So I was over at Lowfield‘s, home of Hoddesdon Town, who were hosting local rivals Sawbridgeworth Town in the FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round as the famous old competition got going for the new season.
A decent friday night crowd showed up to see who would progress through to face Romford in the next round in two weeks time. The hosts had lost both their opening league games whilstSawbo had four points from their’s although this would of course mean nothing come kick off.
The hosts started the better and on 7 minutes carved out the first chance after a turn and shot from the edge of the box whistled just wide of the far post. Five minutes later the hosts won afree kick out on the right and this was well delivered but headed just over. Then just past the quarter hour mark another hosts attack saw a decent cross from the right result in a free header but this was totally miss headed and it drifted well wide.
The visitors were continuing to give away free kick’s in dangerous areas and on 19 minutes one such occurrence gave the hosts a good chance to test the Sawbo goal but the place kick was more suited to Twickenham and sailed miles over the goal and over the fence, the less said about that the better!!! The hosts were doing all the attacking and they thought they had finally broken through on 21 minutes when a deflected free kick was parried into the path of the hosts but as he tapped home the flag went up for offside.
Hoddesdon saw another effort saved by the Sawbo keeper just before the half hour mark as they looked the more likely to score as the visitors had hardly mustered anything going forward whatsoever, that was until ten minutes before the break when they could and should of taken an undeserved lead when they finally threatened the hosts goal as a long through ball along the deck caught out the hosts backline but the resulting effort was dragged wide.
However just two minutes after this the hosts finally took the lead as a through ball found Mark Summers who swivled and slotted past the keeper beautifully and give the Hertordshire side a deserved lead. Hoddesdon 1 Sawbo 0.
The visitors tried to respond soon after when a great driving run at the defence looked to cause danger to the hosts but this was then ended with a disappointing offside decision. It got worse for Sawbo two minutes before the break as the hosts doubled their lead as a corner from the right was allowed to travel across the goal by the defence and Mark Summers was on hand to head home from close range for his second of the game. Hoddesdon 2 Sawbo 0.
Again the visitors tried to respond with a strike at goal but it was easy for the keeper who palmed the ball down before claiming it. So at the half the hosts were in control with a two goal lead.
Half Time: Hoddesdon Town 2 Sawbridgeworth Town 0
Hoddesdon should of made it three minutes into the second half as a keeper kick out was charged down and the ball fell to the hosts and with an empty goal to aim for they could only poke the effort wide. The Sawbo defence, who had been largely poor during this game, were living dangerously again but just managed to get away with it and then down the other end the visitors flashed an effort across goal and wide as they looked to try and get back into this tie.
On 56 minutes Sawbo threatened again when winger Mitchell Das hit a shot towards the near post but saw his effort palmed out by the keeper as the visitors were now seeing more of the ball.
Just before the hour yet another mix up at back from Sawbo saw a backpass missed by the keeper resulting in a corner to the hosts and you felt it was only a matter of time before they would be punished. On the hour mark Sawbo won a free kick out on the right but the kick sailed miles over the bar which kind of summed up their night so far.
Then on 66 minutes it happened. Yet more calamity at the back from Sawbo saw a total misunderstanding between keeper and defender, leaving the ball for each other to deal with, and allowing Mark Summers to run to the empty net and tap home for his hatrick and Hoddesdon’s third as well. Hoddesdon 3 Sawbo 0.
This seemed to totally deflate the visitors who were in danger of ending up on the end of a hiding as the hosts had their tails well and truly up after that goal and on 69 minutes nearly made it four as after a bit of head tennis in the box the ball dropped to the edge of the area where it was volleyed inches over the bar. With ten minutes to go a host attack saw a cross go straight into the keepers arms then the visitors attacked down the left through Mitchell Das whose near post cross was poked just wide.
With seven minutes to go the hosts got in behind a fragile Sawbo defence again but saw the eventual effort blasted over before Charlie Cole let fly from miles out for Sawbo two minutes later but saw his effort go a foot or so over although it was a good strike. The last word though fell to the hosts who made it four deep into stoppage time when Tommy Wade finished from close range via the keepers hand to seal a commanding win. Hoddesdon 4 Sawbo 0.
The referee brought proceedings to a close soon after and its Hoddesdon Town who progress to play Ryman North side Romford at home in two weeks time in the Preliminary Round of this famous old trophy.
Full Time: Hoddesdon Town 4 Sawbridgeworth Town 0
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