Greens and Borough lead the way in the Cup

It was FA Cup Replay night, and most of our sides who were in action came from Pitching In Isthmian North.

Brentwood Town got a last-gasp goal to earn a trip to Suffolk last night, taking on Leiston for the chance to host Hornchurch in the next round. Sadly on this occasion it was a step too far for the Blues, who fell behind on fifteen minutes. With twenty one minutes to go Benas Vaivada drew them level, but seven minutes later an own goal restored the hosts lead and, as Town pushed for an equaliser, the final moments brought a third Leiston goal, and that was that.

Gorleston had to come from two down to earn a draw against Barking on Saturday, and they travelled to East London hoping to go one better. One, it turned out, was the magic number for the Greens, as they scored the only goal of the game- although it seems they didn’t score it at all, an own goal sending them through. They welcome National League South side St Albans City to the seaside in the next round.

Haringey Borough’s campaign so far makes them resemble Doctor Jekyll. Put a knockout match in front of them and watch them go, make them play in the League and the outcome is rather more scary. Luckily for their travelling army last night, the fixture against Witham Town was in the FA Cup, and they came through it, finally, after one hundred and twenty minutes and a penalty shootout. In a match which saw nine players booked and one sent off, Borough went ahead with twenty one minutes to go, Caleb Dennis with his first goal of the season- but, despite that red card for the hosts skipper Liam Whipps four minutes from time, Town found an equaliser in added time, Ayo Adelaya with it. Into extra time we went, and there were no further goals, but the visitors won four-three from the spot and will host Lowestoft Town in the next round. That’s now six undefeated knockout games for Borough- including two replays- and four matches without a win in the North Division.

North

As we reached the very last minute of Basildon United’s match at Ipswich Wanderers last night it looked as if the Bees would hold on to their slight lead to make it six wins from six, despite being a man short. Ruben Bartlett-Antwi scored his sixth goal of the season to put the visitors ahead on ten minutes, but on sixty six minutes they lost keeper George Marsh to a red card to leave them struggling to hold onto their advantage. Hold on they did, however, until the very last minute, when Michael Bareck popped up to deliver a Wanderers equaliser- and then, five minutes into added time, the hosts did even better, Ollie Sims with a winner. In the closing stages Bareck was also dismissed, but it was three points Wanderers, who are twelfth. The Bees remain at the top, if only on goal difference. 

Velocity Cup

We had an all-North Velocity Cup Second Round tie, and what a crazy finish to the game we had, as Newmarket Town defeated Sporting Bengal United five-two. United went ahead on eight minutes, Mustafa Hussein with the goal, but it was level twelve minutes before half time, Ally Conway with the equaliser for the Jockeys. That was that until seventeen minutes from time, when Conway put the hosts ahead, and that rather opened the floodgates! On eighty three minutes it was three-one, Jordan Foster with that one, only for United to immediately bring it back to three-two, Daniel Pepple giving them hope. That hope was short lived, as Foster added a fourth, and there was still time for Josh Lee to score a fifth.