Merstham our biggest winners on Cup Saturday

Abbey Rangers and Hythe Town will need to do it all again at Reachfields in midweek, after the Cannons saw a two goal lead slip in the second half. Lex Allen opened the scoring for Town on six minutes, and just after the half hour Bruno Tavaris doubled their advantage, but two goals in three minutes for the hosts early in the second half earned them a replay. 

AFC Croydon Athletic had to come from behind to defeat Guildford City, but they emerged comfortable three-one winners. City went ahead on nine minutes, but with eight minutes of the first half remaining a familiar Isthmian name, Ghassimu (Gus) Sow, got the equaliser for the hosts, and after the break Cian McCarthy and Richard Pingling made sure of victory. 

Ascot Utd scored after three minutes against Milton Utd, Anas Igozouln with the opener, and it wasn’t just the opener, it was the only, as the Yellas progressed.

Ashford Utd were comfortable winners against Egham Town. The Nuts and Bolts saw a Gary Lockyer double give them a comfortable first half lead, and any chance of a Sarnies comeback ended with Adem Ramadan making it three five minutes from time. 

Badshot Lea defeated Stansfeld with the only goal of the game, George Winkworth with it seven minutes before half time, whilst Basildon Utd broke the deadlock against Hadley in first half stoppage time, Ramiah Mills with the opener, and although the visitors soon levelled a goal from Ruben Bartlett-Antwi five minutes from time sent the Bees through.

Beckenham Town were undone by ten man Harefield Utd, losing three-one, Akhem Berlford scoring for Becks, whilst Binfield defeated Wokingham Town comfortably in our early kick off despite ending the match with ten men. Luke Wayborn and Mitchell Parker put the Moles two up within half an hour, Charlie George got a third on the hour mark, and a red card for keeper Kacper Orlowski thirteen minutes from time didn’t have too much of an impact, although Town did get one back. 

Broadbridge Heath had to work hard to defeat Horley Town two-one, all the goals coming after the break. Ben Aubrey opened the scoring on forty nine minutes, but the visitors quickly levelled, only for Callum Dowdell to get the winner for the Bears with twenty minutes left on the clock. 

Cambridge City take on  Lakenheath today.

Cobham and Uxbridge played out a seven goal thriller, our visitors getting the winner deep into added time. It looked straightforward for Uxbridge when Ada Okorogheye gave them a two goal advantage in the first quarter of the match, and although the hosts got one back it was three-one at half time, Greg Hackett restoring the two goal cushion. The hosts then got two back and we reached the ninety minute mark with a replay at Honeycroft looking the likely option, but Okorogheye had his eye on the match ball and decided to claim it, completing a hat trick three minutes into added time.

Deal Town welcomed Roffey and eased to a four-nil win, Jamie Kennedy and Tom Chapman giving them a two goal advantage at the break, Ben Chapman and Owen Wilkinson adding to those in the second half. Five hundred and sixty seven watched on. 

Eastbourne Town defeated Little Common with a goal in each half. James Hull got the opener from the spot on twenty one minutes, and six minutes into added time at the end another spot kick brought a similar result, James Waters making it two.

A mile away Eastbourne Utd were far too good for our newcomers, Sporting Bengal Utd, with a four-nil win, whilst Epsom & Ewell and Phoenix Sports couldn’t manage a goal between them so will try again in midweek.

Erith Town had a fine afternoon against Pagham, running our six-two winers. Andrew Dythe got them underway after just two minutes, and James Dyer made it two from the spot, but the visitors got one back just after the half hour and levelled with seventeen minutes to go, making a replay look likely. Town, however, didn’t fancy a midweek trip to the outskirts of Bognor and went rather goal crazy as a result. Thomas Ash quickly restored home advantage, making it three-two, and Ollie Milton added a fourth with eight minutes remaining. There was still time for a Kola Salami double to make it six!

Glebe weren’t strong enough to stop East Grinstead Town, a first half double for the Wasps seeing them leave with a two-nil win. Omar Folkes and Connor Tighe got the goals.

Gorleston eased past Hadleigh Utd with two first half goals, Alby Matthews and Ryan Curtis scoring them. 

Grays Athletic and Hullbridge Sports meet today.

Gt Wakering Rovers and Redbridge will need to do it all again in midweek. The Motormen went ahead in the first minute, Tendi Quamina with the opener, but Rovers levelled on twenty five minutes. With thirteen minutes left the ever-reliable Charlie Stimson looked to have won it for the visitors, but again the hosts hit back to earn a draw.

Hanworth Villa were much too good for Knaphill, winning four-nil. Rayan Djoudadj opened the scoring on twenty four minutes, Kyan Nicholas quickly added a second, and the same player made it three in the early stages of the second half. Ben Merson rounded things off two minutes from time. 

Hartley Wintney delivered three second half goals to defeat Downton, Charlie Postance, Aderi Dede and Sam Bartlett the match winers, whilst Heybridge Swifts had to come from behind to defeat Wormley Rovers, Ben Allen equalising twelve minutes from time and Manny Osei-Owusu getting a last-gasp winner in a two-one victory. 

Ipswich Wanderers and Thetford Town couldn’t manage a goal between them, whilst Kempston Rovers were undone by a Brightlingsea Regent double-double as Regent won four-two, Louie Kudiabor with the first two for the visitors, Harry Mann with two more after the break.

Littlehampton Town take on Tooting & Mitcham Utd today.

Merstham lead the way by hitting Littlehampton’s neighbours Wick for seven. Aidan Brown and Sam King made it two-nil at half time, and after the break the floodgates opened, Aaron Jenkins, Charlie Greenwood and Lee Lewis making it five, before Brown added two more to claim the match ball. Image from Rob Norwood.

Met Police fell at the first hurdle, VCD Athletic the victors at Imber Court. In a match with three red cards- two of them for the visitors- a penalty from Ben Mandoza on sixty five minutes was as good as it got for the boys in blue, as they were already three down by then. 

Moneyfields went ahead against AFC Stoneham, Scott Hills scoring on twenty seven minutes, but it was the visitors who got the next two goals to triumph, but it was a positive day for another of our newcomers, Newmarket Town, who defeated March Town Utd three-one. Jose Santa De La Paz opened the scoring after three minutes for the Jockeys, and a quick equaliser didn’t get them down, Isaac Maynard restoring their lead midway through the first half and Stan Leech getting the third twelve minutes from time.

Northwood were undone by familiar rivals Ashford Town, our Tangerines taking control after the break with Brad Sweeney scoring twice, the last of them seven minutes into added time. 

Goals from Connor Cullen (2) and Callum Webb saw Rayners Lane see off the challenge of Broadfields Utd three-one, and Sevenoaks Town were just about too good for Whitstable Town, winning two-one. Kiye Martin and Rodney Eruotor scored for Oaks, with all of the goals coming in the first twenty minutes.

Shepton Mallet ended Horndean’s hopes of a cup run, one-nil, whilst Soham Town Rangers did the same to Mildenhall Town, if rather more emphatically, four-one. Alfie Connor scored for Town.

South Park Reigate fell behind in their all-South Central clash against Sutton Common Rovers, Tyrese Osbourne putting the visitors ahead on seven minutes, but the Sparks quickly struck back through Will Grieveson, went ahead just after the half hour through Ryan Healy, and got a third five minutes after the break to ease to victory, Sam Remfry with that one.

Stanway Rovers and Maldon & Tiptree played out a goalless draw, whilst Steyning Town gave Hilltop a difficult afternoon at The Shooting Field, hitting their visitors for four. Joe Radley-Martin broke the deadlock just before half time, and Charlie Meehan quickly made it two. Just before the end Jack Barnes and Charlie Weller got in on the act with a third and a fourth. 

Tilbury saw Sam Bantick take apart Buckhurst Hill at Chadfields, the forward getting a hat trick in a four-one win. Alex Akrofi got the other, the Dockers goals coming after the visitors had taken an early lead. 

Tunbridge Wells went ahead against Farnham Town, but the visitors quickly turned things around. Mark Waters made it one-one at half time, Owen Dean put Town ahead on sixty eight minutes, and they added a third in added time, Duarte Martins, on from the bench, with that one. 

Witham Town defeated Hertford Town two-one, in a match which saw both sides finish with ten men. Callum Fitzer gave the hosts a fifteenth minute lead soon after the visitors numbers were reduced, and it looked fairly straightforward when Deese Kasinga Madia made it two-nil just after the half hour. A red card for the Witham number nine Andrew Sesay complicated matters with half an hour to go, and the visitors were able to get a goal back nine minutes from time, but Witham held on for the win. 

Wroxham went ahead against Walsham Le Willows, Ryan Hawkins breaking the deadlock six minutes before half time, but an equaliser soon after the restart means the Yachtsmen will have to try again in midweek.