Kentish Gazette Canterbury & District
Hopes dashed at first hurdle
PRE-MATCH FA CUP OPTIMISM COMES TO NOTHING AS OYSTERMEN FALL IN OPENING ROUND Football
Despite all their pre-season optimism, Whitstable crashed out of the FA Cup in the extra preliminary round at home to league rivals Croydon on Saturday.
Town came from behind to lead and created enough chances to have won but allowed their lead to slip and missed out on a derby date with Faversham at the Belmont in the next round.
The Oystermen started badly, as a needless penalty was conceded allowing Jamie Mcgeoghegan to put Croydon ahead after two minutes.
Whitstable quickly fought back with two well-taken goals by Harry Goodger and Danny Williams but Croydon equalised just before half-time as a shot by Stephane Bombelenga took a big deflection to leave Dan Eason stranded.
The hosts created a string of good chances after the break but the woodwork and some goalline clearances denied them and it was Croydon defender Nathan Campbell who headed a free-kick over Eason to win it before Town’s Aaron Quain saw red in stoppage time for a second booking. Canterbury City also exited the FA Cup after going down 2-0 at Sutton Common Rovers.
In a game which saw the hosts have six players booked, Rovers took the lead when a controversial corner just before the break fell perfectly for Matt Farrell.
Although his first attempt was superbly blocked by Jack Delo, Farrell fired the rebound into the corner.
The crucial second goal arrived seven minutes after the break when a free-kick from halfway was only partly cleared and the ball fell to Matt Ferdinando whose drive through a crowd was enough to beat Delo.
The best chance for a shorthanded City fell to Joe Nelder who saw a shot blocked on the line after a Dave Pilcher free-kick.
Herne Bay put Bostik North side Cheshunt to the sword, winning 5-1 in their final pre-season game.
Jake Embery opened the scoring but the Ambers equalised with a strike from a tight angle.
As the rain poured down, the Cheshunt keeper allowed a free-kick to slip through his grasp allowing Jono Richardson to fire home. Bay went further in
BOSTIK SOUTH Fixtures: Saturday: Ashford v Carshalton, Chipstead v Sittingbourne, Cray Wanderers v Thamesmead, Greenwich v Whyteleafe, Guernsey v East Grinstead, Hastings v Corinthian Casuals, Herne Bay v Lewes, Hythe v Walton Casuals, Molesey v Horsham, Ramsgate v Phoenix Sports, Shoreham v South Park, VCD v Faversham. Monday: Carshalton v
Tuesday: Corinthian Casuals v Greenwich, East Grinstead v Molesey, Faversham v Ramsgate, Horsham v Shoreham, Phoenix Sports v Cray Wanderers, Sittingbourne v Herne Bay, South Park v Ashford, Walton Casuals v Chipstead, Whyteleafe v VCD. Wednesday: Lewes v Guernsey, Thamesmead v Hythe.
FA CUP front when Josh Wisson headed in a corner and after the break, Kingsley Aikhonbare beat the keeper to a cross to nod the fourth.
In the dying minutes, Embery found Tom Carlton who was bundled over in the box before beating the keeper from the spot.
Faversham came from behind to win their final friendly at Waltham Abbey.
Petrit Elbi broke the deadlock for the hosts on 22 minutes but Mark Lovell levelled nine minutes later and Sam Bewick struck the winner seven minutes before half-time.
Extra preliminary round Results: Friday: Lingfield 0. Saturday: Abbey Rangers 1 Cray Valley 3, Chatham 1 Littlehampton 1, Corinthian 2 Deal 2, Eastbourne Town 2 Bearsted 1, Erith & Belvedere 4 Wick 0, Glebe 1 Lordswood 0, Hassocks 2 Hollands & Blair 3, Loxwood 3 Holmesdale 1, Rochester 1 Erith Town 1, Sevenoaks 3 Broadbridge Heath 1, Sheppey 3 AFC Croydon 2, Sutton Common Rovers 2 Canterbury 0, Tunbridge Wells 1 Beckenham 0, Whitstable 2 Croydon 3. Sunday: Rusthall 0 CB Hounslow 0 (at Tunbridge Wells FC). Extra preliminary round replays Results: Tuesday: CB Hounslow 2 Rusthall 1, Deal 4 Corinthian 1. SOUTHERN COUNTIES
EAST LEAGUE Premier Division Fixtures: Saturday: Bearsted v Cray Valley, Canterbury v Erith Town, Corinthian v Croydon, Crowborough v Deal, Glebe v Whitstable, Hollands & Blair v Beckenham, Rochester v AFC Croydon Ath, Sevenoaks v Chatham, Sheppey v Rusthall, Tunbridge Wells v Lordswood. Tuesday: AFC Croydon Ath v Crowborough, Beckenham v Glebe, Chatham v Hollands & Blair, Corinthian v Bearsted, Deal v Sheppey, Whitstable v Rochester. Wednesday: Cray Valley v Sevenoaks, Croydon v Rusthall, Erith Town v Tunbridge Wells, Lordswood v Canterbury. ACS JOMA KENT COUNTY LEAGUE Fixtures: Saturday: Premier Division: Bexley v Farnborough OBG, Borden Village v Greenways, Fleetdown Utd v Metrogas, Kennington v Peckham, New Romney v Faversham Strike Force, Stansfeld v Tudor Sports, Staplehurst v Lydd Res.