Another six for Farnham- whilst Uxbridge are our only Trophy victors

Isuzu FA Trophy

Leatherhead, who picked up our South Central Shepherd Neame Performance of the Month Award for their win over Dulwich Hamlet in the Cup last month, were hoping to slay another giant as Hastings United come to call. The Tanners went ahead half way through the first half, Deondre Date’s eighth of the season, but United drew level midway through the second, Tommie Fagg the scorer- and within five minutes Fagg did it again, putting his side ahead. There was no way back for the hosts, and Hastings had a happy trip back to the seaside. 

Folkestone Invicta and Ascot United met in a Premier v South Central tie, both sides hoping to get back to winning ways. Invicta had only one win from five in all competitions coming into this one, and lost at Chichester City last weekend; whilst the Yellas saw a seven match winning streak followed by two defeats. Invicta made the breakthrough on eighteen minutes, Khale Da Costa the scorer, and quickly added a second through Jamie Mascoll. Just before half time Amadou Kassarate added a third, and there was still time for a fourth and a fifth before the referee decided to end the first period, Dan Smith both of them as the Yellas fell apart. Seven minutes into the second half Smith got his hat trick for six-nil, and next the visitors finally got on the scoresheet, Sean McCormack with a consolation. The nightmare still wasn’t over for the visitors, as Evans Kouassi, on from the bench, added a seventh and an eighth late on. 

Horndean made another long trip to Devon, where they took on Tavistock. The hosts are in mid table in Pitching In Southern Division One South, and lost at home to Exmouth Town last weekend- the side who, coincidentally, the Deans defeated in the last round. Our South Central side fell behind on thirty three minutes, but levelled just before the break, Jordan Pile the scorer. Tavistock were ahead once more eleven minutes into the second half, and right at the end they made sure, adding a third to put the Deans out.

Uxbridge were in good form as Thame United came to call- six unbeaten and having won five home matches in a row- but they fell behind after twenty seven minutes as United looked for a third Isthmian Trophy victim. The Red Army were given something to shout about five minutes into the second half, Andrio Brandao with the equaliser, and then went ahead on sixty four minutes, George Moore the scorer. Right at the end the visitors levelled, but seven minutes into added time Alex Witham kept his nerve from the spot to send the hosts through. 

Pitching In Isthmian South Central

We start our round up on Friday night. Ashford Town ‘hosted’ Raynes Park Vale at Cobham, looking for a second win of the season in what was their first league home fixture- but Vale had other ideas, and hit the Tangerines for five. Jordan Gallagher was the chief architect of victory, with a hat trick, whilst an own goal and a late fifth from George Vincent did the rest of the damage. 

Binfield had conceded seven goals in each of their previous two fixtures, which would have given visitors Sutton Common Rovers confidence as they made the trip- but if it did, that confidence was misplaced as the Moles rediscovered their cutting edge. Kickie Dzimba was the match winner, scoring eleven minutes before the break and again two minutes from time to deliver a much needed win for the hosts. 

Onto Saturday, and much of the South Central Division were undoubtedly cheering for Guernsey as they welcomed our leaders, Farnham Town, and hoping that there was a Manager of the Month/Golden Gloves Award curse coming the way of the visitors! Farnham opened the scoring after just nine minutes, Owen Dean’s eleventh of the season- but then the Green Lions found their teeth and went ahead, Jacques Cauvin and Ben Acey with the goals, before yet another from Dean- this one from the spot- made it two-two just before half time. Five minutes into the second half Farnham got themselves in front once more, Sam De St Croix with his fourth goal in eight matches, and from then on the traffic was entirely one way. Harry Cooksley got a fourth on the hour, Adam Liddle quickly added a fifth, and Mark Waters got number six seventeen minutes from time. Charlton Gauvain added a third for the hosts in added time, but the hosts couldn’t stop the Farnham charge. 

Image from LJP Photos. 

Second place Harrow Borough headed to Burnham to take on Southall, a repeat of a Velocity Cup match that went all the way to penalties less than a fortnight ago and provided lots of entertainment. Borough knew that victory and a Farnham slip up could see them go top, whilst The All were looking for only a second win of the season, having drawn four of their seven previous matches. The first goal took only five minutes to arrive, and it went to Southall, Kensley Maloney the scorer, but Borough quickly hit back and were ahead by half time, Leo Sery scoring from the spot on eleven minutes and Dernell Wynter getting the second on twenty minutes. Wynter added a third on seventy minutes, and a red card for Maloney made The All’s task even more difficult. Three-one was the final score, Borough remaining two points behind Farnham. 

Moneyfields picked up their first League win of the campaign when defeating Leatherhead in midweek, and were four unbeaten and seemed to be finding their South Central feet. They looked to have a difficult task as Westfield came to call, but made it look rather easy in the first half, Lamin Jatta and James Franklyn giving them a two-nil lead at the break. That was where the goals  stopped, and Westfield slip to seventh as a result- the Moneys up to thirteenth. 

Kingstonian welcomed Badshot Lea to Raynes Park. The K’s had only one defeat from six in all competitions, and scored twelve goals in their previous two matches in League and County Cup, so were favourites, and rather showed why in the first half despite falling behind. Lamin Ceesay opened the scoring for the Baggies on twenty two minutes, but a double from Bradley Wilson and a third from Mitchal Gough put the K’s three-one up by the break. Six minutes into the second half it was four-one, Tristan Goodridge the scorer.

Eddie Simon already had eleven for the season, and on sixty three minutes he took that to twelve by scoring his sides fifth. The visitors got a goal back with eleven minutes left, Jack Timberlake with it- and three minutes into added time Lansery Traore made it five-three, but that was that. The K’s are third. 

Hartley Wintney hoped to take a leap into the top five as they hosted Met Police. The Row ended a three match winless run by hitting Ascot United for five last weekend, whilst Met had gone three without a win in the League but made Farnham work hard for victory last weekend- and they made The Row work hard too, scoring twice midway through the first half to take a comfortable lead into the break, Noah Amissah with both of them. The hosts hit back early in the second half, Aderi Dede’s ninth of the season, and on sixty four minutes a red card for Met’s Izvnna Ikebuasi made they visitors task more difficult, and, as it turned out, impossible. It looked as if the visitors had the match won as we reached ninety minutes, and indeed as we reached one hundred minutes (!), but eleven minutes into added time the hosts levelled through George Wallace, and three minutes later Turnell Sinclair got what had seemed an unlikely winner. The Row go fourth. 

Hanworth Villa also had top five aspirations as they welcomed South Park Reigate, but after a goalless first half it was the Sparks who broke the deadlock, Craig McGee scoring for the second weekend in a row. The Villains levelled six minutes from time, Ben Mulley the scorer, and five minutes into added time they got a winner, Dylan Randall sending them fifth.