Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round, Saturday 5th August
Back in February I was over covering North Greenford United Vs Chalfont St Peter in a Combined Counties Premier North match and one player stood out for the visitors who won that day, skipper Josh Quinlivan, and I wrote some nice things about him, well he contacted me after that to thank me and asked if I could cover some of their games late in the season.
Now sadly I could not do this, but he did contact me again in the summer to ask if I could cover an early game this campaign, so I promised him I'd come over and start my FA Cup run with his club, and they today they played that game, a home tie with fellow Combined Counties Premier North side Wallingford & Crowmarsh, who I must admit knew little about prior to this game although it's fair to say I know much more about them now!!! This also was Josh's first ever game in the FA Cup, so it was nice to cover his debut in the competition.
This was both sides first games of the campaign as their league season hasn't yet started, so it was straight into FA Cup competitive action, now these two obviously played each other last season, the game at Wally's Hithercroft ground ended 2-2 but the return game at Mill Meadow, today's venue, saw a 0-3 away win, although this would have no bearing on today's contest.
Chalfont just survived relegation to step six last season by the skin of their teeth, whereas the visitors ended the season in a respectable tenth, but it had been sixteen years since a side from Wallingford had entered the FA Cup, so this was a big day for them, as it was for the home side too, they had exited the competition at this stage last season so didn't want to repeat that this time around.
Now despite the appalling weather leading up to the game the pitch was in fantastic condition, it has amazing drainage so their was no problems with this one not going ahead (the sun actually did come out for parts of the game too, so no need to worry about what was not a good forecast!!!) but sadly for the home side they were to have a pretty poor opening forty five minutes.
Visitors Wallingford edged in front after eleven minutes when a lovely pass from Ollie Lynch found Brodie Gray who applied a lovely finish, and then just past the midway point of the half Caelan Isaac was sent clear down the right, and as he hit an effort wide of the target he was brought down, and the referee pointed to the spot and saw Isaac pick himself up to convert the penalty and give his side a two goal cushion.
And a minute into first half stoppage time the hosts pretty much handed their opponents a third goal to almost end this tie when after Chalfont won a free kick by the corner flag, it was taken two quickly and played straight to Euan Aitchinson who rolled a pass across goal to the far post where Aiden Higgs was on hand to tap home and send the visitors into the break with a commanding three goal lead.
It had certainly been a perfect half for the Oxfordshire side and they almost certainly had one foot in the next round, but their was still forty five minutes to go and an early goal back for the hosts could change the momentum in this one, they certainly needed to improve after a poor first period, what could they muster up if anything?
Well, they certainly performed much better in the second period and you could say it was a game of two halves as the visitors certainly went off the boil in the second forty five minutes, but despite plenty of pressure from the home side they could not find a goal back, that was until the 84th minute when they finally grabbed one, as skipper Quinlivan got into the box before squaring a ball to the back post where substitute Drilon Krasniqi was on hand to convert, leaving a nervy final few minutes for the visitors.
Seven minutes of stoppage time were shown, and it almost got even more nervy for Wallingford when the hosts somehow struck the bar from close range, they had thrown everything at their opponents in the second forty five minutes but were unable to recover the damage from the opening half and could not pull that three goal deficit back, meaning the visitors were to take the win and set up a home tie with Southern One Central side Marlow in the Preliminary Round in two weeks time. (a tie I plan to be at myself which would be a first visit for me too)
So, this one was ultimately decided in the first half, Chalfont will be disappointed to have exited the FA Cup at the first stage once again, they will now turn their attentions to the league campaign which gets underway at Egham Town next weekend.
Full time Chalfont St Peter 1 Wallingford & Crowmarsh 3
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