Hastings pull off FA Cup shock

Their victory over Chatham in the previous round had been Hastings’ first in the competition since 2006 and it looked as if it might be their only success this season when Tony Garrod volleyed Staines in front on the half-hour.

The turning-point came in added time at the end of the first half, when Brad Goldberg headed the equaliser. Goldberg scored again five minutes after the break, making the most of good work by winger Dee Okojie who added the third goal eight minutes later.

David Wheeler’s header gave the Conference side renewed hope in the 66th minute but the determined visitors held on to book their place in the next round and bank the £4,500 prize money.

No other Ryman clubs managed to beat Conference opposition, though most of the games were close affairs and Concord will have another chance after their 1-1 home draw with Welling. Ross Lafayette’s 14th-minute goal threatened to be the matchwinner but Concord drew level in the 76th minute when Harry Elmes was fouled and converted the penalty himself.

Ryman North side Waltham Abbey twice took the lead against Eastbourne Borough but conceded three late goals and went down 4-2 to the Conference outfit. Louis Bristow’s headed opener for the Abbotts on 16 minutes was answered by Charles Ademono before half-time. Clark Akers restored the home side’s lead with a free-kick on the hour and they held it until 13 minutes from time when Chris Shephard made it 2-2. Darren Lok put Eastbourne ahead for the first time a minute later and a Shephard penalty completed a decisive burst of three goals in six minutes.

Enfield Town were beaten 4-1 by Conference North visitors Bishop’s Stortford despite taking an early lead through Tyler Campbell. Jesse Waller-Lassen equalised midway through the first half and Ricky Sappleton put Stortford in front on the half-hour, going on to complete a hat-trick in the second half.

Bognor fell behind to a Dave Pratt double in the first half at Maidenhead and, although Terry Dodd pulled one back soon after half-time, Leon Solomon quickly restored the Conference club’s two-goal advantage. A Mu Maan penalty on 66 minutes put Rocks right back in the game and Dodd missed a great chance to make it 3-3 before a late penalty by Bobby Behzadi completed a 4-2 Maidenhead victory.

A goal in each half by Dave Rainford left Leatherhead in trouble at Chelmsford and, although Tom Bradbrook pulled it back to 2-1 in the 84th minute, the Conference side held out.

The all-Ryman ties included a repeat of last season’s Premier play-off semi-final and Lowestoft once again got the better of Wealdstone, this time away from home. Rikki Banks kept the Trawlerboys at bay with some good early saves but could not prevent Chris Henderson’s 35th-minute strike. Sean Cronin levelled for Stones with a 52nd-minute penalty but they were level for only five minutes before Michael Frew netted to give Lowestoft a 2-1 victory.

A rousing all-Premier tie at Kingstonian deservedly went the way of visiting East Thurrock, who took an early lead through Kris Newby and doubled it just before the interval with a goal by Sam Higgins. Dean Lodge replied on the hour but K’s sank into deeper trouble in the 75th minute when Tom Hutchinson was sent off for bringing down Kye Ruel and Higgins made it 3-1 from the spot. Even so, Matt Pattison promptly reduced the arrears again but to no avail.

Wingate were unlucky to go down 2-1 at Premier rivals Bury, who deserved the 33rd-minute lead provided by Lee Reed but were second-best for much of the rest of the game. Leon Smith cracked an excellent equaliser in the 39th minute and Wingate should have gone ahead soon after the interval when David Laird’s weak penalty was saved by Marcus Garnham. Billy Clark’s looping header in the 68th minute was enough to win it despite heavy pressure from the visitors.

The other all-Premier tie was a one-sided affair as Hendon, still without a league victory, beat visiting Lewes 3-0. Dean Cracknell opened the scoring at the end of an even first half and the result was never in doubt after Elliott Charles made it 2-0 seven minutes after the restart. Michael Murray’s free-kick in added time provided a final flourish.

Four ties pitted Premier clubs against opposition from the regional divisions and there were to be no upsets, though Premier high-flyers Hampton had to wait until the 85th minute for the only goal of their game at Waltham Forest. Karle Carder’s missed penalty looked as if it would cost Hampton victory until Charlie Moone popped up with the winner.

Premier leaders Margate were held at bay for most of the first half at Aveley but Ryan Dolby made the breakthrough with a header right on the whistle (pictured by Don Walker). Sam Long added another on 62 minutes and sub Mark Corneille scored with his first touch six minutes later. Alfie Kamara gave Millers a glimmer of hope in the 72nd minute but Margate completed a 4-1 win with a late strike by Alex Rhodes.

Cray were comfortable 3-1 home winners over Thamesmead in a largely uneventful encounter. Gareth Williams put Cray 1-0 up on 54 minutes and that would probably have been the most appropriate final score. But Leigh Bremner added another in the 84th minute, then nabbed his second deep into injury time before Rob Carter netted an even later consolation.

Thurrock, bottom of the Premier, travelled to Horsham who occupied that position at the end of last season, and it was the Essex club who came out on top by the odd goal in three. Fola Orilonishe put them ahead nine minutes before the interval and Charlie Stimson made it 2-0 on 72 minutes, with long-serving Gary Charman pulling one back for the hosts at the death.

Maidstone are the only Ryman South side through after romping to a 5-0 victory at Grays, of Ryman North. Yet there was little to choose between the sides for three-quarters of the game and it was the 68th minute before Paul Booth broke the deadlock. Stones then ran riot, with Ben Davisson scoring twice before Sam Bewick and Alex Flisher completed the rout in added time. They scored 20 FA Cup goals in three games last season, when they went out at this stage, and have netted 13 in three matches this time with power to add. Grays had not conceded as many goals at home since a 7-4 defeat by Marlow 19 years ago.

There will be two Ryman North teams in the draw for the next round but only one will survive to take part. Brentwood and Maldon will meet again on Tuesday after their 1-1 draw at Brentwood, where Alex Read put the home side ahead after 38 minutes and Michael Toner replied four minutes later.

Ten Premier clubs have gone through, with the list completed by Met Police after their 3-0 victory at Berkhamsted. They made it hard for themselves, conceding a 15th-minute penalty which Jamie Butler saved despite an injury which forced him to leave the game shortly afterwards, then having Steve Sutherland sent off on the half-hour. The ten men were able to avert a giant-killing, however, with some improbable help from James Tyrell whose 52nd-minute goal was his first for four years. Jonte Smith quickly added another and it was the prolific Smith who wrapped it up with a 75th-minute penalty. The young Crawley loanee has now scored nine in his four games for the Met, seven of them in the FA Cup.

Whitehawk are the only other Ryman side in the draw but they face a replay at Hitchin after a 1-1 draw. Sam Gargan put Hawks ahead after 12 minutes and Callum Donnelly’s reply at the same stage of the second half made it a fair result.

Dulwich, of Ryman South, were cruelly beaten by a lone goal in added time at Southern League Premier side Arlesey. It was third time lucky for Drew Roberts, who had earlier twice hit the bar.

Carshalton went down 1-0 at home to Southern League Division One side Chalfont St Peter. A goal by Dan Hughes midway through the second half accounted for Robins and manager Paul Dipre submitted his resignation to himself afterwards. Dipre, who owns the club, is expected to hand the reins to his assistant Ian Hazel.

The biggest upset of the day saw the exit of Ryman Premier newcomers Leiston, who let a 2-0 lead vanish and crashed 4-2 away to Combined Counties League side Badshot Lea, who groundshare at former Ryman club Godalming. Gareth Heath’s 40th-minute penalty gave the Suffolk men a lead which Thomas Wray doubled in the 57th minute. So far so good, but the minnows turned the tie on its head after Ryan Scott pulled one back in the 69th minute. Within six minutes Leiston found themselves behind after goals from Matthew Griffiths and Adam Cornell, and Darren Blake added a fourth in the 82nd minute.

Two more Ryman clubs are in action today (Sunday), with Heybridge Swifts visiting Hayes & Yeading while Eastbourne Town travel to Slough. Both host clubs are groundsharing, Hayes at Woking and Slough at Beaconsfield.