Blues and Rooks slay giants!

Emirates FA Cup

We had something of a grudge match at Aveley, where the- these days National League South- Millers welcomed our very own Hornchurch. It isn’t long since the two sides were meeting in our Play Off Final- the third of three meetings last season, each won by Aveley- and there was no doubt that our high-flying Urchins would very much have welcome some revenge- but the opening goal went to the hosts, just before the half hour, and they were two up by the break. The Urchins hit back on the hour, Liam Nash giving them hope, and that hope was realised when Tommie Hoban levelled in the very last minute. The sides will meet again at Bridge Avenue in midweek- that’ll be a quiet affair, won’t it?!

Billericay Town also faced National League South opponents, the Blues welcoming St Albans City City brought a five match unbeaten run to New Lodge, and have won their previous four; whilst Town had lost only once in all competitions this season, so we expected it to be close, and the first half was tense and goalless. The Blues struck first, twelve minutes into the second half, Alfie Cerulli with the opening goal, and that was how it ended- giant, slain!

Eight hundred and sixty nine fans watched the match.

Carshalton Athletic welcomed Cray Valley PM and five hundred and forty three fans to the Steve McKimm derby, the Robins boss from last season bringing his Millers to Colston Avenue. Both sides had started the campaign in superb fashion, the visitors unbeaten in all competitions and full of confidence- and it showed as the Millers took only two minutes to go ahead, Arthur Lee with the opener. The Robins were level ten minutes before the break, Aaron Lamont with the equaliser, and they got the next goal, too, Paris Hamilton Downes making it two-one five minutes into the second half. Fifteen minutes later the hosts were three-one up, Bradley Williams with that one, but a Kyrell Lisbie goal quickly brought it back to three-two. Two minutes from time a penalty was awarded to the Millers, and Adam Coombes held his nerve to make it three-three- and the two sides will have to meet again in midweek, before meeting again next weekend in the FA Trophy!

Chesham United of Pitching In Southern Premier South were the hosts for Margate. United sit second in the table, and had lost only once- and they were ahead eight minutes before the break. They added another soon after the restart, and held on for victory.

Dover Athletic of National League South, conquerors of Hastings United in the last round, were hosts for Haringey Borough. Borough’s cup form has been superb- perhaps the opposite of their league form- and they hoped to take a second National League scalp in a row after victory over Tonbridge Angels in the last round. They took the lead on the coast, Khalifa Jabbie opening the scoring on twenty five minuets, but the hosts levelled with twenty three minutes left and went ahead with only ten minutes remaining to finally end Borough’s resistance.

Halesowen Town played host to our very own Enfield Town. Halesowen have had a fine start to the campaign, and sit in third place In Pitching In Southern Premier Central having lost only once this season- but the Towners made a fantastic start and were ahead after just three minutes, James Richmond taking the plaudits. The hosts levelled fifteen minutes later, but the Towners were once more in front before the break, Marcus Wyllie with his eighth of the season. This time they held on, and are through to the next round.

Horsham, newly strengthened, welcomed Pitching In Isthmian South Central side Hanworth Villa. The Hornets had already defeated two South Central sides to reach this stage- both after replays- and were six matches unbeaten, and they started well. There were only nine minutes on the clock when Jack Strange gave them the lead, but Villa, who travelled on the back of a three match winning streak, levelled just before the break, Sam Merson with his sixth of the campaign. The Hornets were soon ahead once more, Kadell Daniel restoring their lead, and twenty minutes from time Jack Bravo secured victory, making it three-one.

Lewes, who got back to winning ways against Hastings United in midweek, welcomed National League South side Hampton & Richmond Borough to the Dripping Pan. The Rooks went ahead on eighteen minutes, Arthur Penney with the goal, and they dominated the first half, Bradley Pritchard adding a second five minutes before the break before Marcus Sablier sent them in at half time three goals to the good.

One thousand and one watched on, and they were able to relax after the break, the Rooks making good their lead to coast through.

Worthing and Whitehawk gave us a Sussex seaside derby at Woodside Road. The Mackerel Men have thrived since leaving us for National League South, making the Play Offs in their first season and currently sitting in fifth place- but they did come unstuck last weekend, hit for four at Maidstone United- and they were vulnerable once more as Charlie Walker put the Hawks ahead from the spot on eighteen minutes. The Mackerel Men levelled just after the hour, former Hawks hero Jake Robinson with the equaliser, and Robinson was once more a heartbreaker, getting a Worthing winner from the spot eleven minutes later.

Pitching In Isthmian Premier

Cheshunt and Dulwich Hamlet’s women’s sides met in our Reposs Isthmian Cup in midweek, the side in pink and blue scoring nine, but we suspected that this match would be much closer- and the Ambers struck in the very first minute, Nnamdi Nwachuku doing what he does best. The next goal looked to be rather important, and it again went to the hosts, Theo Alexandrou scoring with twenty four minutes remaining. Deep into added time Luke Wanadio converted a penalty for the visitors, but that was as good as it got for Hamlet. Cheshunt climb to thirteenth, their visitors in seventeenth.

Bottom side Concord Rangers had lost every League match prior to the arrival of Folkestone Invicta, and had gone two hundred and seventy four minutes without scoring. With the match goalless at the break that was up to three hundred and forty nine goalless minutes, and they fell behind just before the hour mark, Jordan Ababio scoring for the Stripes- but then that goal finally arrived, Harrison Day scoring three minutes later for the hosts. Joy of joys, with seven minutes to go the home fans had another goal to cheer, Tahjae Anderson putting them ahead- and they held onto that advantage, taking their first league win of the campaign, ending a six match unbeaten away run for Invicta, and lifting themselves off the bottom.

Kingstonian welcomed Cray Wanderers to Imperial Fields, both sides in need of points. The K’s had only one victory from their league campaign so far, and that as far back as August 19th, but they were ahead midway through the first half, Rio Campbell with the goal. Andy Somo has been a shining star in a dull start to the season for the hosts, and he got his sixth of the season to make it two-nil soon after the hour- and with seventeen minutes to go Darnell Goather-Braithwaite made it three-nil and three valuable points for the K’s, who climb out of the bottom four at the expense of their visitors.

Potters Bar Town looked to be finally finding form, and took a four match unbeaten run across League and County Cup into their match with Bognor Regis Town. The travelling Rocks got back to winning ways last weekend, defeating Kingstonian, and they knew how it felt to win at the Lantern Stadium, as they did it as recently as March- and they were ahead on nineteen minutes, Lucas Pattenden with the opening goal. The Scholars levelled ten minutes after the break, Leigh Rose with the equaliser, and that was that.

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