FA trophy replay sets up Essex Derby

[Ian_W]

F.A. TROPHY REPLAY SETS-UP ESSEX DERBY

By Chris Evans

 

Brentwood Town continued their hoodoo over Ryman League Premier Division club Harlow Town with a single-goal replay victory to send them through to another all-Essex F.A. Trophy Second Qualifying Round clash at home to Canvey Island.

 

Town, who play their football one level below in Division One North, did the double over their North-Essex counterparts after previously knocking them out of the F.A. Cup. The initial game ended 1-1 at the Brentwood Centre Arena at the weekend but this time around it took a 15th-minute Steve King header to win the tie.

 

Canvey managed to advance without the need for a replay as they overcame Horsham Y.M.C.A. 3-1 away from home at the first attempt. Dominant for long periods, the Islanders took a quick lead through Man of the Match Leon Gordon who fired home from close range just 2 minutes in.

 

Horsham sprung a surprise by levelling ten minutes later but the frustrated visitors finally got everything out of their system courtesy of Gabriel Fanibuyan’s 63rd-minute solo goal which was quickly followed by a Danny Curran clincher.

 

Elsewhere, Witham Town registered an impressive 3-0 win away at Chatham Town to advance while East Thurrock United also carried the Essex flag after a replay, following-up their entertaining 3-3 home stalemate against Cray Wanderers with a 3-2 midweek replay victory.

 

The County now has eight teams in the Second Qualifying Round with Heybridge Swifts facing a long journey to Chippenham Town and Chelmsford City facing a glamour tie at fellow Ryman Premier title-contenders A.F.C. Wimbledon. Billericay Town and A.F.C. Hornchurch also got through to move a step closer to Wembley.

 

F.A. Carlsberg Trophy

 

Preliminary Round Replays: Aveley 0-2 Ilford; Croydon Athletic 2-4 Maldon Town.

 

First Qualifying Round (20/10/07): Billericay Town 2-1 Ilford; Brentwood Town 1-1 Harlow Town; Chatham Town 0-3 Witham Town; Metropolitan Police 3-0 Great Wakering Rovers; Cheshunt 1-2 Heybridge Swifts; Boreham Wood 1-2 Chelmsford City; East Thurrock United 3-3 Cray Wanderers; Horsham Y.M.C.A. 1-3 Canvey Island; A.F.C. Hornchurch 0-0 Dartford; Maldon Town 1-2 Dover Athletic.

 

First Qualifying Round Replays: Harlow Town 0-1 Brentwood Town; Cray Wanderers 2-3 East Thurrock United; Dartford 0-3 A.F.C. Hornchurch.

 

Second Qualifying Round (3/11/07): Chippenham Town vs Heybridge Swifts; A.F.C. Wimbledon vs Chelmsford City; Tonbridge Angels vs East Thurrock United; Brentwood Town vs Canvey Island; A.F.C. Hornchurch vs Northwood; Witham Town vs Horsham; Kings Lynn vs Billericay Town.

 

The County’s interest in the F.A. Sunday Cup is now limited to just Nicholas Wybacks after the Basildon Sunday League side emerged from the First Round to set-up an away tie at Surrey’s Morden Sunday League leaders Mayfair United next month.

 

Loughton Nu Bar and Risden Wood, Essex’s other two representatives in the Carlsberg-sponsored competition, fell at the first hurdle to leave Wybacks as the only interest. Loughton were narrowly defeated by the odd goal in three at home to Bedfordshire outfit Club Lewsey from the North Home Counties League a fortnight ago, while Risden Wood were more soundly beaten by Medway Area League Wainscott Arrows from Kent.

 

F.A. Carlsberg Sunday Cup

 

First Round: Loughton Nu Bar 1-2 Club Lewsey; Brantham Athletic 6-2 Risden Wood; Nicholas Wybacks 3-1 Wainscott Arrows.

 

Second Round (4/11/07): Mayfair United vs Nicholas Wybacks.

 

The magic of the F.A. Cup is alive and kicking for three Essex non-league clubs this weekend as the Fourth Qualifying Round takes place to include A.F.C. Hornchurch, Billericay Town and Grays Athletic.

 

All three are just one game away from a potential draw with giants Leeds United or Nottingham Forest in the First Round Proper as they look to overcome the last qualifying hurdle on Saturday. A.F.C. Hornchurch play host to University-based Southern League side Team Bath at Bridge Avenue after disposing of Dulwich Hamlet, 2-1.

 

Billericay Town aim to continue their assault on F.A. Competitions at Kent-based Folkestone Invicta after surviving their derby-double in the last round, squeezing past Heybridge Swifts after a replay. On the Friday night before England met Estonia at Wembley, the two Essex heavyweights drew two each at Scraley Road but Matt Jones’ side favoured their home territory more, Jamie Dormer and Bradley Wood-Garness strikes helping them through at the second attempt.

 

Grays Athletic, whose Blue Square Premier campaign has taken somewhat of a turn for the better of late, are introduced to the competition with a difficult home game against ambitious Lewes from the division below.

 

F.A. Cup sponsored by E.ON

 

Second Qualifying Round Replays: Maldon Town 0-3 Tonbridge Angels (after extra time); A.F.C. Hornchurch 2-1 Hendon.

 

Third Qualifying Round: Brentwood Town 0-3 Staines Town; Heybridge Swifts 2-2 Billericay Town; A.F.C. Hornchurch 2-1 Dulwich Hamlet; Hayes & Yeading United 1-0 Chelmsford City.

 

Third Qualifying Round Replays: Billericay Town 2-0 Heybridge Swifts.

 

Fourth Qualifying Round (27/10/07): A.F.C. Hornchurch vs Team Bath; Folkestone Invicta vs Billericay Town; Grays Athletic vs Lewes.

 

 

[theabbeyabbott]

Nu Bar had already played one round winning on pens...