Chats and Jammers reach the First Round- Saints hope to join them!

It was time for the FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round, and we had six clubs in action- but each of them faced a tough task.

Five of our Pitching In Isthmian Premier sides had reached this stage, and we had high hopes for Aveley, St Albans City, Folkestone Invicta, Billericay Town and Chatham Town.

Chatham Town travelled to Tonbridge Angels for an Kentish derby. National League South Angels knocked out Cray Valley PM in the last round, and were seven matches unbeaten, but the Chats travelled with confidence after winning their previous eight matches in League, Cup and Trophy. That run saw them concede only four goals and record four clean sheets- but they were behind early on in this one, an own goal giving the hosts the lead. The Chats are made of stern stuff, and they levelled a minute into the second half, Tope Fadahunsi with the equaliser, and on sixty six minutes Stan Oldfield put them ahead. Just before the end Adam Leathers added a third, confirmed victory, and saw his side into the First Round for the first time in ninety seven years! 

Aveley were the only one of that quintet to enjoy home advantage, and they faced a side who had rather a long trip down the A1, along the M11 and around the M25 as Gateshead made the trip to Parkside. Sadly the visitors proved too strong, a goal in the first half and two in the second giving them a three-nil victory. 

St Albans City, who defeated Aveley in the Trophy last weekend, were riding their cock horse to Banbury United. The Saints were eight unbeaten in League, Cup and Trophy, and looking for a fourth successive victory and a fourth successive clean sheet- and they went ahead on twenty one minutes, Leo Sery with the opener. United were soon level, and the scoring stopped there, so the sides will meet again in midweek. 

Folkestone Invicta looked to have perhaps the toughest task of all as they travelled to take on Southend United- and so it proved. The Stripes are in superb form, still unbeaten in all competitions coming into this match despite being yet to play in their own ground this season, but they were three down at the break, and despite a second half goal from Joe Pigott went down four-one in the end. 

As Gateshead travelled to Aveley, Billericay Town were doing an almost identical journey in reverse, as they headed to Spennymoor Town. Spenny are having a fine season, and sit in fourth place in National League North. They’d won their last five matches, each of them to nil, and they made that six, as they scored the only goal of the game midway through the second half to sadly end the Blues hopes. 

We also had one Pitching In Isthmian North side hoping for a First Round spot, and perhaps, out of all of our cup fighters, Maldon and Tiptree were the favourites to grab that place amongst the big boys. The Jammers had been in superb form, top of Pitching In Isthmian North and unbeaten in the League, and they welcomed Pitching In Southern Division One side Flackwell Heath. The visitors sit in mid table, but were also unbeaten in the League, and had already knocked out two Step Three sides in the shape of Lewes and Bracknell Town, so were unlikely to be pushovers. So it proved, but the Jammers did manage to squeeze through nonetheless. Freddie Sears- of course- got the only goal of the match, eleven minutes before the break, and the hosts held on despite a red card for Zack Littlejohn soon afterwards.