And then there were four!

Sheppey United welcomed Pitching In Isthmian Premier Billericay Town in an Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round Replay last night, and the Ites terminated the Cup ambitions of a second ‘giant’ in a row, the visiting Blues defeated after one hundred and twenty minutes and a dramatic shootout at Holm Park.

The Ites had much of the play at New Lodge on Saturday, but the visiting Blues were unbeaten on the road and must have been confident as they arrived on the Island. That confidence was shaken as Dan Bradshaw’s seventh goal of the season put the hosts ahead on twenty minutes, and for the next sixty five minutes it looked as if Sheppey had booked themselves a tie against Walsall and a first ever First Round match, but with five minutes remaining the visitors got an equaliser, Brad Stevenson continuing to be their talisman and scoring his ninth of the campaign.

Into extra time we went, with no further goals- although we did have a red card, Ben Wells departing late on for Billericay. Penalties was next, and the Ites held their nerve, despatching each of their five spot kicks. Billericay were almost as lethal, but almost wasn’t enough, one failure from five seeing the hosts through.

Many congratulations to all at Sheppey- and as a reminder, our Emirates FA Cup line up now looks like this:

Sheppey United v Walsall

Ramsgate v Woking

Charlton Athletic v Cray Valley PM

Barnsley v Horsham

Matches will be played during the weekend of Friday 3 to Monday 6 November, with forty thousand pounds for the winners.

Image from Marc Richards- more here.

We also had South East v Premier in the Velocity Cup Third Round, as Herne Bay welcomed Folkestone Invicta. Bay have won their previous two matches at home, and it looked as if they might make that three when Archie Burnett put them ahead just after the start of the second half. The Invicta equaliser arrived with only five minutes left, Luke Holness sending the match to penalties- and the Premier side were slightly better from the spot, triumphing three-two.

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