Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay, Wednesday 6th August
Well, I had not even been back on UK soil for twenty four hours and I was already attending my first competitive game in the country as I made my way over to Mile End to see if Essex Senior side Sporting Bengal United could shock their Isthmian One South East opponents Erith Town in a replay at Mile End.
The original tie has finished goalless in Kent at the weekend, which was a superb effort from the Essex Senior outfit away from home against a Step Four outfit, and with the winners of this tie having a home one against either Little Common or Southall, whoever got through would obviously fancy getting through that tie as well, so it was a big incentive for both.
Could Sporting build on that hard earned draw at the weekend and take advantage at home against a higher league opponent, well there was barely a minute on the clock when the hosts edged ahead, a long throw into the box wasn't dealt with by the visitors and saw Yousuf Hoque sweep home first time, with some of the 110 crowd inside Mile End yet to even settle down to watch the game, it happened that fast.
Erith though responded as you'd expect and levelled in the 11th minute, again it was a long throw into the box that wasn't dealt with, and after a scramble in the six yard box, Elliott Duncan managed to force the ball over the line, but, just four minutes later Sporting had regained the lead, not brilliant defending once again allowed a square ball find Andre Embalo whose scuffed left footed finish found the bottom corner, it had been some start to the contest!!!
Sporting managed to hold that lead till late on in the first half when Erith, who had seen three penalty shouts all turned down during the opening forty five minutes, grab a slice of luck you could say when a scuffed shot from what looked like an offside visiting player was deflected into the path of Mecca Maxime-Samuels who made no mistake in finding the bottom corner three minutes before half time to level the tie up once again.
And Erith managed to edge themselves ahead in first half stoppage time as a corner to the back post saw Aaron Jeffrey left totally unmarked to head home and send his side into the break ahead after they had been behind for most of it, Sporting now had to come from behind if they were to progress in this competition.
The second half saw less in terms of goal mouth action, Sporting were trying their hardest to find a leveller, Erith were keeping them at bay and looking very dangerous going forward especially on the counter as the hosts pushed more players forward, Erith had the chance to seal it with around ten minutes to go when they struck the post before the rebound was somehow sent wide, but with eight minutes to go the only real moment of quality did seal it.
Tom O'Connor was the man to do it, sending a lovely looping long range curling effort into the top corner of the hosts net, and the celebrations told you that they felt that was that in terms of the tie and it was job done as you say, and they were correct as Sporting had no answer to that and Erith had battled through to the Preliminary Round in mid August.
They will face fellow Isthmian League opponents, Southall, who are also Step Four and in the One South Central division, after they saw off Little Common 3-0 in their replay, Erith though will be confident having been drawn at home again, but they can at least celebrate this evening after winning through against a Sporting side who certainly pushed them all the way in the two ties.
Full time Sporting Bengal United 2 Erith Town 4
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