Sporting Bengal United 2 Clapton 0
So my first weekend back in Blighty saw me see a local derby in the most famous competition in the world as Sporting Bengal United hosted Clapton at the Mile End Stadium.
Early morning rain had cleared although it was still a very blustery afternoon in East London so both sides would have to adapt to the conditions laid before them. However with a bumper crowd packed into the main stand at the stadium, mostly due to the attendance of the now well known Clapton Ultras, a great atmosphere welcomed the teams at kick off.
The first fifteen minutes or so yielded very little in the way of attacking football, the only real attempt of note saw Clapton left winger Johnny Ashman cut inside and force hosts keeper Dwayne Esprit into a smart save to his left to push the ball away from goal whilst the hosts themselves were limited to a couple of long range efforts, both comfortably fielded by the giant frame of Pape Diagne in the Tons goal.
However the contest continued to drift along with not a lot of quality and although Ashman was looking lively down the Clapton left, he was ultimately ineffective along with everyone else as the tie was tight and tense and certainly not a classic. However the Tons almost gifted the hosts the lead just past the half hour mark when sloppy play allowed Zubair Hussain a sight of goal but he could only drag his effort wide.
It was a rare moment though as the half unsurprisingly came to a goal less conclusion and left both managers needing to try and get their sides to lift themselves to try and gain an advantage in a tie that so far had yielded very little in the way of goalmouth action. It was certainly to tight to call.
Half Time Sporting Bengal United 0 Clapton 0
You may have thought that the sides would come out all guns blazing and try and take the initiative in the tie but to be honest this never really happened as the match continued in its mundane affair. The Tons did have a couple of half chances, if you could call them that, and the hosts almost caught the visitors short at the back, but apart from this the first fifteen minutes of the half yielded very little once again.
Chances as you have probably worked out were few and far between but as the game entered the final twenty or so minutes the hosts saw a decent effort from Codey Cameron fly inches over the visitors bar whilst down the other end Clapton went close on three occasions in quick succession, one which saw them hit the post from barely two yards, although that was flagged offside anyway.
The game at least had slightly improved from the previous seventy odd minutes but the question on everyone’s lips was would anyone manage to find a winner? Sporting certainly went close to finding one inside the last ten minutes but saw the Tons defence somehow smuggle the ball out for a corner.
And then with four minutes of normal time remaining came the moment that saw the hosts grab a priceless lead. A cross came out to Hussain who hit a wonderful low effort from outside the box into the far corner of the net beyond Diagne in the Tons net and send the hosts wild with delight and then three minutes later they sealed their passage into the next round when a cross to the far post saw David Vaughan totally unmarked and he duly powered a header beyond Diagne and cued more celebrations with the home bench.
The referee did add on quite a bit of stoppage time due to many stoppages that had occured in the second half but Clapton did not threaten to find a way back into the contest and the full time whistle saw the hosts celebrate a huge win in their history as they reach the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for the first time in ten attempts. They face Evo-Stik Premier side Kings Langley away on September 3rd and no doubt they will give a good account of themselves against higher league opposition.
Full Time Sporting Bengal United 2 Clapton 0 (some pictures below)
On the Sunday of the same weekend I decided to take in another Preliminary Round tie as Ryman North Romford hosted Essex Senior League Hullbridge Sports at Thurrock's Ship Lane ground, it proved to be a belter:-
Saturday 20th August 2016
Romford 4 Hullbridge Sports 3
So Sunday afternoon and my second FA Cup tie of the weekend saw me over at the Thurrock Hotel in Ship Lane for a match between Romford and Hullbridge Sports.
The ground had seen a cup shock the day before when Landlords Thurrock had lost at home to Thurlow Nunn One side Halstead Town and so Hullbridge were hoping they could also spring a surprise of their own against Ryman North Romford.
And for the first few minutes the ESL side looked ready to cause a shock. Within a minute of the kick off Matt Brinklow played Luke Hornsley in and the striker saw his effort come back off the post but a minute after that a cross into the dangerzone saw Rob Hodgson head home from close range and give the visitors an early lead.
However the hosts regrouped and came back to level the tie up after only nine minutes as a ball swung in by left back Paul Preston saw Chinedu McKenzie head in off the post and bring the Ryman North side level in this contest. The hosts were most certainly finding their feet now and midway through the half they went in front when Preston, who was causing the visiting defence problems down the left, crossed for skipper Jamie Dicks to power home a close range header and see Romford turn this tie around.
The hosts continued to press and missed a couple of chances to increase their lead although the visiting side were far from out of the tie and proved this fact when Brinklow saw a decent effort well tipped over by hosts keeper Richard Wray five minutes before the break.
But then a minute into first half stoppage time Hullbridge gave away a stupid penalty when hauling down McKenzie inside the box and Matt Mitchell stepped up to slot home the spot kick and send the hosts into the half time break two goals to the good.
Half Time Romford 3 Hullbridge Sports 1
Sports knew an early goal back in the second half would change the look of this tie yet again and two minutes into it they should of had that goal as Hodgson somehow glanced a header wide from six yards out. It was a golden chance and one that should of been taken and the way he beat the turf after missing suggested he knew that too.
And moments later the miss was compounded when Romford made it four as McKenzie managed to drill a shot inside the near post for his second of the contest and suddenly the visitors were three goals behind with an even bigger almost impossible mountain to climb.
And for a period of time after the hosts dominated proceedings and could and should of added to their four goals, missing at least three decent opportunities, as they threatened to run away with the contest. However the hosts failed to capitalise on this period of dominance and had a warning from the visitors when a rare second half chance for the ESL side saw Jimmy Cox spoon over an effort at the far post when it looked easier to score.
As the half entered the last twenty minutes or so though the visitors began to get a foothold in the game once again as the hosts seemed to drop in tempo and the visitors thought they should of had a penalty when Hodgson seemed to be shoved over inside the box but saw nothing given and his protests ended with him being booked as Hullbridge looked a frustrated side.
However Hullbridge kept plugging away and they found a second goal with just under fifteen minutes remaining when Harry Skinner saw the ball drop to him outside the box and he fired a shot beyond Wray into the bottom corner and the Bridge boys had a sniff of an opening. The sniff became a real chance nine minutes later when they got another goal back as Hornsley was played in and he slotted home and suddenly the hosts were hanging on.
Sports now fancied their chances of getting something from the game and in the final minute of normal time won a free kick which was swung into the back post and saw Hodgson amongst others dive and appear to head just wide of the goal, however the linesman had his flag up for a free kick to Romford, and after discussion with the referee saw Hodgson dismissed for a second booking as he had put the ball wide with his hand and not his head and as it was deemed deliberate handball it was a bookable offence.
The final few minutes saw Romford cling on and take the win which at one point looked likely to be a comfortable one but ended up being anything but. However it is the Ryman North side who take their place in the First Qualifying Round and an away tie at Ryman Premier Harlow Town in two weeks time.
Full Time Romford 4 Hullbridge Sports 3 (some photos below)
And then on the following Tuesday I took in one of the Preliminary Round replay's on the outskirts of Colchester as Thurlow Nunn Premier side Stanway Rovers hosted Essex Senior League pacesetters Barking at their Hawthorn's ground, this after the sides had played out a 0-0 draw at the weekend at Barking's Mayesbrook Park, this turned out to be a rather dramatic tie also:-
Tuesday 23rd August
Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 2 (aet)
Tuesday evening saw me over on the outskirts of Colchester as I visited The Hawthorns,Stanway Rovers FC for their FA Cup Preliminary Round Replay tie against Barking.
It had been around twenty years since I last visited the ground and much had changed of course although the pitch and surrounding areas seemed similar to what I remember from before. Anyway it was a perfect sunny evening for football so it certainly helped the excitement build before kick off.
The sides had played out a pretty poor 0-0 draw at the weekend in East London so it was hoped that this replay would at least be a better spectacle. However for the first half hour or so the game was fairly quiet with only a couple of openings for the hosts comfortably dealt with by Jason Willis and the visitors heading a chance well wide of the target the only notable goal mouth action.
But then from nowhere came a lead for the Blues when a ball pumped into the box saw Paul Oshin send a looping header over hosts keeper Rhys Hughes and into the net to see the visitors go in front. It was probably the only real moment of quality in the whole half if truth be told.
Just before half time both sides had openings, firstly when the hosts almost scored a comical own goal but managed to get back to clear, and then secondly Willis managed to save from point blank range after the hosts had miscued an effort when full contact may have resulted in a leveller, however it was the visiting ESL side who went into the half with a slender lead.
Half Time Stanway Rovers 0 Barking 1
The early exchanges in the second half saw the hosts apply much greater pressure on the Barking back line and saw an early chance go begging when a free kick was headed back across the face of goal and wide. The Blues spent much of the first ten to fifteen minutes of the second half pegged back as the hosts tried to find a leveller but on the hour mark Barking really should of made it two when Ricky Tarrard found himself in on goal but he lifted his effort over the bar.
And moments later the Blues should of netted again when a loose ball across the area found John Bricknell who looked certain to score but for a block on the line by a recovering defender. It was another golden chance for the visitors to double their advantage in the tie.
The hosts though were still doing a lot of pressing and with ten minutes left Jamie Shaw forced Willis into a decent stop at his near post as the Blues were being pushed back again. And then with four minutes to go the hosts were awarded a penalty for an apparent hold, although it looked slightly soft to me, and Shaw stepped up to send the spot kick in via Willis’s hand and the hosts had found the leveller.
The Blues were furious and went in search of a winner in normal time and low and behold they then won themselves a spot kick three minutes later for what I think was a push inside the box and James Peagram had the chance to win it for the visitors but his penalty was poor and straight at Hughes who saved the effort meaning the tie would go into extra time.
Full Time Stanway Rovers 1 Barking 1
So after that dramatic end to the game would extra time provide any more twists and turns? Well less than a minute into the extra half hour Stanway went in front when Shaw sent a looping header over a stranded Willis and it was the hosts who looked likely to add to their tally as they saw William Hunt’s effort well tipped over by Willis soon after.
And then two minutes before the end of the first period Stanway did increase their lead when Daniel Thrower drove into the box and rammed a left footed effort past Willis from inside the box and gave the hosts a two goal cushion heading into the half time break in extra time.
Half Time in ET Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 1
If you thought that was the end of the drama then think again. Barking knew they had to pull something out of the hat to get back into this tie and a minute into the second period they saw Peagram smash home a wonderful free kick to bring the scoreline to 3-2 and it was game on again.
Thereafter the Blues swarmed all over the hosts defence as they searched for the equaliser but although they continued to knock on the door Rovers continued to cling on to their lead. And with only a few minutes to go Barking’s joint manager and substitute Glen Golby struck a magnificent effort from range which struck the inside of the post and rolled across the goal and away.
Barking continued to press and the hosts then saw substitute Tyler Kemp sent off for a second booking for handball which led to another Barking set piece in a dangerous area. However the free kick was over hit and drifted out and Stanway had survived the barrage of attacks to take their place in the First Qualifying Round and a match with Barton Rovers. This game may have began slowly but boy did it turn into a classic cup tie or what. Fabulous entertainment.
Full Time after ET Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 2 (some pictures below)
Here are the Preliminary Round Results in full:-
Friday 19th August
Heanor Town 3 Long Eaton United 2
Aveley 0 AFC Hornchurch 1
Saturday 20th August
Guernsey 2 Thamesmead Town 2
Sittingbourne 1 Hythe Town 1
Harrogate Railway Athletic 3 Norton & Stockton Ancients 1
Billingham Synthonia 6 Northallerton Town 0
Dunston UTS 3 Penrith 3
Shildon 2 Kendal Town 0
Padiham 1 Newcastle Benfield 2
Nelson 1 Bishop Auckland 4
Chester-Le-Street Town 0 Marske United 4
West Auckland Town 1 Lancaster City 5
Clitheroe 0 Consett 1
Guisborough Town 2 Bridlington Town 3
Washington 2 Pickering Town 2
Tadcaster Albion 3 Scarborough Athletic 2
North Shields 0 Morpeth Town 1
Droylsden 4 Radcliffe Borough 4
Prescot Cables 0 Trafford 1
Handsworth Parramore 4 Stocksbridge Park Steels 1
Congleton Town 0 Farsley Celtic AFC 6
Alsager Town 1 Winsford United 6
Ramsbottom United 1 Sheffield 2
Parkgate 1 Burscough 4
Ossett Town 2 Goole AFC 1
West Didsbury & Chorlton 2 Squires Gate 3
Atherton Colleries 1 Witton Albion 3
Mossley AFC 4 Hemsworth MW 0
Hyde United 4 Cammell Laird 1907 0
Glossop North End 2 Brighouse Town 2
Maine Road 3 AFC Emley 2
Shaw Lane Association 0 Colwyn Bay 1
Colne 2 1874 Northwich 2
Northwich Victoria 2 Cheadle Town 4
Bamber Bridge 2 Ossett Albion 5
Pontefract Collieries 2 Bootle 1
Coleshill Town 4 Dudley Sports 0
Bedworth United 3 Rocester 2
Kidsgrove Athletic 2 Lye Town 0
Coventry United 5 Lichfield City 1
Hereford 4 Alvechurch 2
Rugby Town 1 Bromsgrove Sporting 0
Leek Town 3 Newcastle Town 2
Highgate United 1 Boldmere St Michaels 0
Market Drayton Town 0 Evesham United 2
Sporting Khalsa 1 Romulus 2
Chasetown 9 Brocton 0
Westfields 5 Tividale 1
Dunkirk 2 Cleethorpes Town 0
Lincoln United 2 Carlton Town 1
Loughborough Dynamo 1 Ashby Ivanhoe 3
Basford United 2 Belper Town 4
AFC Mansfield 2 South Normanton Athletic 0
Brigg Town 2 Blaby & Whetstone Athletic 1
Leicester Road 3 Harborough Town 1
Bottesford Town 1 Kirby Muxloe 2
Loughborough University 1 Gresley 4
Sleaford Town 0 Stamford AFC 3
Yaxley 4 Dereham Town 4
Soham Town Rangers 4 Harrowby United 1
Kirkley & Pakefield 3 Holbeach United 4
Deeping Rangers 2 Wroxham 1
Wisbech Town 1 Peterborough Sports 4
Norwich United 1 Histon 2
Eynesbury Rovers 1 Godmanchester Rovers 1
Bury Town 0 Spalding United 3
Ware 0 Maldon & Tiptree 2
Thurrock 2 Halstead Town 3
Witham Town 3 Eton Manor 0
Waltham Forest 4 Hoddesdon Town 0
Haringey Borough 7 Barkingside 2
Waltham Abbey 2 Bowers & Pitsea 2
Brentwood Town 1 Tilbury 2
Sporting Bengal United 2 Clapton 0
Long Melford 0 Saffron Walden Town 2
Barking 0 Stanway Rovers 0
Ilford 0 Felixstowe & Walton United 2
Brightlingsea Regent 2 Great Wakering Rovers 1
Sawbridgeworth Town 4 Tower Hamlets 2
Hertford Town 0 Hadley 1
Royston Town 1 Heybridge Swifts 4
Cheshunt 8 Basildon United 0
Kempston Rovers 1 Oxhey Jets 0
Stotfold 3 Welwyn Garden City 2
Crawley Green 0 Uxbridge 3
Bedford Town 1 AFC Dunstable 2
Sun Sports 2 Northwood 0
Arlesey Town 1 Potters Bar Town 1
AFC Rushden & Diamonds 4 Northampton Sileby Rangers 3
Desborough Town 0 London Colney 1
Chalfont St Peter 2 Harpenden Town 0
Edgware Town 1 Barton Rovers 3
Cogenhoe United 1 Flackwell Heath 5
Aylesbury 1 Hanwell Town 3
Wembley 1 Harefield United 1
Bishop's Cleeve 1 Camberley Town 1
Highmoor Ibis 1 Brimscombe & Thrupp 2
Thame United 1 North Leigh 7
Wantage Town 4 Hanworth Villa 2
North Greenford United 4 Kidlington 1
CB Hounslow United 2 Petersfield Town 1
Egham Town 2 Bracknell Town 1
Spelthorne Sports 2 Andover Town 3
Farnborough 5 Longlevens AFC 1
Ascot United 4 Didcot Town 3
Slimbridge AFC 3 Bedfont Sports 0
Chertsey Town 3 AFC Hayes 0
Yate Town 1 Fleet Town 2
Shortwood United 0 Ashford Town (Middx) 2
Ardley United 0 Highworth Town 3
Shoreham 3 Dorking Wanderers 4
Greenwich Borough 1 Walton & Hersham 1
Hollands & Blair 1 Whyteleafe 1
Peacehaven & Telscombe 2 Haywards Heath Town 0
Redhill 1 Lewes 6 (at Lewes FC)
Badshot Lea 0 Cray Wanderers 4
Crawley Down Gatwick 2 Corinthian Casuals 3
Loxwood 0 Arundel 2
Carshalton Athletic 3 Farnham Town 0
Whitstable Town 0 Eastbourne Town 0
Chipstead 2 Beckenham Town 1
South Park 2 Phoenix Sports 0
Eastbourne United 2 Newhaven 2
Ashford United 1 Three Bridges 0
Herne Bay 1 East Grinstead Town 0
Molesey 0 Godalming Town 2
Faversham Town 2 Epsom & Ewell 1
VCD Athletic 0 Croydon 0
Sevenoaks Town 4 Horsham 2
Tooting & Mitcham United 0 East Preston 1
Walton Casuals 3 Chatham Town 3
Ramsgate 1 Erith Town 0
Banstead Athletic 3 Colliers Wood United 3
Guildford City 1 Chessington & Hook United 1
Gillingham Town 2 AFC Totton 0
Bashley 1 Sholing 2
Amesbury Town 1 Bemerton Heath Harlequins 3
Blackfield & Langley 1 Paulton Rovers 2
Cadbury Heath 4 Team Solent 1
AFC Portchester 2 Mangotsfield United 0
Whitchurch United 0 Moneyfields 3
Wimborne Town 1 Alresford Town 1
United Services Portsmouth 0 Winchester City 3
Verwood Town 2 Fareham Town 2
Swindon Supermarine 5 Odd Down 1
Oldland Abbotonians 2 Brislington 3
Hamworthy United 2 Brockenhurst 1 (at Brockenhurst FC)
Salisbury 5 Bitton 0
Street 4 Larkhall Athletic 2
Bideford AFC 1 Bodmin Town 1
Taunton Town 4 Tiverton Town 4
Bridgwater Town 0 Plymouth Parkway 6
Portishead Town 2 Shepton Mallet 0
Clevedon Town 0 Barnstaple Town 1
Sunday 21st August
Romford 4 Hullbridge Sports 3
Worksop Town 2 Ashton Athletic 2
Aylesbury United 0 Biggleswade United 1
Beaconsfield SYCOB 2 Marlow 2
Canterbury City 1 Pagham 1
Cray Valley (PM) 0 Hastings United 2
Monday 22nd August
Replay's
Brighouse Town 4 Glossop North End 2
Chatham Town 1 Walton Casuals 2
Tuesday 23rd August
Replay's
Tiverton Town 0 Taunton Town 2
Pickering Town 1 Washington 2
Radcliffe Borough 2 Droylsden 1
Ashton Athletic 2 Worksop Town 2 (AET, Ashton Athletic won 4-1 on penalties)
Dereham Town 1 Yaxley 0
Bowers & Pitsea 2 Waltham Abbey 4
Stanway Rovers 3 Barking 2 (AET)
Potters Bar Town 4 Arlesey Town 1
Marlow 3 Beaconsfield SYCOB 3 (AET, Beaconsfield SYCOB won 4-3 on penalties)
Harefield United 2 Wembley 1
Camberley Town 2 Bishop's Cleeve 0
Walton & Hersham 0 Greenwich Borough 3
Whyteleafe 4 Hollands & Blair 2
Eastbourne Town 1 Whitstable Town 1 (AET, Eastbourne Town won 3-1 on penalties)
Newhaven 1 Eastbourne United 2
Thamesmead Town 1 Guernsey 1 (AET, Thamesmead Town won 4-2 on penalties)
Hythe Town 5 Sittingbourne 0
Chessington & Hook United 1 Guildford City 2
Fareham Town 4 Verwood Town 0
1874 Northwich 1 Colne 3
Wednesday 24th August
Replay's
Pagham 2 Canterbury City 1 (AET)
Colliers Wood United 3 Banstead Athletic 0
Penrith 1 Dunston UTS 2
Godmanchester Rovers 1 Eynesbury Rovers 3
Croydon 1 VCD Athletic 2
Alresford Town 1 Wimborne Town 0 (AET)
Bodmin Town 1 Bideford AFC 2
That concludes the Preliminary Round, my journey now takes me to Kings Langley Vs Sporting Bengal United in the following round, check out the First Qualifying Round stage for that.
No comments:
Post a Comment