Monday, October 24, 2011

Redbridge winger Ben Bradbury maintained his knock-out scoring record with a hat-trick, as the Motormen beat Division One North rivals Needham Market 3-1 in the first qualifying round of the FA Trophy on Saturday. They have come through four rounds in the FA Cup and two in the FA Trophy, and Bradbury has scored in all six games.

This time, he struck twice in the first fifteen minutes, a penalty and a header, and converted another penalty in the sixty-third minute, after the league's top scorer, Sam Newson, had pulled it back to 2-1 at half time with his eighteenth goal of the season. Needham had a chance to start a late rally, when Tommy Spillane was sent off after conceding the game's third penalty. But Adam Rafis denied Bradley Barber, his second spot kick save on successive Saturdays, and Redbridge held on to claim the £2,200 prize money, taking their total haul from the FA competitions so far to a very useful £20,700.

Division One North side Harlow were one of only three Ryman League clubs to see off opponents from a higher level as they staged a late comeback to win 3-2 at Concord. It looked like a routine victory for the Premier Division outfit, as Harry Elmes and Tony Stokes put them 2-0 up in fourteen minutes. Piers Wixon gave the Hawks hope midway through the second half and he snatched the late winner, after Danny Brown equalised with nine minutes to go.

Godalming, of Division One South, pulled off a 1-0 victory at Premier Division Kingstonian in the Sunday tie to join Redbridge as survivors in both the Trophy and the FA Cup. But they cannot quite match Redbridge's total of prize money, as they had a bye in the opening round of the Trophy, and have so far collected £18,700. Ben Edwards scored the only goal at Kingsmeadow on the stroke of half time. Kingstonian came closest when Bashiru Alimi's shot clipped a post near the end.

The third 'giant-killers' were Folkestone, also from One South. A single goal by Richard Atkins in the fifteenth minute accounted for visiting Met Police.

Two more Kent clubs went through by the minimum margin. Hythe's home game with Burgess Hill remained deadlocked until the fourth minute of added time, when Ronnie Dolan won it for the hosts, who made the most of their one man advantage, after George Hayward was dismissed in the eighty-sixth minute. Tom Hickman netted in the seventieth minute to see Faversham through at Waltham Forest.

Rob King fired a hat-trick, as Canvey thumped Premier rivals Hendon 4-0. King, still on penalty duties, despite missing his last two kicks, was back to his usual deadly form from the spot to give his side a twenty-fourth minute lead, and he completed his treble with two efforts from outside the box in the first and last minutes of the second half. Jason Hallett was the other marksman, ending Hendon's hopes by heading the third and clinching goal in the eighty=sixth minute.

There were four other all-Premier ties, in one of which Lewis Smith scored in the eighty-ninth minute for leaders Hornchurch to earn a 2-1 victory at Wingate. The home side had gone ahead after ten minutes through Mark Henry, and Smith replied on the half hour.

One goal was enough for Bury at Aveley, where Lee Reed was the marksman with eleven minutes left, while Wealdstone brushed aside Tooting 3-0. Wes Parker headed them in front, Scott Fitzgerald made it 2-0 at half time with a penalty, and Richard Jolly added his eleventh goal of the season.

Paul Booth scored twice as Lewes beat Cray 2-1. His opener, two minutes after the interval, was answered by Tommy Whitnell's twelfth of the season, but Booth had the last word when he headed home twelve minutes from time.

Some Premier sides had to work hard to see off Division One opposition. Whitehawk held out for eighty-one minutes at Billericay, before a penalty gave Richard Halle the chance to score the only goal of the game for the Essex club.

Not far down the road, Brentwood twice led against Lowestoft, before going down 3-2. Emmanuel Osei opened the scoring after six minutes and, after Ryan O’Rawe's own goal levelled it early in the second half, Danny Dafter immediately restored the Division One side's advantage. Matt Nolan made it 2-2 with thirteen minutes left, and Dale Cockrill netted the winner.

Harrow had two narrow escapes early in their 2-0 win at Dulwich, for whom Nyren Clunis and Frankie Sawyer hit the woodwork, before Evandro Delgado scored in the twentieth minute. Harrow keeper Nick Pope was outstanding, as Dulwich tried to hit back, and Jon-Jo Bates nabbed the second goal on the hour.

Margate had a long wait to make sure of progress at Chipstead. Tom Bradbrook's header and Kwesi Appiah's fourteenth of the season put them two up in fourteen minutes, but Chips pulled one back on the half hour through Bruce Hogg. The Premier side eventually made sure, when Appiah claimed number fifteen in the seventy-seventh minute to make it 3-1.

Two Division One North clubs were comfortable away winners over sides from the South section. Ollie Berquez headed Maldon into a fourth minute lead at Merstham, and they finished 4-0 up after netting three goals in the last fifteen minutes, two from Neil Cousins and one from Jack Stevenson, made it 4-0.

Grays strolled to a 3-0 victory at Whyteleafe, after Louis Dennis and Harry Agombar struck in the first fourteen minutes. Dennis added another just before the hour mark.

Thamesmead saw off Division One North rivals Enfield Town 2-0. Lea Dawson put them ahead moments before half time, and David Noel added the second after charging down a kick by Enfield keeper Noel Imber.

Four ties require midweek replays, all of them against Southern League opposition. Worthing will be annoyed to have allowed Bashley to escape with a 2-2 draw in the New Forest, after Jamie Brotherton scored a minute before the break and Ryan McBride made it 2-0 in the seventy-first minute. The hosts fought back and levelled it in the eighty-eighth minute.

Hastings, on the other hand, needed a last minute free kick to salvage a 1-1 draw at Bedfont. Zac Attwood was their saviour.

East Thurrock must travel to Bedford after their 1-1 draw. Behind at half time, Rocks equalised seven minutes after the break through Sam Higgins.

Croydon Athletic will have home advantage against Hemel Hempstead on Wednesday. This was another 1-1 draw, with Connor French netting in the seventieth minute to wipe out an early Hemel strike.

Potters Bar defeated visiting AFC Hayes thanks to a tenth minute penalty by Tom Pett, which proved to be the only goal of the game.

Carshalton were also successful against Southern League opposition, beating Bideford 3-1 at Colston Avenue, thanks to two goals in the last seven minutes by substitute Paul Vines. Riches indeed for Carshalton, who have scored only one home goal all season in the league. A penalty gave Bideford a half time lead, but Elliott Onochie replied after sixty-two minutes to set the stage for Vines.

Two strikers well known in Ryman League circles fired hat-tricks for their current Southern League clubs. Former Chesham front-runner Leon Archer scored three of Chesham's five unanswered goals against Horsham, and ex-Ware man John Frendo netted a first half treble for Hitchin at Eastbourne, who managed a last gasp consolation through Richard Greenfield in a 3-1 defeat.

Three other Ryman sides went down 3-1 to Southern League opponents, all away from home. James Baker equalised on the hour for Sudbury at Arlesey, but they fell behind again and then conceded a third goal at the death from a penalty, after Sam Clarke handled on the line and was sent off.

Two clubs propping up their respective Premier Division tables met at Cirencester, where Leatherhead were the visitors. Tommy Hutchins gave Tanners hope with a goal midway through the second half, pulling it back to 2-1. They immediately conceded a penalty, which Chico Ramos saved, but the hosts were back on the spot five minutes later, and this time Ramos was beaten.

Sittingbourne's 3-1 defeat came at Uxbridge, who scored twice in the first twenty minutes. Ryan Golding pulled one back on twenty-six minutes, but the home side scored again before the interval, and that was that.