(Action from Walthamstow Vs Aveley on Tuesday night at Wadham Lodge)
This week saw Round Three of the BBC Essex Senior Cup get underway with three fixtures, I decided to attend two of those games, Monday night at Thames Road, home of Concord Rangers, and then Tuesday night's fare from Wadham Lodge, home of Walthamstow of course, there was also a Wednesday night game from Park Drive in Maldon, which I was unable to attend, but I will include this in my blog as well.
Anyway lets see how these games go and who managed to prosper in the competition and reach Round Four, the last 16 of the cup:-
Monday October 28th
Concord Rangers 0 Billericay Town 2
Monday night saw me over at Thames Road for a Third Round tie between Isthmian North Concord Rangers & Isthmian Premier side Billericay Town, the hosts therefore giving up one step in the non league pyramid as a result.
The Blues had played eleven league games this far and were the only unbeaten side left in their division, and were only second on goal difference, Concord on the other hand are in a period where after rising up three levels afew years ago to the second tier in non league, they have dropped two levels recently and were down in 13th spot in their division having had a mixed start to their campaign.
Billericay then were obvious favourites to win this tie, and had it not been for the brilliance of home keeper Rory Myles, making three superb stops, one being a superb double save, then the Blues could well have been three goals up at the break, they did have other opportunities as well as they were proving to strong for their opponents, however it looked like Concord would get to the break level.
But, three minutes before the break The Blues were to break through when a ball into the box from full back Jay Porter found Frankie Merrifield and the latter turned and fired an effort at goal which took a slight deflection before finding the net to give the visitors a more than deserved half time lead.
Could the hosts respond and stun their higher league opponents, well on the hour mark a second Blues goal certainly made it a bigger mountain to try and scale, a nice ball played into the path of De-Carrey Sheriff saw him burst past his marker and send a finish through the legs of keeper Myles and into the net.
The visitors seemed to then take their foot off the gas a bit and this allowed Concord to get a bit more into the game and give their opponents a bit more to think about, but if truth be told the visitors were always in control and kept Concord at arms length, and this resulted in them taking the win and progressing into Round Four.
Tuesday October 29th
Walthamstow 0 Aveley 4
Tuesday night saw me make a rare trip to Wadham Lodge, well recently anyway, as Isthmian North Walthamstow hosted Vanarama South Aveley, so that is a two division gap in the non league pyramid, the visitors had made seven changes from their league game at the weekend though, would this give the hosts a chance of a shock result?
Stows league start had been mixed at best, five wins and seven defeats leaving them down in 14th spot, Aveley themselves were sitting second bottom in their division although they are a club certainly punching above their weight right now, and last seasons play off achievement was superb to say the least, they were still expected to win this tie though despite all the changes made for this cup tie.
Stow though were the side to create the best chances in the opening half exchanges, a downward header from point blank range bounced over the bar, another effort struck the post, and there were other chances that were straight at keeper Carey Bloedorn, Aveley did have a lot of possession but hadn't really created much, but then just before the half hour the visitors took the lead when the wonderfully named Razzaq Coleman De-Graft cut inside and sent a left footed effort into the bottom corner.
That meant Aveley held a slender lead at the break, but after half time the Vanarama South outfit took complete control and by the hour mark had all but killed off this tie, De-Graft added a second when he fired another left footed effort inside the near post three minutes after the break, and then Ibrahim Akanbi struck home a wonderful free kick just before the hour mark to give Aveley a comfortable three goal cushion.
It felt after this is was a matter of how many the visitors would get, they did manage to add a fourth goal in the 81st minute when a free kick into the box was headed back across goal and centre half Nathan Carlyle who applied the finishing touch into the bottom corner as Aveley cruised into Round Four of the competition.
Maldon & Tiptree 1 Hornchurch 1 (Hornchurch won 4-1 on penalties)
The third and final Round Three contest of the week came from Park Drive, Maldon, as Isthmian North Maldon & Tiptree hosted Vanarama South Hornchurch, so just like Tuesday nights game, the hosts were giving up two levels in terms of the non league pyramid.
A goalless first period made way for a eventful start to the second period, Maldon took the lead two minutes into it when after a cross had been punched away, the ball was returned into the box where a header down found Sonny Dutton who applied the finishing touch, and then just four minutes later the visitors were down to ten men after Jazzi Barnum-Bobb committed a professional foul to deny the hosts going through on goal, advantage Maldon then surely?
Well, not quite, as two minutes after that sending off, The Urchins levelled as a deflected effort from Darren McQueen found the net for a leveller, and with no further goals forthcoming, the tie went to a shoot out, which the visitors dominated to progress into Round Four of the competition.
So, that's Billericay Town, Aveley & Hornchurch through to Round Four, there are another thirteen Round Three ties to come over the coming weeks, here are those fixtures:-
Monday November 4th
Redbridge Vs Brightlingsea Regent
Tuesday November 5th
Witham Town Vs Brentwood Town
Waltham Abbey Vs Grays Athletic
Harwich & Parkeston Vs Bowers & Pitsea
Hashtag United Vs Southend United
Buckhurst Hill Vs Canvey Island
Little Oakley Vs Basildon United
Wednesday November 6th
Ilford Vs Tilbury
Takeley Vs Rayleigh Town
Dunmow Town Vs Heybridge Swifts
Tuesday November 12th
Saffron Walden Town Vs Braintree Town
Wednesday November 13th
West Essex Vs Chelmsford City
Tuesday November 19th
Dagenham & Redbridge Vs Colchester United
That's the BBC Essex Senior Cup right up to date, thanks for reading!!!
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