Mixed fortunes on Cup Wednesday

Six of our clubs were in action in Fa Cup Preliminary Round Replays last night, and only two of them came through- although four of them were playing each other so we already knew that two of them would have to lose!

Uxbridge were the big winners. The Red Army welcomed Pitching In isthmian South Central rivals Corinthian-Casuals to Arbour Park, home of Slough Town- a temporary home whilst Honeycroft is being redeveloped- and any disadvantage from not actually being at 'home' was soon a distant memory. Ezra Ndukuba put Uxbridge ahead on the quarter hour mark, heading home from the edge of the six yard box, and whilst Reece Deakin quickly levelled for Casuals that was as good as it got for the visitors. Eleven minutes from the break Alan Hedley made it two, and almost immediately Ndukuba added a third. Ten minutes after the restart Luke Paris made it four, and with twenty four minutes left Bernard Mensah Jr added a fifth. That was that- Uxbridge 5 Corinthian-Casuals 1, and Casuals still without a victory this season.

Uxbridge host Cray Valley PM in the next round.

New Salamis were our other victors, finally seeing off Grays Athletic. The evergreen Derek Asamoah opened the scoring just after the half hour, and the same player quickly made it two, but Athletic made a contest of it just after the break, Chris Millar halving the deficit. Right at the end any chance of a Grays comeback was ended, Sergine Murtada Lo Seye making it three-one. New salamis travel to Biggleswade Town in the next round.

It looked as if Bowers and Pitsea were coasting to victory at Woodford Town, Montrel Deslandes and Benas Vaivada putting them two up within seventeen minutes- and indeed as we entered the last minute the visitors were still two-one up, but somehow the hosts found a late leveller to take the match into extra time. Eight minutes into the first period Town went ahead, and although Vaivada levelled with his second of the night there was still time for a late winner. Luke Parrott rather repetitively scored the last three goals for Town- a hat trick in fifteen minutes.

East Thurrock United travelled to Barton Rovers and took the match to their hosts- indeed they were ahead with just six minutes to go, yet the match was able to slip away from them. Mo Amir opened the scoring for the Rocks on fifteen minutes, and although Rovers levelled the visitors were ahead again just before the break, Jessie Olukolu with the goal. With six minutes to go United conceded a penalty which was coinverted for two-two, and then right at the end Rovers grabbed a winner.

Talking of cup ties, we also had a Velocity Cup tie, as Phoenix Sports welcomed Erith & Belvedere. The visitors had a fine evening, scoring two in the first half and three after the break in a five-one win. Chris Dickson and Kian Garlinge were the first half scorers, and soon after the restart Dickson added a third. Before an hour was up it was four, Jamie Coyle with that one, and a few minutes later it was five, Billy Crook rounding things off for the Dere's. Sports then got one back through Ashdon Day, but it wasn't much of a consolation.

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