culminating in a decisive goal in the 83rd minute. The result handed Stone Alleynians a victory in its first match of this season’s tournament, while Chasetown began its cup campaign with a defeat.

The game erupted into life almost immediately. Against the run of early play, Chasetown’s substitute Isak Dahlqvist stunned the home supporters, putting the visitors ahead just two minutes after kickoff. The early goal set a frantic tone. Stone Alleynians responded before the twenty-minute mark, with another substitute making an impact. Shon Weissman found the net in the 18th minute to pull the hosts level.

The momentum continued to swing toward Stone Alleynians as the first half progressed. Forward Saša Kalajdžić, who would prove instrumental, gave his team the lead in the 35th minute, converting an opportunity to make the score 2-1. The goal sparked a period of heightened tension, reflected in a flurry of yellow cards just before halftime. In the 44th minute, both Kalajdžić and Chasetown substitute Mamadou Fofana were booked following a confrontation.

Chasetown emerged from the break with renewed purpose and found an equalizer in the 57th minute. Defender George Bello scored, capitalizing on service from Fofana to knot the game at 2-2 and setting up a tense final half-hour.

As the match entered its latter stages, the prospect of a draw seemed likely, mirroring the 2-2 final score projected pregame by Interstat’s simulator. The same analytics system had given Stone Alleynians a 60.80 percent probability to win outright. That prediction was ultimately validated in the 83rd minute when Stone Alleynians’ Moses Usor struck the decisive blow. The forward finished a play built by Kalajdžić, who recorded a goal and an assist on the afternoon, to secure a 3-2 victory for the home side.

The win marks a successful start to the FA Cup and the overall season for Stone Alleynians, which now holds a record of one win and no losses across all competitions. Chasetown, conversely, begins its campaign with an 0-1 record in both the cup and overall play. The match was defined by impactful substitutions and key contributions from attacking players, with five different goal scorers finding the net in a contest that exceeded its statistical expectations.