Hornets win a seven goal thriller on Trophy Saturday

Billericay Town looked to bounce back from their midweek Cup exit as they welcomed Margate in a clash of two Blues, and it was the home Blues who struck first, Alfie Cerulli scoring ten minutes before the break. The same player clinched victory ten minutes from time.

Bognor Regis Town welcomed Bowers & Pitsea for the first of two meetings this month- Bowers again make the trip on October 18th- and the Rocks went ahead ten minutes before the break, Craig Robson opening the scoring. That turned out to be the only goal of the game, but most of the four hundred and thirty two watching on won’t have minded too much.

Canvey Island welcomed our current South Central champions Bracknell Town, currently mid table in Pitching In Southern Premier South. The Robins had lost only one of their last six in all competitions, whilst the Gulls had lost only one of their last eight- but it was the smaller birds who struck first, and second, going two-nil up by the time half an hour had passed. After the break they added two more, and Conor Hubble’s late penalty for the hosts was no more than a consolation. Image from Neil Graham.

Carshalton Athletic played host to a side who have a positive recent cup pedigree, Cray Valley PM. The Robins went ahead eight minutes before half time, Femi Akinwande with the goal, but the Millers were soon level, Adam Coombes sending them into the break happy. The Robins struck next, Matthew Vigor eighteen minutes from time, but again the Millers struck back, Connor Dymond equalising. Off we went to penalties, and the hosts won the shootout, four-three.

Corinthian-Casuals, without a win since the opening day, travelled to take on Harrow Borough. Despite Casuals being the home side, the match was played at Borough as Casuals stadium is still out of commission after recent storm damage, and the hosts took advantage of their enforced home advantage, going ahead on ten minutes- but Casuals drew level on thirty three minutes, Seidou Sanogo with the equaliser. Charles Edwards put Casuals ahead with just nineteen minutes to go, but a quick Borough equaliser sent the game to penalties, and Harrow won the shootout three-one.

Enfield Town have been in fine form, and they put it to the test as Pitching In Southern Premier South high flyers Chesham United arrived at Donkey Lane. United, on a run which had seen them lose only one of their last nine, took only sixteen minutes to take the lead and doubled it just before the half time whistle. Two more goals followed after the break and to rub salt in the wounds Rian Bray picked up a red card.

Folkestone Invicta hoped to take the form they showed when knocking Dulwich Hamlet out of the FA Cup last weekend into the Trophy, as Whitehawk came to call. The Hawks, nine games unbeaten, were no pushovers- and although Ibrahim Olutade put the hosts ahead on sixty nine minutes, a missed penalty cost Invicta when the visitors responded just before the end, Marcus Marku sending the match to penalties. Invicta were better from the spot during the shootout, winning four-three.

Hanwell Town, these days of Pitching In Southern Premier Central, welcomed Cray Wanderers. The Geordies had gone three without a win but were ahead in this one after twenty five minutes, and added two more after the break. Thomas Stagg got a late consolation for Wands.

Haringey Borough and Brightlingsea Regent met on White Hart Lane. The two know each other well, having drawn one-one in the league only two weeks ago, and this one looked like it was heading for a draw until Anthony Mendy struck for the hosts two minutes from time.

Harlow Town faced the oncoming Hornchurch juggernaut. The Urchins had won their last seven matches in all competitions, and indeed nine of their last ten, and were in fine form as they arrived at the Harlow Arena, but the Hawks went ahead on the half hour. They were ahead for only two minutes, however, before Ola Ogunwamide equalised, but the Hawks, who had already beaten three Isthmian opponents this season, restored their lead seven minutes after the break. The equaliser came four minutes from time, Ollie Muldoon with it, and off we went to spot kicks, the Hawks despatching for former Trophy winners three-one.

Herne Bay welcomed Bishop's Stortford to the Kent coast, the visiting Blues top of the Pitching In Isthmian Premier table whilst their hosts are second from the bottom. Stortford had gone five matches without conceding a single goal, and their hosts announced the departure of striker Zak Ansah earlier this week, but another Bay hitman, Rory Smith, put them ahead on eighteen minutes. The equaliser came just five minutes later through Matthew Johnson, and the visiting side went ahead just after half time, Darren Foxley with his first goal of the season- and that proved to be the winner.

Horsham welcomed Aveley in another all-Premier clash, and the Millers went ahead from the spot on seventeen minutes, George Sykes with his seventh of the season. Just before the break Sykes showed he could do it from open play, too, making it two-nil, but there was still time for Bobby Price to half the arrears before the half time whistle went. Straight after the restart an own goal drew the Hornets level, but Sykes wasn’t finished and grabbed his hat trick just after the hour to restore the visitors lead. With two minutes to go the Millers looked home and dry- but that turned out to be far from the truth. Shamir Fenelon equalised, and then right at the end Doug Tuck got a winner for the Hornets, delighted most of the five hundred and thirty watching on. Our headline image is from John Lines- find the rest of his shots here.

Draw specialists Kingstonian and Wingate & Finchley met at Imperial Fields. When they met in mid August in the league, the outcome was- you guessed it- a draw- and the same was true at half time in this one, Ben Ward-Cochrane opening the scoring for the K’s, Antonis Vasiliou with a quick equaliser. Dylan Kearney gave the visitors the lead on seventy four minutes, but the hosts levelled with seven minutes to go, Tyrese Owen with the equaliser, and then had the chance to win it, but Ben Goode saved a penalty. Of course we couldn’t have a draw, and the visitors won four-two on penalties.

Lewes hoped a new month might change their fortunes after September saw them depart the FA Cup against Pitching In South East opposition and fail to take a League point. The Rooks welcomed Sevenoaks Town, who are still in Cup and of course defeated National League South side Bath City last weekend, and the hosts went ahead just after the hour, Deon Moore opening the scoring. That turned out to be that, five hundred and fifty watching on, most leaving both relieved and happy.

Metropolitan Police welcomed Hastings United to Imber Court. The Boys in Blue have already defeated two Isthmian sides- Corinthian and Burgess Hill Town- in cup competitions this season, but they couldn’t make it a hat trick. After a goalless draw the match went to penalties, and United triumphed five-four with Sam Hasler firing home the winning spot kick- a fourth clean sheet in a row.

Potters Bar Town and Heybridge Swifts are both having fine campaigns, albeit a division apart. The Scholars, hosts for Swifts this weekend, are being kept off the top of the Pitching In Isthmian Premier only on goal difference and have two games in hand, such has been their form; whilst Swifts remain unbeaten in the North Division- and it was the visitors who were ahead by the break in this one, Jack Adlington-Pile with his fourth of the campaign on thirteen minutes. Try as they might the Scholars couldn’t level, with Swifts keeper Callum Chafer in fine form, and with seven minutes left Kieran Jones confirmed a fine win for the visitors.

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