Season 2016-17 - Third Round Proper

Saturday 7th January
Millwall 3 AFC Bournemouth 0
So third round day in the FA Cup and League One Millwall had the tough task of hosting Premier League side AFC Bournemouth at the New Den.

The build up to the game made things tougher for the South London outfit with the club having admitted they could be forced to leave their home in south-east London and move to Kent if Lewisham Council go ahead with a plan to purchase areas around The Den and sell them on.

However, the team are showing a united front on the pitch, right down to the selection of an unchanged side for a fifth game running, during which time they are unbeaten although this would be there toughest test yet no doubt against Premier League quality.

The visitors came into this one off the back of that amazing 3-3 draw at home to Arsenal and Eddie Howe had made eleven changes to his side for this one which could work both ways sometimes.

And thanks to a committed and energetic display from the Lions against a Bournemouth side 44 places above them in the football ladder but unrecognisable in both personnel and play from that side who drew against Arsenal in the Premier League on Tuesday the hosts managed to really take the game to their opponents.

And Morison's glancing near-post header from Shaun Williams' corner gave the home side the lead in a first half they largely dominated.

It could easily have been more at the break but for Morison missing an open net following a challenge on away keeper by Lee Gregory, who fired wide himself from inside the box late in the half.

They took control of the game soon after the break, though, when Cummings finished off Morison's low cross at the back post.

After withholding a concerted period of pressure from the away side, they scored their third on the break in the final minute courtesy of Shane Ferguson's drilled finish into the bottom corner.

Bournemouth manager Eddie Howe has received plenty of plaudits for the way he has established Bournemouth in the Premier League, playing an attractive, possession-based style of football.

Criticism will surely come his way, though, after 11 changes resulted in a disjointed and error-strewn display comprising just four shots, all of which were off target.

The Cherries made little impression in the first half, only coming to life to desperately chase the game in the last 30 minutes when 2-0 down.

Even the half-time introduction of main striker Callum Wilson could not provide them with the requisite edge in attack, as an increasingly tired Millwall restricted them to half-chances and poorly executed crosses.

So there you have it, a cup shock at the New Den, and Millwall will now await Monday Evening's draw hoping they get a decent draw and a huge pay day perhaps.

Here are some photos of the game courtesy of Millwall FC:-

Now here are the Third Round Proper Results in full:-
Friday 6th January
West Ham United 0 Manchester City 5

Saturday 7th January
Manchester United 4 Reading 0
Ipswich Town 2 Lincoln City 2
Barrow 0 Rochdale 2
Hull City 2 Swansea City 0
Sunderland 0 Burnley 0
Queens Park Rangers 1 Blackburn Rovers 2
Millwall 3 AFC Bournemouth 0
Brighton & Hove Albion 2 Milton Keynes Dons 0
Blackpool 0 Barnsley 0
Wigan Athletic 2 Nottingham Forest 0
Birmingham City 1 Newcastle United 1
West Bromwich Albion 1 Derby County 2
Everton 1 Leicester City 2
Wycombe Wanderers 2 Stourbridge 1
Watford 2 Burton Albion 0
Stoke City 0 Wolverhampton Wanderers 2
Bristol City 0 Fleetwood Town 0
Huddersfield Town 4 Port Vale 0
Brentford 5 Eastleigh 1
Bolton Wanderers 0 Crystal Palace 0
Norwich City 2 Southampton 2
Sutton United 0 AFC Wimbledon 0
Accrington Stanley 2 Luton Town 1
Rotherham United 2 Oxford United 3
Preston North End 1 Arsenal 2

Sunday 8th January
Cardiff City 1 Fulham 2
Liverpool 0 Plymouth Argyle 0
Chelsea 4 Peterborough United 1
Middlesbrough 3 Sheffield Wednesday 0
Tottenham Hotspur 2 Aston Villa 0

Monday 9th January 
Cambridge United 1 Leeds United 2

Tuesday 17th January 
Replays
Burnley 2 Sunderland 0
Barnsley 1 Blackpool 2 (AET)
Fleetwood Town 0 Bristol City 1
AFC Wimbledon 1 Sutton United 3
Crystal Palace 2 Bolton Wanderers 1
Lincoln City 1 Ipswich Town 0

Wednesday 18th January
Replays
Newcastle United 3 Birmingham City 1
Plymouth Argyle 0 Liverpool 1
Southampton 1 Norwich City 0


That completes the Third Round Proper of the FA Cup.  There were some notable shocks too, none more so than at Sincil Bank where Vanarama National League Lincoln City defeated Skybet Championship side Ipswich Town and also at The Cherry Red Records Stadium where another Vanarama National League outfit Sutton United got the better of their local Skybet League One rivals AFC Wimbledon meaning their are two non league sides in the Fourth Round Proper.

My focus in the Fourth Round will again be at the New Den where Millwall host another Premier League side in the shape of Watford.  With the Vicarage Road side out of form right now the League One hosts will fancy another Premier League scalp in South London on Sunday 29th January at noon.  Check out the Fourth Round Proper section for the story of that.        

Season 2016-17 - Second Round Proper

Sunday 4th December
Millwall 5 Braintree Town 2
So my FA Cup journey took me to The New Den and Braintree Town‘s latest attempt to create more history as they took on League One side Millwall for a place in the coveted Third Round Proper and a chance to mix it with the big boys.

The Irons had already created history by reaching this stage of the competition but were in no mood to see it end here on a lovely crisp sunny December afternoon. Town had of course dispatched Bromley and Eastbourne Borough in previous rounds, both at home, but this was always going to be a much tougher task against a side who are hovering just outside the league one play off places.

However backed by 300 plus Iron’s behind one of the goals making plenty of noise the underdogs were certainly not short of passionate support. And the first quarter hour saw each side with a chance, Town heading wide early on whilst the Lions thumped an effort just wide from outside the area. It had been a fairly even start to this cup tie though.

And then in the 16th minute came a moment of magic for the visitors as they took a shock lead when striker Michael Cheek burst through some rather powerpuff Millwall defending to thump a brilliant effort into the top corner of the hosts net and send them and their travelling supporters wild. However the term ‘your at your most vulnerable when you have just scored’ was no more apparent here as straight from the restart Millwall levelled when Harry Smith side footed a cross home to settle down the hosts nerves rather.

The next ten minutes or so saw the League One hosts pounce on sloppy play from the National League visitors and in the 21st minute found themselves in front when after Braintree had failed to clear a corner, Smith was on hand to thump the loose ball home, and then four minutes later sloppy play allowed Shane Ferguson the freedom of The New Den and he duly drilled an effort into the far corner and you feared the game was getting away from the underdogs at this point.

However to their credit the visitors rallied and in the 34th minute pounced on a defensive slip to see Jack Midson bearing down on goal and he kept his cool to slot home inside the near post and Town were right back in this contest once again. They finished the half strongly too and had chances to level the tie before the break but couldn’t find the net so saw the hosts go into the half time break with a very fragile lead indeed and a rather unimpressed home crowd letting them know as they walked off too!!!

Half Time Millwall 3 Braintree Town 2

Braintree Town’s boss Hakan Heyrettin’s team talk at half time probably went along the lines of ‘lets keep it tight first fifteen minutes of second period and maybe nick a goal along the way’ however this was blown out the window two minutes into the half as sloppy defending from Town saw the ball fall to Smith six yards out and he duly netted for his hat-trick and Millwall’s fourth. It was a blow to Town who now had a two goal deficit to make up.

However they did not let this deter them and for the next twenty odd minutes dominated proceedings and had three or four really good openings to pull goals back, the best of those falling to Cheek whose close range volley was well kept out by Millwall keeper Jordan Archer. Millwall’s only attack in that period almost yielded a fourth from Smith, who headed inches wide, but it was pretty much all Braintree but they just could not find that net.

This obviously took a lot out of the National League side and as the game entered its final twenty minutes Millwall began to get a lot more possession as they began to wind that clock down and try and retake control of this contest although of course they still had that 4-2 lead.

Braintree kept trying to get forward as much as possible but time was now against them and it was looking more and more likely they would be picked off on the counter, and with pretty much the last kick of the contest the Lions roared one more time to finally kill off the Iron’s challenge when Aiden O’Brien tapped in from close range to put a rather harsh looking scoreline on proceedings for the visitors.

Indeed 5-2 was flattering for the hosts who knew they had been in a contest here but ultimately the League One’s finishing was better on the day as they capitalised on any lapses served up to them. However Braintree Town can be mighty proud of what they achieved and no doubt left South London with their heads held high.

Full Time Millwall 5 Braintree Town 2 (some photos below)

Here are the Second Round Proper results in full:-
Friday 2nd December
Macclesfield Town 0 Oxford United 0

Saturday 3rd December
Chesterfield 0 Wycombe Wanderers 5
Blackpool 1 Brackley Town 0
Luton Town 6 Solihull Moors 2
Sutton United 2 Cheltenham Town 1
Shrewsbury Town 0 Fleetwood Town 0
Charlton Athletic 0 Milton Keynes Dons 0
Plymouth Argyle 0 Newport County AFC 0
Carlisle United 0 Rochdale AFC 2

Sunday 4th December
Curzon Ashton 3 AFC Wimbledon 4
Millwall 5 Braintree Town 2
Bolton Wanderers 3 Sheffield United 2
Stourbridge P-P Northampton Town
Notts County 2 Peterborough United 2
Cambridge United 4 Coventry City 0
Bristol Rovers 1 Barrow AFC 2
Woking 0 Accrington Stanley 3
Eastleigh 3 FC Halifax Town 3
Port Vale 4 Hartlepool United 0

Monday 5th December
Lincoln City 3 Oldham Athletic 2

Tuesday 13th December
Stourbridge 1 Northampton Town 0

Replay's
Oxford United 3 Macclesfield Town 0
FC Halifax Town 0 Eastleigh 2
Fleetwood Town 3 Shrewsbury Town 2
Milton Keynes Dons 3 Charlton Athletic 1

Tuesday 20th December 
Replay
Peterborough United 2 Notts County 0

Wednesday 21st December 
Replay
Newport County AFC 0 Plymouth Argyle 1 (AET)


So that completes the Second Round and so twenty sides now go through to join the Twenty Premier League and Twenty Four Championship sides in the next round.  My focus in Round Three is the Millwall Vs AFC Bournemouth tie at the New Den on Saturday 7th January.  Look out for my Third Round Proper section to see how that went.

Season 2016-17 - First Round Proper

Saturday 5th November 
Braintree Town 7 Eastbourne Borough 0
So Guy Fawkes night and a potentially explosive Emirates FA Cup First Round Proper tie awaited us as Vanarama National side Braintree Town hosted Vanarama National South side Eastbourne Borough at Cressing Road.

The hosts have had a difficult season up till now and sit third bottom in the highest level of non league, the National League, whilst Borough have also had a mixed season in the league below, however the visitors did win at Aldershot Town in the last round which was a shock of sorts, so would of been more than confident of pulling off a result here.

The hosts, who had recently appointed Hakan Hayrettin as manager after previous boss Jamie Day had parted company with the club, are looking to push on after bringing in some new faces. And the new boss got his first win in the last round of the competition when his side came from two goals down to beat Bromley 4-2, so a repeat of this win would of been most welcome.

The visitors knew that if they could hold their opponents out for any length of time, nerves would have surely started to run through the hosts side, but any hopes of doing this evaporated after just four minutes when the hosts got their noses in front as a Michael Cheek header was saved by Lewis Carey, but the ball went straight into the path of Monty Patterson who buried the rebound to give the Irons the perfect start.

Patterson almost had a second when he ran onto a ball inside the area after nine minutes but saw his effort deflected wide, however just a minute later it was two for the hosts as centre half George Elokobi headed home a corner from close range in off the bar and the home side were in dreamland.

A shell shocked Eastbourne tried to get a foothold back in the game moments later but saw a decent effort at goal blocked, and then it got worse for the South Coast side as they fell further behind on 19 minutes as a Oli Muldoon free kick was deflected past keeper Carey and the game was in danger of slipping away from the visitors already as a clinical Braintree side looked like they could run away with it.

And five minutes later the hosts thought they had a fourth as Jake Goodman nodded home,however the flag had gone up for offside to deny what would of possibly been a game sealing moment so early in the contest. However the visitors knew at 3-0 a goal back would change things and just before the half hour mark they possibly should of done when Mark Hughes sent a free header well wide.

The game had been played in a fairly subdued tempo though although on 34 minutes came a flashpoint with some fireworks between Muldoon and Elliott Romain after a coming together following a challenge, but the referee calmed the situation down after a word with both players. The visitors then whipped a free kick to the back post but saw a looping header land on the roof of the net and then down the other end a long throw into the Borough box saw the ball fall to Cheek whose close range effort was blocked.

However thanks to those early strikes the hosts had a more than commanding lead going into the break and the visitors knew they needed a quick goal in the second period to have any chance of a comeback.

Half Time Braintree Town 3 Eastbourne Borough 0

The hosts had the first effort on goal early in the second period as Harry Lee drilled a free kick just over however after this the visitors had their best spell of the contest and dominated the next twenty minutes or so but were unable to test the Town goal, no thanks to some wild shooting from the visitors with a couple clearing the clubhouse behind the goal.

But as poor as the visitors were at finishing in this one the hosts were on fire when it came to taking their chances and on 68 minutes the home side grabbed a fourth goal as after Sim Akinola’s effort had come back off the post, Lee Barnard followed up to score, and then five minutes later the ex-Southend striker thought he had netted again, only to see the linesman flag go up for offside.

He didn’t have wait long for his second though as a minute later Akinola was brought down for a penalty and Barnard stepped up to convert the spot kick and the hosts were now running away with the contest.

With seven minutes to go the hosts made it six as centre half Elokobi bundled home a close range header for his second of the contest and soon after Barnard volleyed a decent effort over bar as he searched for his hat trick, and then with two minutes remaining it was seven heaven for the Irons as Akinola curled home a beauty and Town were going through to the next round in style.

It had been a day to forget for the battered visitors although they can be proud of reaching the stage of the competition, and as for the hosts they will want to bottle this type of result and take it into their league games no doubt as in front of goal today they were very clinical indeed. Town now await the Second Round Proper draw which takes place on Monday evening knowing they are now just one win away from a potential Third Round tie against a Premiership giant perhaps.

Full Time Braintree Town 7 Eastbourne Borough 0 (some photos below)

Here are the First Round Proper results in full:-
Friday 4th November
Millwall 1 Southend United 0
Eastleigh 1 Swindon Town 1

Saturday 5th November
Crawley Town 1 Bristol Rovers 1
Merstham 0 Oxford United 5
Dagenham & Redbridge 0 FC Halifax Town 0
Yeovil Town 2 Solihull Moors 2
Stockport County 2 Woking 4
Dartford 3 Sutton United 6
Walsall 0 Macclesfield Town 1
Port Vale 1 Stevenage 0
Northampton Town 6 Harrow Borough 0
Cambridge United 1 Dover Athletic 1
Westfields 1 Curzon Ashton 1
Milton Keynes Dons 3 Spennymoor Town 2
Gillingham 2 Brackley Town 2
Portsmouth 1 Wycombe Wanderers 2
Bury 2 AFC Wimbledon 2
Mansfield Town 1 Plymouth Argyle 2
Braintree Town 7 Eastbourne Borough 0
Bolton Wanderers 1 Grimsby Town 0
Bradford City 1 Accrington Stanley 2
Oldham Athletic 2 Doncaster Rovers 1
Shrewsbury Town 3 Barnet 0
Whitehawk 1 Stourbridge 1
Colchester United 1 Chesterfield 2
Lincoln City 2 Altrincham 1
Exeter City 1 Luton Town 3
Charlton Athletic 3 Scunthorpe United 1
Cheltenham Town 1 Crewe Alexandra 1
Peterborough United 2 Chesham United 1

Sunday 6th November
Sheffield United 6 Leyton Orient 0
Taunton Town 2 Barrow AFC 2
Alfreton Town 1 Newport County AFC 1
Maidstone United 1 Rochdale AFC 1
St Albans City 3 Carlisle United 5
Boreham Wood 2 Notts County 2
Hartlepool United 3 Stamford AFC 0
Morecambe 1 Coventry City 1
Blackpool 2 Kidderminster Harriers 0

Monday 7th November
Southport 0 Fleetwood Town 0

Monday 14th November 
Replay's
Curzon Ashton 3 Westfields 1
Stourbridge 3 Whitehawk 0

Tuesday 15th November
Replay's
FC Halifax Town 2 Dagenham & Redbridge 1
Barrow AFC 2 Taunton Town 1
Fleetwood Town 4 Southport 1 (AET)
Solihull Moors 1 Yeovil Town 1 (AET, Solihull Moors won 4-2 on penalties)
Newport County AFC 4 Alfreton Town 1 (AET)
Rochdale AFC 2 Maidstone United 0
AFC Wimbledon 5 Bury 0
Notts County 2 Boreham Wood 0
Swindon Town 1 Eastleigh 3
Coventry City 2 Morecambe 1
Bristol Rovers 4 Crawley Town 2 (AET)
Crewe Alexandra 1 Cheltenham Town 4

Wednesday 16th November
Replay
Brackley Town 4 Gillingham 3

Thursday 17th November 
Replay
Dover Athletic 2 Cambridge United 4


So that concludes the First Round Proper.  Forty sides now jostle for the right to join the Premier League and Championship sides in Round Three and I will be at The New Den to see Millwall take on Braintree Town in their Second Round Proper tie so check out that section to see how that went.

Season 2016-17 - Fourth Qualifying Round

Saturday 15th October
Aldershot Town 1 Eastbourne Borough 2
So Emirates FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round day, a big day for non league sides, as 64 of them battle to reach the First Round Proper and get into the pot with the SkyBet League One and Two sides.

I was at the tie taking place at The EBB Stadium, Aldershot, Hampshire, for Aldershot Town Vs Eastbourne Borough. The hosts were taking part in their first FA Cup contest of the season having entered at this stage of the competition due to their National League status whilst for Borough this was their third stage after squeezing past Metropolitan Police and Hadley in the previous two rounds.

Eastbourne hadn’t exactly enjoyed the favourites tag in the previous two rounds so maybe now the boot was on the other foot they might enjoy this one a bit more. The South Coast side haven’t exactly been setting the world alight in the National League South, sitting down in 13th, whilst hosts Aldershot were having a decent season, sitting just outside the play-offs in the National League in sixth only on goal difference, so the hosts definitely started as favourites in this tie.

The Shots had the first effort on goal after four minutes, firing one just over from twenty yards as they had started on the front foot although a minute afterwards Borough’s Gavin McCallum forced home keeper Mark Smith into a decent stop. But despite the hosts putting the visiting defence under pressure and dominating possession they were unable to find that opening goal.

However just past the midway point came a huge moment of controversy as after Borough saw a McCallum effort go close a loose ball outside the box saw Shots player Jim Kellermann go into a challenge and seemingly win the ball and also catch the player too. The referee duly showed a straight red to Kellermann for a studs up challenge. It looked very harsh to say the least but left the hosts to play the remaining 65 or so minutes a player short.

For a few moments afterwards it left the hosts rather shell-shocked and from the resultant free kick confusion in the Shots defence almost saw the visitors score but the hosts scrambled the ball away. Shots has totally dominated the possession stakes up till this point but it would now be interesting to see how this moment would change things perhaps.

For the remainder of the first half though things continued as they were, with the hosts dominating possession, and eight minutes before half time went very close to breaking the deadlock when Bernard Mensah struck the post from an opportunist free kick which caught out keeper Lewis Carey.

Minutes later the Shots saw another good move end with a deflected effort going just over the bar and they remained on the front foot into the break. However you felt that the man advantage may tell in the second period but could the visitors take advantage. They were certainly fortunate to reach the break goal less.

Half Time Aldershot Town 0 Eastbourne Borough 0

The first five minutes of the second half certainly suggested that Borough boss Tommy Widderington had asked his side to get more of the ball as they certainly had more possession than was had in the first period, although it was the hosts who had the first opening of the half when Matt Mcclure got in behind the visitors defence but hit his effort straight at keeper Carey.

But moments later came the opening goal, and it went to the National League South visitors, and what a goal it was as after McCallum had played the ball over to Jamie Taylor, the striker duly took a touch before cracking one in off the bar from outside the box, giving hosts keeper Smith no chance whatsoever.

The hosts now were suddenly a man down and now a goal down and chasing this cup tie at home in front of what had been an expectant crowd now becoming more and more of an anxious one. And on 57 minutes the visitors should of made it a mountain to climb for the hosts when they missed a great chance to make it two, as Taylor broke down the right and played a great ball to the back post where substitute Nathanial Pinney was lurking, but he somehow hit his effort wide of the far post and the Shots had a huge let off.

This moment seemed to galvanise the home side and just before the hour mark full back Anthony Straker played a ball to the visitors back post but saw the hosts mess it up and then two minutes later came oh so close to levelling the tie when Charlie Walker thumped a superb effort against the post from distance, the second time the Shots had hit the woodwork in the contest.

They must have been wondering whether it was going to be one of those days, that was until the 68th minute when the hosts managed to finally breach the visitors defence, as Mensah put in a marvellous cross into the six yard box and saw substitute Idris Kanu finish from a yard out and send the hosts fans wild with delight and also gave the ten men real hope of pulling off a comeback win.

However the visitors were certainly not about to waste all their hard work and with fifteen minutes remaining saw a great ball in behind the hosts defence find the dangerous Taylor run onto it and his effort was brilliantly saved by Smith and then a couple of minutes later Taylor got free down the right but saw his square ball brilliantly cut out by a defender.

The game was certainly in the balance as we entered the final ten minutes as both sides were going for a winner. The hosts saw Mensah cut inside and produce an effort which tested visitors keeper Carey before Kanu broke down the left but saw his cut back cleared by the Borough defence.

McCallum then saw an effort swerve in mid air and made Smith’s save slightly more difficult but he managed to beat away the effort as time ticked down towards the 90 minute mark. And then came the moment that sealed this tie, as with around twenty or so seconds of the ninety to go, the visitors saw Pinney in behind and the striker finished brilliantly past keeper Smith with the outside of his foot and left Aldershot needing to find a goal in the remaining three minutes of stoppage time to come to stay in the Cup.

And deep into stoppage time they almost found that goal as a free kick saw everyone come up for it, including keeper Smith, but Jack Saville could only head the set play inches over onto the roof of the net, and with that went the Shots last chance to salvage a replay. The final whistle cued celebrations from the visitors who had pulled off a cup shock here and took their place in the pot for Monday Evening’s First Round Proper draw.

Full Time Aldershot Town 1 Eastbourne Borough 2 (some photos below)

And here are the Fourth Qualifying Round results in full:-
Saturday 15th October
Southport 1 Chester 0
Alfreton Town 2 Gateshead 2
North Ferriby United 1 Macclesfield Town 4
Harrogate Town 0 FC Halifax Town 2
Stockport County 2 Bishop Auckland 0
Barrow AFC 2 Tranmere Rovers 1
Nantwich Town 1 Stourbridge 3
Altrincham 3 Matlock Town 1
Lincoln City 0 Guiseley AFC 0
Lincoln United 0 Spennymoor Town 3
Stamford AFC 1 Wrexham 1
York City 1 Curzon Ashton 1
Welling United 0 Whitehawk 1
Westfields 2 Leiston 1
Sutton United 2 Forest Green Rovers 1
Chesham United 1 Potters Bar Town 0
Dagenham & Redbridge 3 Wealdstone 1
Torquay United 1 Woking 1
Taunton Town 0 Hemel Hempstead Town 0
Braintree Town 4 Bromley 2
Beaconsfield SYCOB 0 Brackley Town 5
Tonbridge Angels 0 Dartford 3
Egham Town 0 St Albans City 1
Boreham Wood 3 Hendon 0
Aldershot Town 1 Eastbourne Borough 2
Harrow Borough 2 Margate 2
Maidstone United 3 Billericay Town 1
Kidderminster Harriers 6 Weymouth 0
Solihull Moors 3 Kettering Town 1
Burgess Hill Town 0 Dover Athletic 5
Merstham 2 Ebbsfleet United 1
Eastleigh 6 North Leigh 0

Monday 17th October 
Replay
Curzon Ashton 2 York City 1

Tuesday 18th October
Replay
Guiseley AFC 1 Lincoln City 2
Wrexham 2 Stamford AFC 3 (AET)
Woking 2 Torquay United 1
Hemel Hempstead Town 0 Taunton Town 1
Margate 1 Harrow Borough 3

Wednesday 19th October
Replay
Gateshead 2 Alfreton Town 3 (AET)


So that completes the Qualifying Round's for this season's Emirates FA Cup.  Thirty two non league sides now go through to join 48 football league sides from League's One and Two, and two of those non league sides,  Braintree Town and Eastbourne Borough, will do battle in my First Round Proper tie at Town's Cressing Road Stadium so check out that section for the outcome.
 

Season 2016-17 - Third Qualifying Round

Saturday 1st October
Eastbourne Borough 0 Hadley 0
So I made the long journey south to the ‘Sunshine Coast’ and Eastbourne, East Sussex, for an Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round tie between Eastbourne Borough and Hadley.

Hosts Eastbourne ply their trade in the National League South, Step Two of the non league system, whilst Hadley compete in the Spartan South Midlands Premier, three steps below their opponents and have come through four rounds to get this far whilst the hosts squeezed past Ryman Premier side Metropolitan Police after entering the competition in the last round.

Both sides came into this one off the back of home defeats so were looking to respond to that although Eastbourne started this one huge favourites as they were three levels above their opponents. Hadley though had knocked out Step Three side King’s Langley in the last round so were not to be underestimated.

The first few minutes yielded very little and the first moment came after eight minutes when hosts striker Elliott Romain forced Hadley keeper Charlie Mann to brilliantly tip over an effort from around twenty yards out and soon after the hosts slipped in behind the visiting backline but Gavin McCallum could only slice his effort wide.

The visitors tried to respond to this early pressure and struck their first effort on target on eleven minutes but it was a weak one from Zane Gangadeen and easy for keeper Lewis Carey. Moments later the hosts really should of settled any early match nerves with an early goal as a cross to the back post saw the unmarked McCallum hit his effort at keeper Mann rather than the corner of the net and allowed the keeper to make the save.

There was a worrying moment for Hadley keeper Mann on 17 minutes when a cross from hosts full back Craig Stone almost slipped through the keepers grasp but he managed to recover and claim the ball but as the game hit the midway point of the half the visitors were doing very well against their higher league opponents.

The hosts won a free kick in a decent area on the half hour mark but saw Josh Hare‘s drive go well wide and two minutes after this hosts winger McCallum saw two efforts from inside the area blocked by a resolute defence. Hadley openings were rare but on 34 minutes a visiting corner saw Hesham Benmansour pull away from his marker but misjudge the flight of the ball and see it sail over his head when better positioning may have ended with different results.

The visitors had done very well to hold the hosts but so nearly went into the break a goal ahead when skipper Sam Lyon came in at the back post but hit his effort into the 3G surface and saw the ball go over the bar. It was a great chance for the underdogs to take a shock lead, however they still went in level at the half time whistle and were making life more than challenging for the National South hosts.

Half Time Eastbourne Borough 0 Hadley 0

The second half began in similar fashion to the first and the half was seven minutes old when the first chance came along, and it was the hosts who had the effort when Romain rolled his marker and fired a decent effort at goal but Mann got down well to save to his right. The hosts had the ball in the net just before the hour mark but Nathanial Pinney fouled Mann before McCallum stuck in the rebound, so it was an easy call for the referee.

The hosts main goal threat looked likely to come from tricky attacking winger McCallum, who was causing the visitors problems down the left, and on 66 minutes he drifted inside onto his right foot and fired a shot just wide of the far post and then five minutes later saw another good defensive block deny him a shot on target.

The visitors had barely threatened going forward at all in the second half, adopting a more ‘thy shall not pass’ motto as they continued to keep the hosts out. With twelve minutes remaining though the home side so nearly found the breakthrough when a cross saw Romain climb to head an effort against the bar and see the loose ball scrambled clear and breathe a huge sigh of relief.

The hosts continued to put pressure on the visitors backline and saw Shaun Cooper head a free kick well over as time was starting to run out for the hosts to find a breakthrough in this one and prevent a replay next week. As the game entered it’s first minute of five additional minutes Craig McAllister headed over a hosts corner as Hadley survived again.

The Spartan South Midlands side could taste a replay now but the hosts piled on the pressure in stoppage time but the visitors continued to hold firm and then hear the whistle for full time after more than six minutes of stoppage time and earn a second crack at their opponents on Wednesday evening at Potters Bar FC.

Eastbourne will be disappointed but they still have the chance to finish the job in four days time, however it won’t be easy against a tough Hadley outfit. The draw for the Fourth Qualifying Round takes place on Monday and they will both in it at least.

Full Time Eastbourne Borough 0 Hadley 0 (some pictures below)

Here is how the replay fared:-
Wednesday 5th October 2016
Hadley 1 Eastbourne Borough 4
Borough survived a scare before eventually going onto win this tie fairly comfortably in the end to take their place in the final Qualifying Round. A real shock looked on the cards when the visitors fell behind on the half hour but a Nat Pinney penalty brought the visitors level just two minutes later. Pinney then put his side in front before half-time with a neat header before Gavin McCallum and Elliott Romain rounded off the scoring in the second period. Hadley tired as the game wore on but the club can be proud of their achievements to reach this stage and put up as much of a fight as they did but it's Eastbourne Borough who make the trip to Hampshire and take on Vanarama National League outfit Aldershot Town at their EBB Stadium.


Here are the Third Qualifying Round results in full:-
Saturday 1st October
Halesowen Town 1 Nantwich Town 1
Kettering Town 2 Boston United 0
Lincoln United 3 Handsworth Parramore 1
Farsley Celtic AFC 0 Bishop Auckland 1
FC Halifax Town 2 Stalybridge Celtic 1
Worcester City 0 Brackley Town 3
King's Lynn Town 0 Alfreton Town 2
Curzon Ashton 4 Bedworth United 0
Ilkeston 1 Stourbridge 2
Lancaster City 2 Kidderminster Harriers 3
Matlock Town 1 Workington AFC 1
Stockport County 2 Salford City 0
Spennymoor Town 1 Chorley 0
FC United Of Manchester 3 Harrogate Town 3
Altrincham 3 Morpeth Town 0
AFC Mansfield 1 Stamford AFC 2
Faversham Town 1 Egham Town 1
North Leigh 3 Folkestone Invicta 1
Ebbsfleet United 7 Havant & Waterlooville 0
Hungerford Town 1 Leiston 4
Potters Bar Town 0 Bath City 0
Hendon 3 AFC Rushden & Diamonds 0
Margate P-P Hastings United
Taunton Town 2 Hampton & Richmond Borough 1
Weymouth 6 Brimscombe & Thrupp 0
St Albans City 6 Worthing 0
Wealdstone 2 Banbury United 1
Tonbridge Angels 4 Hereford 2
Beaconsfield SYCOB 3 Felixstowe & Walton United 0
Whitehawk 2 Merthyr Town 0
Chesham United 2 Staines Town 0
Burgess Hill Town 6 Cadbury Heath 1
Slough Town 2 Dartford 3
Billericay Town 3 Chippenham Town 2
Welling United 7 Swindon Supermarine 1
Westfields 4 Walton Casuals 0
Eastbourne Borough 0 Hadley 0
Merstham 5 Thamesmead Town 1
Harrow Borough 2 Winchester City 1

Sunday 2nd October
Gloucester City 2 Hemel Hempstead Town 2

Tuesday 4th October
Margate 2 Hastings United 2

Replay's
Nantwich Town 2 Halesowen Town 1
Workington AFC 1 Matlock Town 3
Harrogate Town 2 FC United Of Manchester 0
Egham Town 1 Faversham Town 0
Bath City 1 Potters Bar Town 1 (AET, Potters Bar Town won 4-3 on penalties)
Hemel Hempstead Town 2 Gloucester City 0

Wednesday 5th October
Replay
Hadley 1 Eastbourne Borough 4 (at Potters Bar Town FC)

Tuesday 11th October 2016
Replay
Hastings United 1 Margate 2 (AET)

 
So that completes the Third Qualifying Round and I will now travel to Aldershot Town as they host Eastbourne Borough in the final round of Qualification prior to the Proper Rounds.  To see who reached that stage check out my Fourth Qualifying Round section.