Eight goal Invicta lead the way

It was an FA Trophy Third Qualifying Round Saturday for all of our Pitching In Isthmian Premier sides. 

Bedford Town were the hosts for Hendon. Town currently sit in second place in Pitching In Southern Premier Central, having had a fine start to the campaign after promotion last season, and were looking for a fourth successive win- a sixth game unbeaten- but the Greens, who have had their struggles on the road, made a breakthrough just after the quarter hour mark, Kai Omoko Brosnan the scorer. Three minutes before half time it was two-nil, Brosnan once more the scorer, and the Greens number eleven had a hat trick before half time. Within a minute of the second half commencing it was four-nil, Billie Busari getting in on the act, but the hosts then got one back, twenty four minutes left to complete an unlikely comeback. It became even more unlikely when Niko Muir got a fifth, and that was that, a fine win for the visitors. 

Bowers and Pitsea welcomed another side from Bedford- this one Real Bedford (perhaps to distinguish themselves from the Salvador Dali managed Surreal Bedford?) The visitors were in fine form- a draw against Ware last weekend ending a five match winning streak which included victory over Walthamstow in the First Qualifying Round- but Bowers had also delivered some impressive results of late and went ahead in this one on thirteen minutes, Alex Teniola opening the scoring. It was Teniola time again only four minutes later, two-nil, and in the early stages of the second half TQ Addy addyed a third. That was that, three wins from four for Bowers.

Brentwood Town hosted Cray Wanderers in a North v Premier clash. The Blues were looking for a third successive win, whilst Wands had lost only one of eight in all competitions so certainly won’t have expected to end up as slain giants, but they looked in danger when Town went ahead on nineteen minutes, Conor Witherspoon the scorer. The Wands equaliser duly arrived ten minutes into the second half, Lateef Adaja the scorer, and that was that on the scoring front, so off we went to penalties. The Blues were victorious from the spot, four-three. 

Chatham Town took on Wingate and Finchley. The Chats had lost four in a row in all competitions so wanted to turn that around and end an indifferent start to the season, and they opened the scoring on twenty four minutes, Jordy Mongoy the scorer. That turned out to be that, the Chats through to the next round.

Chertsey Town welcomed Isthmian opposition for the second weekend in a row, the Pitching In South Premier side taking on Billericay Town. The travelling Blues picked up the Vita Risk Solutions Manager of the Month and uhlsport Golden Gloves Awards for September this week, and it appeared there would be no curse as Ashley Nzala put them ahead on the quarter hour, but the Curfews were quickly level, and seven minutes into the second half both sides saw a player dismissed, Jack Paxman the guilty party for the Blues. There were no more goals, so we went off to penalties, and Billericay left the competition, losing six-five. 

Chichester City took on Herne Bay, Premier v South East. City are having a fine first Premier campaign, and came into this one with only one defeat in eight, whilst Bay had been so busy in Cup competitions that they’d managed only three games in the league. This was their tenth cup tie of the season so far, and they’d already got a Premier scalp under their belts, having defeated Hendon in the FA Cup- but they didn’t get another. With penalties looking certain, up stepped Isaac Bello to put the hosts ahead- and four minutes into added time Mo Jammeh made sure with a second. 

We’d an all-Premier tie as Dartford and Dulwich Hamlet met at Princes Park. After a goalless first half the visitors went ahead eight minutes into the second, and as usual it was Luke Wanadio doing the damage, his ninth of the season. That was that, Hamlet through to the next round. 

Another all-Premier tie saw Dover Athletic welcome Cheshunt. The Ambers were hoping to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat but a goal at the wrong end put the hosts ahead ten minutes after the break, and they scored the second themselves, Ruben Soares-Junior’s eighth of the season making it two-nil. A red card for Raul Da Silva saw the Ambers down to ten, and Athletic quickly took advantage, Luke Baptiste adding a third to seal victory. 

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. 

Hadley of Pitching in Southern Division One Central were the hosts for Carshalton Athletic. Top of their Division and without a league defeat, they’d already defeated two Isthmian sides in the competition, Grays Athletic and Ipswich Wanderers departing in the previous two rounds- and they were ahead after ten minutes, two ahead on the half hour, as the Robins found the going tough. It got tougher after the break, three-nil on forty six minutes, but they finally got a goal back twenty one minutes from time, Fabio Camacho-Saraiva scoring from the spot. Sadly it was too little, too late- a six match unbeaten record coming to an end for Athletic.

Hashtag United welcomed Hitchin Town to Parkside, the visitors bottom of Pitching In Southern Premier Central- but looking much improved, having followed an eight match losing run at the start of the season with a win and a draw in their last two. The Tags have Misha Djemaili in fine form, and he scored his sixth goal in five matches to put them ahead just before the break- this one from the spot- and that turned out to be the only goal. 

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. 

Horsham made the long trip to the far reaches of Suffolk, as they took on Leiston. The Hornets had only one defeat from their previous six, whilst their Pitching In Southern Premier Central hosts would have been rather pleased with themselves after knocking National League South side Hornchurch out of the Cup in midweek, and had lost only one of ten. It was Leiston who went ahead in this one just before the half hour mark, but the Hornets levelled sixteen minutes from time, Reece Myles-Meekums getting the equaliser. Off we went to penalties, and the Hornets triumphed, four-three. 

Lewes (pictured- James Boyes), shaken by that defeat at Potters Bar Town last weekend, hoped to get themselves back on track as Bracknell Town came to call. That hammering by the Scholars was the Rooks first league defeat this season, and they were ahead in this one after just four minutes, an own goal doing the damage for the Robins. On seventeen minutes they had another, Shae Hutchinson the scorer, and they got a third only two minutes later, Hutchinson making the visitors miserable once more. It was four-nil on thirty four minutes, Matt Warren the latest scorer, and in the early stages of the second half Hutchinson completed his hat trick, before the visitors pulled a goal back from the spot to make it five-one- and then, with half an hour remaining, got another to make it five-two. On sixty three minutes the Rooks saw red, Jerry Puemo sent off, and quickly the visitors pulled it back to five-three- but they soon had a red card of their own, and Lewes held on for victory.

Maldon and Tiptree and Canvey Island met in a North v Premier showdown, and an Essex derby. The Jammers brightest moments of late had come in this competition, and indeed their only win in four came on penalties against Corby Town in the last round- but the Gulls were in flight in the early stages, and went ahead on eight minutes, Sonny Hart the scorer. The Jammers quickly levelled through Kien Connolly, but the Gulls were rather quick to reestablish that lead, Tom Stephen making it two-one. That was the end of the goals- but we did have a red card right at the end, the hosts Matt Price the culprit. 

Another all-Premier tie came from Kings Langley, where Potters Bar Town were having a marvellous season despite having to spend it all ‘away’ from home. The Scholars welcomed Whitehawk and were looking for revenge for a two-nil loss at the Enclosed Ground a fortnight ago, but it didn’t start all that well for them, Chris Whelpdale scoring on fourteen minutes for the Hawks. The hosts were level twelve minutes before half time, Brandon Adams the scorer, and they went ahead ten minutes into the second half, Steve Cawley doing Steve Cawley things and taking his total for the season into double figures. Five minutes from time the visitors had KJ Osu dismissed, and that was the last significant action of the game, the Scholars through. 

Ramsgate and Cray Valley PM spent all of last season fighting over the Pitching In Isthmian South East title, a battle which the Millers eventually won, so there was enormous motivation for the hosts to gain some revenge when the two sides met once more. The Millers broke the deadlock on fourteen minutes through Matthew Vigor, and then they stunned the hosts by quickly adding two more, Freddie Parker scoring both of them, to go three up before half an hour had been played. Joe Taylor got one back on thirty seven minutes, his fourteenth of the season, but that was as good as it got for the Rams, who must be rather sick of the sight of the Millers by now. 

Another Premier v South East tie came from Sittingbourne, where the Brickies met Bognor Regis Town. Sittingbourne had been almost perfect at home this season- only defeat against Plymouth Parkway in the Cup last weekend blotting their copybook- and were confident of causing an upset, and they took the lead on twenty minutes, Liam Smith the scorer. The Rocks levelled twenty minutes from time, Spencer Spurway the scorer, but the Brickies were immediately ahead once more, Funsho Henry Sinai with their second. This time they held onto their advantage, and that’s a second giant of the season slain- and a second knockout defeat against South East opposition for Bognor.