Rooks go goal crazy- and Taylor hits five!

By Ian Townsend

We’ve FA Cup wins for Lewes, Potters Bar Town and Beckenham Town, whilst it’s so close for Corinthian. In Pitching In Isthmian South East, Ashford United triumph.


It was FA Cup replay night, and at the Dripping Pan Lewes welcomed Sheppey United. The Ites were playing a replay for the third round in succession, and as you can imagine they’d been rather successful in the last two, but last night saw their FA Cup world come crashing down around their ears as the Rooks crashed home EIGHT goals without response.

Lewes boss Tony Russell was celebrating his birthday, and his side gave him the best possible gift. Up until now the Rooks have remained undefeated and created chances by the bucketload, but they haven’t been putting them away with the regularity he might have hoped for. It now seems that they were just warming up for poor United.

Joe Taylor got things started from the spot on fifteen minutes- the first of three penalties he would convert on the night, goals three and seven- two and five for the striker- also coming from twelve yards. Ronan Silva, Will Salmon, two Taylor goals from open play and a late eighth from Deshane Dalling made it a terrible night to be an Ite. Four hundred and twenty five watched on, and Three Bridges will arrive at the Pan for the next round.

Potters Bar Town and Aveley met once more, and we had another late, late goal. Lewis Manor was the match winner in the very last minute, sending the Scholars through to face Romford in the next round.

Kasim Aidoo gave the hosts the lead on twenty minutes, only for Ryan Scott to draw the Millers level on the stroke of half time. It seemed we were off to extra time, but Manor did what he does best, popping up with his fourth of the campaign. Last season for former Bowers man got four FA Cup goals as his Len Salmon side went all the way to the First Round, and Scholars fans will be hoping he can be a lucky talisman for them, too.

Beckenham Town, fresh from picking up our Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month Award, welcomed East Grinstead Town, who picked up the Pitching In Performance of the Month award. Becks went into the match unbeaten for the season, and they came out of it the same way. Louie Theophanous opened the scoring after sixteen minutes, and he ended it nine minutes from time, too, scoring his sides third goal and his eighth of the season to finally end the Wasps resistance, like a footballing pesticide. In between his two strikes Tyler Anderson had scored a second for the hosts, and Matt Daniel had given Grinstead hope by reducing the deficit- scoring for the fifth match in a row and the seventh time overall.

Corinthian played hosts to Pitching In Southern Premier side Metropolitan Police. The Hoops delivered a fabulous performance to draw in the first match at Imber Court- and when they scorted the opening goal of the game after eighty nine minutes last night it looked as if they were on the way to a famous victory- only for the visitors to hit back right just before the end. The boys in blue’s winner was a real sickener, too, coming as it did in the last minute of extra time. James Allen saw red late on for the hosts.

In the Pitching In Isthmian South East, a set of giantkillers from Saturday- Sevenoaks Town- travelled to face Ashford United, who were also victorious in the cup. We expected a tight match, and we got one, with only one goal separating the two sides. It went to new Nuts and Bolts man George Nikaj, and it sent his side up to seventh.

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Where next?

FA Cup video time We've highlights from Lewes, Hashtag and Walton, and the goals from Potters Bar
Jam again for former Posh striker Harmeed Ishola returns to Maldon & Tiptree

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