Damon and Simon from The Real FA Cup blog bring you the pick of the results from last weekend's Second Preliminary Round
The FA Cup goal tally marched relentless onwards again this weekend, Chelmsford top scored with seven, Whitehawk bagged six and another six teams hit five, including Dover in their 5-1 away win at Erith.
Cray Wanderers 2 Ebbsfleet 2
More late drama in the ITV match at Cray Wanderers v Ebbsfleet. With the scores locked at 2-2 in the final minute of the match, Fleet looked to have secured a deserved victory when Cray’s Danny Phillips bundled over Dean Pooley in the box. Increasingly heroic Wands keeper Dave King saved his third spot kick of the season and the follow up was cleared off the line.
Ebbsfleet had taken the lead after 20 minutes but Phillips equalised for Cray against the run of play just 10 minutes later. Lone Cray goal scorer in the last round, Laurent Hamici, appeared to have delivered a Cup shock until Willock equalised with 8 minutes to go . I’m starting to think we should go to whichever game the cameras are at...
The replay is on Tuesday night at Stonebridge Road and with a bit of luck and Hamici at his best, Cray still have the chance for an upset. Kick off 7:45.
Vauxhall Motors 5 Blyth Spartans 1
The esteemed FA Cup giant killers from Northumberland got taught a lesson by another Blue Square North side with recent history of not knowing their place in football’s hierarchy. Having beaten Bournemouth and Shrewsbury in the 2008/9 cup, Blyth took Premier League Blackburn all the way before succumbing just 1-0 in the 3rd Round. A few years before that VM beat struggling QPR on penalties at Loftus Road.
Here though, in a performance their own website described as ‘indolent’, Blyth got well and truly humbled by some sharp finishing and incisive counter attacking football.
Replay: Kingstonian 1 Margate 1 (AET) - Kingstonian win 3-2 on penalties
After a tight draw in windy conditions at Hartsdown Park on Saturday, the replay last night at Kingsmeadow was a very different occasion where the brilliantly supported home side dominated for 70 minutes in a cracking game. At the end of each half Margate played their part by coming back into the game after forcing the Ks to run out of ideas. But they still had keeper Jamie Turner to thank for some superb saves.
Margate took the lead against the run of play with a Wayne Wilson free kick that used precision rather than power to dip over the wall and go in off the underside of the bar. Kingstonian equalised through Lee Hall’s 18 yard strike halfway through the second period that seemed to go through a crowd of players past the unsighted Turner.
In extra time both sides had chances and Ks were shooting on sight. ‘Gate keeper Turner pulled off two finger tip saves to deny the lively Dean Lodge and the Ks just could not find a way past him.
Penalties! Kingstonian started and the first five takers all stepped up and scored. 3-2 to Kingstonian. The next five kicks were saved, the final one from Margate’s Laurence Ball tipped on to the post by Rob Tolfrey and the Ks were through. It was very harsh on Turner who had not only kept Margate in the tie but also dealt well with a lot of banter from the noisy Ks support.
Stand out players on the night were Tom Bird, on the Ks left and Matt Gray through the middle. The delivery and shooting of both players was exemplary but they were foiled by man-of-the-match Turner’s decision making, early forays from his line and top quality saves.
Swindon Supermarine 3 Weymouth 0
By their manager’s own admission, Weymouth simply didn’t turn up for this. Draw specialists Supermarine finally managed to ally a tight defence to some good possession and finishing but in truth they were given an easy ride by a sorry Weymouth side who look to be in big trouble again.
In the next round there are just 40 ties and the round coincides with another international break. So, in the spirit of non-league-day, we suggest you pop down to Farnborough to see if Hamble Aerostructures Sports & Social Club can pull off the shock of the round. Or maybe go and see the oldest club in the world, Sheffield FC, if they can get through tonight’s replay against last season’s giant killers Northwich Victoria.
Full fixtures and results can, as usual, be found on the FA Cup website and for more in-depth reviews of Kingstonian v Margate, Tooting & Mitcham v Staines and Paulton Rovers v Didcot Town, pop over to www.therealfacup.co.uk or follow them on Twitter @therealfacup
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