Kings Langley 6 Sporting Bengal United 1
So it was back to FA Cup action for me at the weekend when I visited the Hertfordshire village of Kings Langley to see if Sporting Bengal United to spring a surprise and make more history in this famous old competition.
The hosts had been fairly used to success in the last three years, winning two promotions on the spin to ply their trade in the Evo-Stik Southern Premier, Step three in the non league pyramid, and they were up against a side who play in Step Five football in the Essex Senior League who had enjoyed a decent historic making cup run so far.
However if the visitors were to have any chance of a surprise result a good start to the tie would be crucial. Sadly this didn’t happen as the hosts won a penalty after six mins when David Vaughan brought down full back Steve Ward after the Langley player had made a good run down the right. Lewis Toomey stepped up to convert the spot kick and the hosts had their early goal to settle any nerves they might have had.
Sporting almost responded straight away however when they saw Shibli Miah’s effort palmed away by Danny Boness as they looked to shock their hosts with a quick repost, however if you go one nil down the last thing you want to do is fall further behind but this is exactly what happened to Sporting as on nine minutes good work down the left by winger Oran Swales saw his cross deflected high into the air and saw David Hutton volley a first time effort from the edge of the box expertly into the top corner and the visitors already had a mountain to climb.
It was just the start the hosts would have dreamed of whilst for Sporting it was exactly what they had not wanted. However the visitors were far from being outplayed and were doing ok despite the scoreline but would need to find an extra something if they were going to get back into the contest.
The hosts unsurprisingly had a bit extra going forward and Toomey almost had his second when he got in on goal but saw Lewis Lockyer save but then moments later Toomey really should of netted when after getting through again he rounded Lockyer and saw the ball roll on and hit the post but the strikers rebound effort flew across an unguarded net and away from danger.
However Toomey made amends five minutes before the break when he volleyed home from close range and saw the hosts go into the break three goals to the good. The visitors had battled and competed well but just found the higher league opponents clinical up front when it mattered.
Half Time Kings Langley 3 Sporting Bengal United 0
Sporting knew an early goal may give them hope of an unlikely comeback and they certainly started the half well, having a couple of efforts on goal, and then six minutes into the second period they found that goal when Miah found himself in behind the Langley defence and he slotted beyond Boness and into the far corner.
Sporting knew if they could force another goal it really would make it an interesting tie but the hosts were not about to be surprised like that and soon forced visiting keeper Lockyer into action when the stopper had to be smart to palm a hosts effort away for a corner as they looked to try and re-establish their three goal cushion.
And just before the hour mark the hosts struck twice in two minutes to end any slight hope the visitors had of a comeback when firstly on 56 minutes they did restore their three goal lead when Ryan Plowright turned home from close range and then on 58 minutes Hutton curled home a delightful effort beyond Lockyer from just inside the box to see the hosts in a very commanding position at 5-1 up with half an hour or so left.
To Sporting’s credit they kept going when many would of possibly just thrown in the towel and struck another effort wide just on the hour mark. They were still competing well but just could not deal with the hosts attacking prowess and they almost conceded a sixth when Sean Coughlan, on as a substitute for the hosts, found himself in on goal but his finish hit the inside of post.
With around twenty minutes to go Sporting were still going for a second goal as goalscorer Miah managed to break the offside trap but as he tried to cut back he lost the ball under a challenge and eventually fouled the defender trying to retrieve the lost ball. The hosts then got in down the left hand side as Sporting’s offside trap failed but keeper Lockyer came out to close the angle and see the ball eventually blocked behind for a corner.
The last ten minutes or so saw Sporting giving it a real good go in the rain that had now arrived in Hertfordshire but they were unable to really test keeper Boness to much and then with five minutes to go Toomey, who really should of wrapped up his hat-trick already, finally did just that when he got clean through and rounded Lockyer to slot home the hosts sixth and final goal.
So despite the visitors giving it a really good go in this tie they ultimately found the Southern Premier hosts just too strong on the day. It’s been a good cup run for the Sporting Bengal boys though and they should be proud of that fact. Well done to hosts Kings Langley though whose cup run continues in two weeks time.
Full Time Kings Langley 6 Sporting Bengal United 1 (see some pictures below)
Here are the First Qualifying Round results in full:-
Friday 2nd September
South Park 2 Dorking Wanderers 1
Saturday 3rd September
Washington 2 Shildon 5
Ashton United 0 Nantwich Town 3
Brighouse Town 0 Lancaster City 3
Blyth Spartans AFC 3 Frickley Athletic 1
Hyde United 1 Colne 0
Bishop Auckland 5 Ossett Albion 1
Whitby Town 3 Winsford United 3
Sheffield 0 Farsley Celtic AFC 3
Marske United 0 Marine 2
Newcastle Benfield 0 Bridlington Town 2
Morpeth Town 4 Colwyn Bay 1
Harrogate Railway Athletic 0 Consett 5
Dunston UTS 2 Skelmersdale United 2
Ashton Athletic 7 Mossley AFC 2
Squires Gate 2 Handsworth Parramore 5
Witton Albion 3 Buxton 0
Billingham Synthonia 2 Ossett Town 2
Pontefract Collieries 2 Tadcaster Albion 3
Burscough 4 Maine Road 3
Trafford 5 Cheadle Town 2
Workington AFC 3 Warrington Town 0
Radcliffe Borough 3 Spennymoor Town 5
Leek Town 2 Kettering Town 3
Hednesford Town 1 Belper Town 2
King's Lynn Town 6 Brigg Town 1
AFC Mansfield 2 Stratford Town 1
Rushall Olympic 2 Soham Town Rangers 2
Matlock Town 4 Heanor Town 2
Chasetown 1 Grantham Town 1
Evesham United 2 Barwell 2
Peterborough Sports 1 Stourbridge 3
Ashby Ivanhoe 0 Ilkeston 6
St Neots Town 1 Stamford AFC 1
Westfields 4 St Ives Town 0
Lincoln United 6 Dunkirk 1
Halesowen Town 3 Coleshill Town 0
Highgate United 3 Leamington 1
Leicester Road 0 Kirby Muxloe 0
Coalville Town 2 Redditch United 1
Coventry United 0 Bedworth United 2
Mickleover Sports 3 Spalding United 2
Deeping Rangers 2 Gresley 6
Romulus 1 Hereford 1
Rugby Town 1 Corby Town 0
Dereham Town 2 Holbeach United 1
Eynesbury Rovers 1 Sutton Coldfield Town 3
Stafford Rangers 1 Kidsgrove Athletic 2
Brightlingsea Regent 1 Billericay Town 2
Hadley 1 London Colney 0
Haringey Borough 0 Witham Town 3
Kempston Rovers 3 Harefield United 2
Hanwell Town 1 Enfield Town 0
Sun Sports 0 Hayes & Yeading United 2
Hendon 5 Cheshunt 2
Maldon & Tiptree 0 Biggleswade Town 1
Heybridge Swifts 2 AFC Dunstable 2
Chesham United 5 Saffron Walden Town 0
Harrow Borough 4 Sawbridgeworth Town 1
AFC Sudbury 6 Halstead Town 0
Kings Langley 6 Sporting Bengal United 1
Felixstowe & Walton United 2 Tilbury 1
Chalfont St Peter 0 Potters Bar Town 3
Uxbridge 2 Needham Market 0
Cambridge City 3 Flackwell Heath 1
Harlow Town 3 Romford 1
Stanway Rovers 0 Barton Rovers 1
Canvey Island 2 Dunstable Town 1
Hitchin Town 4 Biggleswade United 2
Leiston 4 Grays Athletic 1
Waltham Forest 2 Stotfold 1
AFC Rushden & Diamonds 2 AFC Hornchurch 0
Lowestoft Town 0 Histon 2
Waltham Abbey 0 Wingate & Finchley 5
Colliers Wood United 2 Eastbourne Town 0
Hythe Town 1 Leatherhead 0
East Preston 1 Merstham 4
Camberley Town 0 Hastings United 2
Walton Casuals 3 Greenwich Borough 2
Burgess Hill Town 2 Ashford United 1
Fleet Town 1 Slimbridge AFC 1
Andover Town 0 Farnborough 5
Brimscombe & Thrupp 3 Peacehaven & Telscombe 0
Staines Town 4 Godalming Town 0
CB Hounslow United 1 Metropolitan Police 3
Herne Bay 3 Ashford Town (Middx) 1
Eastbourne United 0 Highworth Town 3
Faversham Town 1 Cray Wanderers 0
Pagham 0 Dulwich Hamlet 3
Arundel 1 Egham Town 5
Worthing 3 Carshalton Athletic 3
Lewes 0 Sevenoaks Town 0
Wantage Town 1 Beaconsfield SYCOB 1
VCD Athletic 4 Kingstonian 1
Slough Town 6 Chipstead 1
Thamesmead Town 1 Chertsey Town 0
Corinthian Casuals 2 North Leigh 3
Folkestone Invicta 3 North Greenford United 1
Bognor Regis Town 5 Guildford City 1
Ramsgate 1 Whyteleafe 2
Taunton Town 2 Cinderford Town 0
Alresford Town 1 Fareham Town 1
Barnstaple Town 0 Merthyr Town 4
Weymouth A-A Paulton Rovers (tie abandoned after 50 mins due to waterlogged pitch, 1-1)
Winchester City 4 Street 2
Sholing 0 Havant & Waterlooville 2
Salisbury 2 Frome Town 0
Portishead Town 1 Swindon Supermarine 4
Gillingham Town 0 Cirencester Town 2
Cadbury Heath 3 Plymouth Parkway 0
Chippenham Town 9 Moneyfields 0
Basingstoke Town 4 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 0
Dorchester Town 0 Banbury United 3
Bideford AFC 1 AFC Portchester 2
Brislington 5 Hamworthy United 2
Sunday 4th September
Ascot United 2 Tonbridge Angels 2
Monday 5th September
Replay's
Winsford United 1 Whitby Town 2
Carshalton Athletic 2 Worthing 6
Beaconsfield SYCOB 6 Wantage Town 1
Tuesday 6th September
Weymouth 2 Paulton Rovers 1
Replay's
Skelmersdale United 1 Dunston UTS 2
Ossett Town 3 Billingham Synthonia 2
Soham Town Rangers 0 Rushall Olympic 1
Grantham Town 2 Chasetown 2 (AET, Chasetown won 6-5 on penalties)
Barwell 2 Evesham United 0
Stamford AFC 4 St Neots Town 1
Kirby Muxloe 3 Leicester Road 2 (AET)
Hereford 3 Romulus 0
Tonbridge Angels 7 Ascot United 0
Fareham Town 2 Alresford Town 4
Wednesday 7th September
Replay's
Sevenoaks Town 2 Lewes 1
AFC Dunstable 2 Heybridge Swifts 1
Slimbridge AFC 1 Fleet Town 0 (AET)
So that's three rounds down now, my next trip would be to see Hadley host Kings Langley in the Second Qualfiying Round, check out the that section for what happened.
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