BBC Essex Senior Cup Round Three Review (4th/5th/6th November) - Holders Redbridge bow out, Harwich & Parkeston cause huge shock whilst Little Oakley & Rayleigh Town net wins over higher league opposition

There were ten more Round Three ties taking place this week in the BBC Essex Senior Cup, so ten more sides looking to join Billericay Town, Aveley & Hornchurch in Round Four, and holders Redbridge got their defence underway on Monday, so let's see how that went as well as the other ties scheduled:-

Monday November 4th

Redbridge 0 Brightlingsea Regent 3

Holders Redbridge crashed out of the county cup at their first hurdle after they were beaten by Brightlingsea Regent in their all Isthmian North tie at Oakside. Christian Frimpong handed the visitors a 20th minute lead before a penalty before the hour mark doubled their advantage, and they sealed the deal in the 71st minute with a third goal to progress into the next round.

Tuesday November 5th

Witham Town 2 Brentwood Town 2 (Witham Town won 4-3 on penalties)

This all Isthmian North contest went the way of the hosts after they won a penalty shoot out to edge out Brentwood Town at Spa Road. Brentwood edged themselves ahead three minutes before the break when Benas Vaivada found the net, but three minutes into the second half Witham were level after Adelaja fired past Minter into the bottom left corner, however, parity only lasted two minutes as Brentwood regained the lead through Romel Aarons-Royal. That looked to be enough to send the visitors through, but the hosts had other ideas and levelled three minutes into added on time after a scramble saw the hosts force the ball over the line, sending the tie into penalties, and after a dramatic shoot out, Witham were victorious after taking the shootout on a second match point to progress into Round Four.

Waltham Abbey 3 Grays Athletic 1

It was the hosts who grabbed a tenth minute lead courtesy of Nathan Koranteng, but Grays were not behind for long as Luke Hirst levelled just six minutes later, the hosts though managed to get their noses back in front ten minutes after the break through Amrit Bansual.  And the hosts sealed their passage into Round Four when Troy Chiaba added a third goal with nine minutes remaining.

Harwich & Parkeston 2 Bowers & Pitsea 1

Thurlow Nunn South Harwich & Parkeston created club history by knocking out a club three levels above them for the first time since 1990 as they saw off Isthmian Premier Bowers & Pitsea at The Royal Oak.  The hosts grabbed a shock lead just past the half hour mark when Dan Keeble bundled home a loose ball inside the box, but the visitors managed to fight back in the second half and level twenty minutes into it when Teniola's header found Samir Ali who smashed home via a deflection, and it looked like penalties would be needed to decide this tie. But, Harwich were to net a winner late on after a corner found Ewan Livingston who headed home to send the hosts into Round Four and cause quite a shock in the competition.  

Hashtag United 5 Southend United 3

The Tags saw off a youthful Blues at The Len Salmon in a very entertaining encounter in South Essex, it took the hosts just three minutes to break the deadlock as Harrison Day, on loan from Dagenham & Redbridge, slotted home, and then Josh Osude, who had returned to The Tags for a third spell, used his pace to run onto his own header before sprinting past several players and finding Sakariya Hassan to tap home and double the hosts lead inside fifteen minutes. And just past the midway point of the first half Tags made it three when Day added his second of the game, Osude setting a cross into the striker inside the box before he finished brilliantly into the far corner on the slide, and the tie seemed as good as over at this point. And Day was to complete his hat-trick ten minutes into the second period when he bundled home and stretch his sides lead. The youthful Blues did find a consolation with fifteen minutes to go after a misplaced pass was intercepted and a ball into Wood was dispatched calmly past Gidds, and they managed to pull another one back with four minutes remaining as Wood grabbed his second of the night after The Blues pounced on another error from the home side in what was a much improved second half from the visitors. The Tags added a fifth in stoppage time when Ayo Olukoga was brilliantly set up by hat-trick hero Day to blast into the top corner, Wood was then to complete his hat-trick for the Blues even deeper into stoppage time, meaning the game had seen a hat-trick for both sides, it was however The Tags who would progress into the next round.    

Buckhurst Hill 0 Canvey Island 3

Their would be no repeat of last years surprise win for Buckhurst Hill over Canvey as the Isthmian Premier visitors netted victory this time round at Myrak Park. Canvey edged themselves in front six minutes before the break when Chris Harris managed to knee home, and then nine minutes after the break the visitors doubled their advantage after a shot from Jaxon Brown was saved but the rebound was smashed home by Bradley Sach, his first goal since returning to the club.  And the visitors sealed the deal in stoppage time when Sach added another with a lovely effort from the edge of the area and see the visiting side progress into Round Four.

Little Oakley 3 Basildon United 0

Their was another surprise scoreline at The Memorial Ground as Essex Senior Little Oakley saw off Isthmian North Basildon United in North Essex. The hosts stunned the visitors by grabbing a 16th minute lead through Darren Mills, running onto a pinpoint through ball to apply the finish, and then two late goals sealed the deal and see the hosts upset their higher league opponents, Lewis Wood netting a second before Jordi Papple added a third, seeing the ESL side progress into the next round.  

Wednesday November 6th

Ilford 0 Tilbury 3

Three first half goals were enough for Isthmian North high flyers Tilbury to see off Essex Senior League strugglers Ilford at Cricklefield. It didn't take long for the visitors to grab the lead as only seven minutes had elapsed when Lindell Stewart got on the end of a Sam Bantick free kick to hand the Dockers the advantage, and just past the midway point of the first period Tilbury doubled their lead through Dan Trendall, putting the visitors in a very strong position. And they were to strengthen their grip even further just past the half hour mark when Lindell Stewart rounded the keeper to apply a finish for his second of the game, and the tie was as good as over as The Dockers reached Round Four. 

Takeley 0 Rayleigh Town 1

Thurlow Nunn South Rayleigh Town caused another upset in a cup competition as they downed Essex Senior League high flyers Takeley at Station Road. The tie looked to be heading for a goalless draw and penalties but then drama in the 80th minute as Rayleigh netted the winning goal after Leo Clark's shot was deflected into the path of Matt Tapley who managed to bundle home and send the visitors into Round Four.

Dunmow Town 1 Heybridge Swifts 9

Isthmian North Heybridge Swifts netted nine as they demolished Thurlow Nunn South Dunmow Town at Catons Lane. The deadlock was broken after twenty one minutes when Kojo Apenteng's ball in found Vinnie Bowman who managed to find the net with a combination of his head/shoulder for his first Swifts goal, and it was two for Swifts just before the half hour mark after Jack Stone ran in on goal before chipping over the keeper and find the net. And twelve minutes before the break the tie was a good as done when Swifts added a third, Stone adding his second of the contest after he rose highest in the box to convert for the visiting side. Eight minutes into the second period Swifts made it four, Bowman netting his second of the tie by smashing an effort into the bottom corner, the hosts did then manage to find the net themselves four minutes after that to reduce the deficit to three, but that four goal lead was restored just past the hour mark when Apenteng calmly slotted home.  And Apenteng was at it again, netting another by beating the keeper at the near post to make it six for the visitors with twenty minutes to go, and a rampant visitors made it seven with just under fifteen to go as Bowman completed his treble by firing into the bottom corner.  He wasn't the only man to grab a treble in this contest though, as Swifts made it eight with eleven minutes to go as Stone netted his third with a great finish under the keeper, and Stone was to add his fourth of the game with five minutes left, dribbling into an open net after Bowman had set him up following a mistake from the keeper to make it nine for the visitors and see them cruise into the next round. 

So, that's thirteen sides into Round Four, the last 16 of the competition, there are still three more ties to come to complete Round Three, those are below:-

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 brings you right up to date with the competition so far, thanks for reading!!!