Essex Senior League/Emirates FA Cup First Qualifying Round, Saturday August 31st
The last Saturday of August and indeed the last day of the month saw eight leagues games in the Essex Senior League, but two of their sides were also in Emirates FA Cup action in the shape of Athletic Newham & Barking, they were the only two to make it into the First Qualifying Round of the competition after winning their previous two ties.
More on the league games later on in this blog, but the main focus was on the two FA Cup ties, one at The Terrance McMillan Stadium and one over in Cambridgeshire in St Neots, I was at the former for Athletic Newham Vs Amersham Town and it promised to be quite a match up between two sides who had began their seasons very well indeed.
ESL side Newham had played five games so far this season, all away from home as well, and after recording a 1-0 win at one of the pre season favourites in Saffron Walden Town, a draw with Romford was then followed by a thumping 6-1 win at Hullbridge Sports, who themselves had started the season with two big wins.
Newham had also won 2-0 at Chipstead in the Extra Preliminary Round of this competition before a 4-2 win Lancing in the last round, making that ten goals in two games prior to their two week break ahead of this their first home game of the season, decent from indeed but would that break help or hinder them? Momentum could have been lost perhaps, or would the break mean they were fresh and raring to go in this one?
They were up against Combined Counties Premier North side Amersham Town who so far this season have won six of their seven games in all competition and have netted four or more goals in five of those games, and a perfect record in their division after four games too, netting sixteen goals in the process, so that's not a bad start is it.
Their FA Cup run has seen them net a 4-2 win at Oldland Abbotonians before they then netted another four in the previous round with a home win over Clevedon Town, so to say they can score goals would be an understatement, their only loss this season came at home in the FA Vase First Qualifying Round to Staines & Lammas (MIddlesex) which was probably a bit of a shock for them, but they did recover to beat Broadfields United 4-3 away last time out on Bank Holiday Monday.
So, who would be the ones to win through in this tie, it was certainly a hard one to call, both liked to attack and score goals for sure, so if this was the case today then we would be in for a treat of a cup tie, well, we only had to wait ten minutes for the opening goal, and it came for the hosts, although the visitors were very unhappy as they thought it was offside.
A ball forward saw an attacker in an offside position, he left the ball alone though and Jaime Obama Nvumba ran onto the ball and for me was onside, and with the visiting defence waiting for a flag, none came and Nvumba duly rounded keeper Zavier Comas Leon and slotted home, and Newham had the early advantage.
Amersham would have felt even more hard done by as they had started the game the better, but just six minutes after going behind they levelled deservedly when Jake Tabor teed himself up to volley superbly past Sebastian Barford in the hosts goal, and then in the 25th minute they had turned the match around as centre half Daryl Brown fired a lovely finish into the far corner from inside the box.
And when a clever free kick into the six yard box by Louis Bircham ended up with Amersham's other centre half Jonathan O'Sullivan bundling home from close range with seven minutes of the first half remaining, the visitors looked well on their way to victory, it had been well deserved, Newham had looked off the pace whilst the visitors were looking dangerous every time they ventured forward, and at half time their looked like only one winner in this one.
Could the hosts mount a comeback, well they had the perfect start to the half when they pulled one back to make it a game once again after a ball in from the left found Nvumba who rifled a first time effort past Leon, and all of a sudden Amersham, who had looked in control of this tie, were now the ones doing the majority of the defending and keeping their opponents at bay.
Amersham did have their moments in the second half too, and probably should have had a couple of penalties for fouls but the referee thought otherwise, however Newham were knocking on the door and with 84 minutes in the clock they finally grabbed a leveller to set up a grandstand finish when that man Nvumba completed his hat trick by volleying home after the defence had failed to clear their lines.
However, their was to be no winner in the tie today as a pulsating contest ended all square, meaning they will have to do it all again next week in Amersham to see who wins through to the Second Qualifying Round of the FA Cup, if it is half as good as this contest then we are in for a treat, it was a superb game and very entertaining for everyone there who saw it.
Full time Athletic Newham 3 Amersham Town 3
St Neots Town 2 Barking 2
The Blues will be in the hat for Monday's Second Qualifying Round draw after they earned a replay against St Neots Town at The Premier Plus Stadium in Cambridgeshire, Juwon Akintunde had given Barking a tenth minute lead but saw Sam Willis level the tie up in the 24th minute, and when Kieran Barnes handed the hosts a 48th minute lead, Barking had to find a way to level the tie. And they did with twenty minutes to go when they saw Robbie Parker put through his own net, meaning a replay at Mayesbrook Park next week.
So, Athletic Newham & Barking are still in the cup but face replays next week, let's hope they can do the business second time around.
Now onto the day's league fixtures, eight of them took place, let's see how those went:-
Benfleet 1 Buckhurst Hill 0
Billy Carter netted six minutes from time as Benfleet picked up a second league win of the season, the visitors, who lost for the third time in the league this season, ended the contest with ten men after substitute Quincy Warner, who had only been on the pitch for fourteen minutes, was sent off with a minute of the ninety to go.
Great Wakering Rovers 1 Ilford 0
Rovers are level on points with leaders Woodford Town and still are yet to concede in the league this season after they left it very late to see off Ilford at Burroughs Park, as with the game looking likely to end goalless, Ben Search fired home a penalty deep into added on time to see the hosts take all the spoils/
Hullbridge Sports 0 Frenford 1
Frenford are into the top ten of the division as their decent start to the season continued with a fine win at Lower Road against a Hullbridge side who after winning their opening two games have gone completely off the boil. Jordon Elongo netted the only goal of the game nine minutes after the break and despite seeing defender Wilton Domingos sent off late on, they held on to record a second league win of the campaign.
Saffron Walden Town 7 Halstead Town 0
Walden's indifferent start to the campaign was put right today at least after they smashed seven past a beleaguered Halstead Town at Catons Lane, Solomon Ofori opened the scoring after barely a minute before Ross Wall doubled their lead just past the midway point of the first half, and it was 3-0 on 42 minutes after Julian Simon-Parson put through his own net. Charlie Morris then netted a fourth for the hosts eight minutes into the second period, before Darren Phillips then added another midway through the second half, Phillips then netted again in the 89th minute and the scoring was completed a minute later when Emmanuel Okunja scored to cap a fine afternoon for Walden. It was a day to forget for Halstead who dropped to the bottom of the table on goal difference as a result.
Sawbridgeworth Town 3 FC Clacton 3
Shane Bambridge netted a 92nd minute leveller to salvage Sawbo's first point of the season and deny FC Clacton a first win of the season in what was a battle between the bottom two in the division. Jordon Rock gave the visitors the lead just past the half hour mark but then saw Freddie Griffiths level early in the second period, James Letts then restored the visitors lead soon after and when Inrahim Barrie was dismissed for a second yellow for Sawbo on the hour mark before the visitors went 3-1 up through Dion Tansele's 71st minute goal, it looked over for the hosts. But, Kieran David pulled one back straight away before Bambridge's late heroics saw a superb game end all square.
Stanway Rovers 0 Woodford Town 0
The final 100% record has gone as Woodford Town drew at The Hawthorns against a Stanway Rovers side who played the final few minutes of the contest with ten men after Milo Grimes was dismissed for the hosts.
Takeley 0 Romford 0
Takeley & Romford drew a blank at Station Road although both sides remain unbeaten so far this season and occupy the top five as a result.
West Essex 2 Stansted 1
West are up to eighth after they defeated Stansted at Wadham Lodge, The Airportmen, who were yet to win this season, grabbed a ninth minute lead through Correy Davidson, however a second half turnaround saw West take the points, Nathan Braithwaite levelling early on in the second period before Yemi Adelani netted just past the hour mark to give them the lead. And they went onto take points although their afternoon ended with ten men after substitute Darnell Asare-Williams managed to pick up two yellow cards in three stoppage time minutes, but it's defeat for Stansted who have not won in five league games now and only have two points so far.
Let's see how the table looks following those games:-
Woodford & Wakering lead the way then, neither have conceded a goal as yet too, and along with them Romford, Takeley, Athletic Newham, Little Oakley & White Ensign remain unbeaten (the latter three were not in league action today).
FC Clacton were denied a first league win after Sawbo's late leveller saw them gain a first point of the campaign, they do go up two places though after Stansted's loss at West Essex, and Sawbo come off the bottom on goal difference after Halstead's awful showing at Walden today.
Well, that concludes today's blog, thanks for reading as always!!!
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