Six goal Yellas and five goal Baggies take the limelight in the Trophy

FA Trophy

Ascot United would have counted themselves unlucky to lose to Premier Division Lewes in the Cup last weekend. They welcomed another Sussex side to the Racecourse Ground, Lancing making the trip as Yella played yellow, and United were quickly ahead, Brendan Matthew opening the scoring after just four minutes. The Lancers levelled on twenty six minutes, Lucas Franzen-Jones scoring for the second successive match, but the hosts were ahead again just before the break, Matthew finding the Lancing net once more. Matthew claimed the match ball two minutes after the break, but for the time being the game went on so he had to share it. Harvey Killeen made it four-one just before the hour, and almost immediately Matthew wanted his ball back and scored his fourth of the game, to make it five-one (pictured- Neil Graham). It was six on sixty seven minutes, Sean McCormack getting in on the act, and a late goal from Franzen-Jones in added time saw the scoreline end at six-two.

Badshot Lea welcomed South Central opponents Sutton Common Rovers. Both sides were in decent form, the Baggies having won their previous three matches in all competitions, and they started like an express train, Steven Sylla putting them ahead after just three minutes. The visitors levelled on seventeen minutes through Isa Nzelo, but home advantage was restored quickly, Sylla scoring from the spot. The Baggies had a third soon after the break, the impressive Lamin Ceesay with that one, but the gap was soon narrowed once more, Conan Torpey scoring for Rovers- three-two with twenty minutes left. The next goal looked critical, and the hosts got it, Anaur Ceesay making it four-two, but still Rovers refused to surrender, and Max Oldham pulled it back to four-three. Right at the end Sylla claimed the match ball, making it five-three- and Rovers quickly saw Courtney Swaby sent off, ending their chances.

Chertsey Town played host to Hythe Town- and the Curfews gave the Cannons an early helping hand, as Rob Sheridan saw red and conceded a penalty, which Frannie Collin converted. Within two minutes Ethan Smith had made it two-nil, and it looked like it was going to be a long afternoon for the home fans. The third goal arrived on the stroke of half time, Lex Allen making it three-nil, and shortly after the break Jack Steventon added a fourth. Gianluca Botti did get one back for the hosts with nine minutes left, and the scoreline was made more respectable when Gareth Chendlik made it two right at the end, but that made little difference to the outcome.

Cray Valley PM are having a fine campaign, unbeaten in all competitions and scoring lots of goals- eighteen in their previous five matches. They finally defeated South Central opposition in the shape of Northwood in a midweek Cup replay, and had more South Central opposition in the Trophy as Hartley Wintney came to call- and were ahead after thirteen minutes, Adam Coombes converting from the spot. It was almost full time before the hosts clinched the match, Freddie Parker making it two.

Metropolitan Police welcomed Ashford United to Imber Court. The Boys in Blue had only one win in all competitions so far this season, that coming in the last round against Phoenix Sports- whilst the travelling Nuts and Bolts probably didn’t want to hear anything about Phoenix Sports whatsoever after the match between the two sides last weekend, which saw United come from behind to go three-two up against Sports with only seventeen minutes remaining, only to somehow contrive to lose five-three! It took sixty eight minutes before a goal arrived, and it went to the hosts, Shkyler Burrows with it, but the visitors levelled three minutes from time through Anthony Edgar. That sent it to penalties, and Nuts and Bolts squeezing through, five-four.

South Park (Reigate) welcomed Pitching In Isthmian South East leaders Three Bridges. The Sparks had won their previous three matches in all competitions- including Cup/Trophy wins against two South East sides, Erith & Belvedere and East Grinstead Town- whilst Bridges arrived with a seven match unbeaten run which had seen them win their last three matches. The hosts were ahead after a quarter of an hour, Joe Bell with the opener, and Bell added another five minutes before half time. A red card for Kelvin Manuel Massango saw the Spars reduced to ten men just before the break, and Bridges got a goal back three minutes from time, Noel Leighton’s seventh of the season- but the hosts held on for victory.

Southall and Leatherhead met in an all-South Central tie. The All were very unlucky to fall to late defeat in the FA Cup against National League South side Hampton & Richmond Borough last weekend, and faced the only other side to defeat them this season, the Tanners winning the clash on the opening day. The first action was a red card, Josh Green picking up two bookings in ten minutes to depart five minutes before the break, but the ten men went ahead ten minutes after the break, Jaden Thompson-Brissett putting the hosts ahead. The Tanners levelled from the spot on sixty six minutes, Gus Sow doing what he does best, and the turnaround was complete when Jamie Splatt put the visitors ahead with twelve minutes left. Right at the end Dan hector made it three-one, and the Tanners march on.

Westfield welcomed Marlow, and the hosts went ahead three minutes before half time, Mayowa Adage opening the scoring. The visitors have been in fine form, particularly striker Dawid Rogalski, and the Marlow man emerged from the bench to level with a ninth of the campaign- the two sides with sixteen minutes left to find a winner. It looked to have arrived three minutes from time, Jake Baxter scoring for the hosts, and indeed they held on to record a fine victory.

South Central

Leaders Raynes Park Vale had a potentially difficult trip to Chipstead in prospect. The Chips were unbeaten and aware that three points could take them up to second place, and they went ahead just before the half hour through Jaden Edwards. Vale levelled eleven minutes into the second half, Jordan Gallagher with the equaliser, and Gallagher soon added another to put his side ahead. The visitors then turned on the style, Chinedu McKenzie adding a third and, right at the end, James Dickson made it four. Vale are five points clear at the top.

Northwood started the weekend with as many as three matches in hand over some of their South Central rivals, and played one of them against Ashford Town. The Woods had a one hundred percent league record at the start of the day, but the visiting Tangerines didn’t seem impressed by that and Jack Arnold put them ahead on twenty minutes. Three minutes before half time Romario Jones drew the hosts level, but they were level for hardly any time at all, Ross McKernan restoring the visitors advantage- and the Tangerines got a third just before the hour mark, Qasim Khan scoring from the spot. That was that, the Tangerines up to sixth.

Binfield have had the kind of start to the campaign that they’d like to forget, but hoped to kickstart their season as Hanworth Villa came to call. The Moles were behind on seventeen minutes, Sam Merson opening the scoring with his third of the campaign, and six minutes into the second half George Wells made it two. It got worse for the hosts, Bruno Robertson-Tingle making it three with twenty six minutes left, and the Villains held on for a comfortable three points, climbing to sixteenth with their first league win of the campaign.

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