Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round, Sunday August 18th
My third and final game of the weekend saw me over at a very warm and sunny Chadfields in Tilbury for an FA Cup Preliminary Round tie between two Isthmian North sides in the shape of Grays Athletic & Witham Town.
Now both these sides have competitive games under their belt now, Grays have played one cup tie when they thrashed Essex Senior League Hullbridge Sports at Chadfields in the previous round a couple of Sunday's ago to reach this tie, and they also have one league game under their belt too, a 2-2 draw away at Mildenhall Town in a game they so nearly grabbed all three.
Witham have an extra one under their belts after they managed to claim a trophy already this season by winning the Tolleshunt D'Arcy Memorial final against Chelmsford City (it was a comp left over from last season) and they have also defeated Hertford Town in the last round of the FA Cup to reach this stage and then began their league campaign with a superb 3-0 win at Brightlingsea Regent so they had won all three of their competitive fixtures thus far this season.
So, what of this afternoon's cup tie, well Witham almost took the lead in spectacular style when they saw an overhead kick go just over the hosts goal, whilst down the other end Harry Fairs had to beat away an effort from Grays attacker Aron Gordon, the ball moving in the air which made it very tricky for the visiting keeper, but the opening half hour yielded no goals.
But, just past the half hour mark Witham broke the deadlock, a corner swung in from the right went to the back post where visiting defender Anton Matthews was on hand to convert unmarked and send the small contingent of Witham fans behind the goal, including James Beardwell of course, wild with delight, and the visitors had a slender lead, a lead that was to increase in the 38th minute.
Joshua Osude is always one to watch out for if your an opposing defender, his pace is the stuff of nightmares for any opponent, but his skill and trickery allowed him to get a sight of goal before he fired an unstoppable effort beyond home keeper Daniel Sambridge and Witham were now in control of this cup tie heading towards the break.
There was a fair amount of stoppage time at the end of the half due to various stoppages during the opening forty five minutes, and Grays managed to find a way through right at the end of five added on minutes when they were awarded a penalty after a ferocious strike towards goal by the hosts struck an outstretched arm of a visiting player and the referee pointed to the spot, although the visitors seemed a little irritated by the award of the penalty as they felt the ball was travelling so quickly the player could not get his hand out of the way.
Anyway a penalty it was, and Elliott Satrorius duly converted the spot kick and Grays were right back in the tie and had a goal back at the perfect moment, right before the half time whistle, it would have certainly changed both sides team talks heading into the dressing room and it had given the hosts a huge lift.
It had also given the majority of the 311 in attendance a lift too, and in the early exchanges of the second half they were doing their best to rally their side and hope they could find a leveller and maybe go on and win the tie, but the visitors didn't allow that late first half setback derail them and they were much the better side in the second period.
After Sambridge had made a brilliant save to keep the visitors out and Callum Fitzer had fired just over with another chance, Witham did find a crucial third goal midway through the second half when just like the first goal, a corner from the right to the far post found an unmarked player, this time it was another defender in the shape of Luke Ige, who headed home to give his side a two goal cushion, and give Grays a mountain to climb once again.
This seemed to knock the stuffing out of both the home players and the crowd, it was a warm day as well so all of this added up to what looked like a subdued final part of the game for the hosts, that third goal certainly made a difference in terms of them feeling like that had a chance to get back into it, but if truth be told Witham controlled the game for the majority of the second period as said.
And there main man Osude wasn't done yet, as he won a penalty deep into stoppage time at the end of the game when he managed to get goal side of his marker and was pulled down before he could strike at goal, meaning a stone wall penalty, and he picked himself up to dispatch the kick and cap a fine performance from him and his side.
Grays will admit they were second best in this one, this is an afternoon to forget for them and consign to the bin, they have enough about them though and will be fine in the league this season, they came up against a Witham side who are looking very good so far this season, that's four wins from four in competitive football so far this season, it could be a good one for them for sure.
Full time Grays Athletic 1 Witham Town 4
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