Six Trophy ties go to replays

Nine of the games were all-Ryman affairs, but in the other five matches the league recorded two wins, two draws and only one defeat, having held the lead at some stage of all five.

Our clubs were unbeaten against Southern League opposition. Bognor were comfortable 3-0 winners at home to struggling Bridgwater, taking charge with a penalty by Ashley Robinson and a goal by Harvey Whyte in the last few minutes of the first half. Robinson clinched it with 15 minutes left, another penalty after Whyte was fouled.

Maidstone had a more difficult-looking task at Bedford but won more easily than the 3-2 result suggests. Ex-Bedford man Ian Draycott headed them in front just before the half-hour and they missed a number of chances before Ollie Wilkinson diverted Shaun Welford’s shot into his own net to make it 2-0 on 58 minutes. Welford needed no help when he slotted home the third with 13 minutes left. Late goals by Jamaine Ivy and, in the 90th minute, Michael Built caused a fright at the end.

Canvey were set for an easy victory at Uxbridge when Rob King and Jay Curran put them two up in 20 minutes. But it was level by half-time as Danny Julienne and Chris Moore, with a penalty, hit back for the hosts, and Moore put them in front in the 65th minute. The islanders salvaged a Tuesday replay when King netted his second 11 minutes from time to make it a 3-3 draw.

Wingate also let a two-goal lead slip and must travel to Hitchin for a replay tomorrow (Monday). Ryan Gardiner pounced on a sloppy back-pass to give Wingate the lead on the half-hour and it was 2-0 almost at once when Anderson Pinto netted. John Frendo reduced the arrears before half-time and made it 2-2 with a 78th-minute penalty.

It was a day to forget for Carshalton after Ola Sogbanmu gave them a ninth-minute lead at Northern Premier League side King’s Lynn. Steve Spriggs quickly equalised and then put the Linnets ahead with a penalty after an offence for which Pelayo Gomez Pico was sent off. The hosts ran away with it in the second half. Danny Beaumont, Spriggs, with his own third goal, and Russell Dunkley made it five by the 62nd minute and a late 20-yarder from Jason Turner completed a 6-1 rout.

Three Bridges, struggling in Ryman South, beat Premier leaders Hampton in a midweek League Cup tie and they almost frustrated them again. This time with home advantage, Hampton were held at bay for 87 minutes before Charlie Moone’s shot was parried and Malvin Kamara pounced on the loose ball to see the Beavers through.

Wealdstone, semi-finalists last season, are on the march again. They were three goals up in nine minutes and, despite a hiccup before half-time, romped to a 6-2 victory at Merstham. An own goal by David Graves was quickly followed by strikes from Peter Dean and Richard Jolly to leave the Ryman South club reeling.

Dean struck again on 20 minutes as it threatened to become a massacre, but the hosts rallied before the interval, halving the gap through Mark Nwokeji and Fabio Saraiva. It stayed that way until the last ten minutes, when Alex Dyer and Tom Pett made sure.

Alex Read was the afternoon’s most frustrated man after putting Brentwood ahead three times against Lewes, who replied each time to earn a 3-3 draw and a replay at the Dripping Pan on Tuesday.

Read opened the scoring on 25 minutes and Karl Beckford replied before the interval with a penalty which even Lewes thought was harsh. Read’s second goal, on 55 minutes, was answered ten minutes later by Ben Godfrey. This time it took just a minute for Read to put Brentwood ahead again, and they stayed in front for seven minutes before Chris Breach earned his side their second chance.

The eagerly-awaited derby at East Thurrock was something of a damp squib. Sam Higgins headed Rocks into the lead against Thurrock on the half-hour and Charlie Stimson replied, also with his head, in the 68th minute. It finished 1-1 and they will try again at Thurrock’s Ship Lane base on Tuesday.

Grays, second in Ryman North, will have home advantage when they meet Whitehawk, third in the Premier, in an intriguing replay on Tuesday. Hawks realised they had a task on their hands when Andy Pearson had to clear two shots off their line in the first 15 minutes. Jed Wallace put Hawks ahead midway through the second half but inexperienced substitute Dan Fry soon headed home a free-kick to make it 1-1.

Jonte Smith nabbed the 16th goal of his short stay with Met Police to earn them a 1-1 draw at Leiston. It came three minutes before half-time, wiping out Danny Thrower’s 12th-minute effort for the hosts. Plenty of chances followed at each end but none were taken.

Ramsgate had a long journey to Soham but made it an enjoyable return home with a 2-1 victory. Warren Schulz gave the visitors an early lead which was wiped out by Rob Mason six minutes before half-time. Schulz restored his side’s advantage with a penalty before the break, however, and that was enough. Soham had Matt Robinson sent off towards the end.

Leatherhead edged out Ryman South rivals Whitstable with a 1-0 victory in Kent. Sam Blackman got the decisive goal in the 74th minute.

Concord were soon in trouble in their all-Premier tie at home to Enfield Town. Billy Coyne was sent off for handling Liam Hope’s header on the line in the 13th minute and Hope converted the penalty. The ten men then held out until the 79th minute, when Joe O’Brien made it 2-0.