Maldon repeat nine-goal romp

Maldon manager Terry Spillane was the Redbridge boss when they reached the second round proper last season – and two of the men who have moved with him shared the five first-half goals. James Robinson started the rout with goals in the 10th and 12th minutes, Ben Bradbury (pictured courtesy of Gavin Ellis/TGS Photo)) struck after 25 and 34, and Robinson completed his hat-trick with a 36th-minute penalty. The visitors managed to pull one back but Jamie Guy then fired a five-minute hat-trick, including a penalty, early in the second half. Jack Gardner made it nine with 18 minutes left but APSA managed to avert a double-figure scoreline.

Maybe there’s something in the water in that part of Essex, for Maldon’s local rivals Witham almost matched them with an 8-1 romp at Great Yarmouth. Such an outcome hardly looked likely when Yarmouth’s Adam Clarke scored after 50 minutes to wipe out Billy Hunt’s 10th-minute opener. The equaliser served only to provoke the visitors and within four minutes they were 4-1 up as Hunt, Rob Whitnell and Tom Devaux all found the net. Devaux added another, Joe Ilett made it six and, in the dying minutes, Whitnell, with a penalty, and Ryan Imbert completed the haul.

A third Essex club among the goals were Brentwood, who hit six without reply at Halstead. Abs Thompson opened their account in the second minute and Steve Butterworth added another after 25 minutes, then netted his fourth of the season immediately after the interval. Frank Everett, Sherwin Stanley and Alex Read doubled the tally.

Just over the Suffolk border, Needham Market also hit six, though visitors Gorleston managed two in reply. Jack Wilkinson, Sam Newson and James Hubbard made it 3-0 by the 34th minute. Hubbard grabbed his second on the hour, the first of three goals in two minutes as Gorleston pulled one back and Kieran Leabon notched Needham’s fifth. Hubbard them completed his hat-trick, his fifth goal in as many days.

Three sides rattled up 5-1 home victories over Step 5 opposition, notably Soham whose success against Burnham Ramblers was their first in the FA Cup for five years. Rob Mason, Dan Cotton and Mason again put them three up in 27 minutes. Ramblers replied just after that but Cotton netted again on the hour and the splendidly-named Buster Harradine completed the nap hand in the last minute.

Tilbury found themselves a goal down to visiting Brantham after half an hour but a Danny Francis penalty and a Jack Carlile strike turned it round before the interval. It was still anyone’s game until Martin Llewellyn put Dockers 3-1 ahead in the 85th minute and there was still time for Francis to complete his hat-trick, including another penalty in added time.

Scott Tipper’s hat-trick led Worthing to a 5-1 home win over Rye. Mike Huckett put Rebels ahead on 15 minutes only for the county league side to hit back five minutes later. Tipper restored the advantage on 37 minutes and grabbed his second midway through the second half. Huckett and Tipper were on target again in the last ten minutes.

Another hat-trick hero was Chipstead’s Adam Fletcher as they beat former Ryman club Crowborough 5-2 on the Surrey Downs. He scored after 15 minutes but the visitors replied eight minutes later and it was still 1-1 at half-time. Goals from Luke Coleman and Fabian Batchelor soon after the restart put Chips in command and Fletcher got his second before Crowborough made it 4-2. Fletcher put it beyond doubt with 25 minutes left.

Two other clubs reached the five-goal mark in all-Ryman ties. Sudbury’s 5-0 home win over Ilford was not as decisive as it sounds, for four of the goals did not arrive until the last 11 minutes even though Ilford went down to ten men in the 37th minute when Tony Dawkins was given his marching orders for upending Ben Smith and Lee Boylan made the most of the resulting penalty. Smith played the major part in the second goal on 79 minutes with a shot that hit a post and cannoned into the net off keeper Dan Mbaku. Boylan added the third and Tom Webb netted twice in the last three minutes.

Walton & Hersham scored five times away from home for the second successive Saturday and their 5-1 success at Merstham also avenged their 2-1 defeat on the same ground in last season’s competition. Ashley Quashie set them on their way in the third minute and Graeme Purdy added another before Dean Gunner replied on the half-hour. Phil Williams restored the two-goal gap on 56 minutes and the Swans wrapped it up with late strikes by Dave Lawrence and Martin Grant.

The joint leaders of Ryman South had differing fortunes against teams from their own division. A lone goal by Kalvin Morath-Gibbs midway through the second half was enough for Dulwich to beat visitors Hythe, but Crawley Down went down 3-1 at home to Tooting. Lee Hall put the Terrors ahead on 24 minutes and Sol Pinnock added another ten minutes after the interval. A Jamie Cade penalty put the Anvils back in it with plenty of time to go but Hall clinched it in the 90th minute with his second of the afternoon.

Another all-Ryman South tie was at Herne Bay, where the league newcomers went down 3-1 to Folkestone. Two former Herne Bay players and one current one were on target for the visitors. Stuart King put them one up on 27 minutes, Darren Marsden converted a penalty in the 38th minute and Joe Nelder contributed an own goal soon after half-time. Andy Irvine pulled one back but that was all.

Cheshunt forfeited a 2-0 half-time lead and will have to make the short trip to Ryman North neighbours Potters Bar for a replay on Tuesday. Goals by Joe Clemo and Jason Mason in the latter stages of the first half put the Scholars in trouble but Anton Agdomar pulled one back on the hour and free-scoring James Gershfield followed up his own saved penalty to square matters with ten minutes left.

The other all-Ryman tie was at Walton Casuals, where Thamesmead took a 25th-minute lead through Sean Roberts. But they will also have to try again on Tuesday, on the same ground, after a downpour at half-time prevented further play.

More to follow later.