Match Reports: Vickers make it through to last 32

VCD Athletic, Folkestone Invicta, Erith & Belvedere, Faversham Town and Chatham Town send in reports from their games that were played in wet conditions at the weekend.

Ampthill Town 1-3 VCD Athletic
FA Carlsberg Vase Third Round
By Brian Norris

VCD made further progress in the FA Vase with a comprehensive 3-1 victory over Ampthill Town, in wet and windy Bedfordshire.

On a lively pitch that the hosts had worked hard to get playable, an entertaining game ensued between two evenly matched teams.

Ampthill opened brightly, playing some excellent passing football, but it was VCD who had the first chance in only the 3^rd minute when Richard Sinden was put through, but shot past the far post. Then, following a handball, Kevin Spriggs' free-kick picked out Jack Parkinson, but his downward header went inches wide.

Ampthill were playing their part in an end to end game, and their neat football belied their lowly league position.

The lively Michael Munden was causing problems down the right, having a fierce shot blocked by David Hunt, and then combining well with Christian Lester who mis-kicked with the goal at his mercy.

Ampthill were made to pay for the miss when minutes later a ball out was helped on over the home defence by Darren Thomson, leaving Leroy Huggins clear to send a deft lob over keeper Andy Gibb into the net.

The home side rallied, but for all their good approach work, they lacked the cutting edge to test Marc Brown in the VCD goal.

The visitors countered well with Sinden and Huggins combining well to threaten the home goal on several occasions, and then two minutes before the break, the lead was increased.

The ball was swept wide by Jack Parkinson to Thomson who made ground before sending a low ball across the box. The on-rushing Sinden took one touch before rifling the ball high into the net past Gibb.

There was time for one further effort in the half, but Munday's free-kick for Ampthill found only the side netting.

The rain got heavier during the break and there were worries that the match wouldn't be completed, but the pitch held up well and barely affected play.

Good work down the left between Thomson and Ashley Probets provided a chance for Parkinson, but he shot just wide, and then Spriggs tried his luck from 35 yards, but his effort was inches too high. Then Huggins had a great chance to increase the lead further, when a ball out of defence left him clear, but after rounding the keeper, he shot over the bar.

The let off inspired Ampthill who worked hard to get back into the game. A long throw was headed out to Stuart Reynolds whose well struck volley brought a fine save from Brown.

Then Martin Webb cut inside and shot across goal where Tony Hill was unable to get the ball on target with the goal gaping.

Back came Vickers with Sinden sending an inviting ball across the box but nobody was on hand to add the final touch.

Sinden then went close with a header before, with 5 minutes remaining, Huggins sealed the game.

Spriggs was fouled and sent a quick free-kick through to Huggins which caught the home defence napping, he made ground before sending a low left foot shot past Gibb for his second goal of the afternoon.

Ampthill were rewarded for their part in a high quality match when in the final minute the ball was worked down the right to substitute Michael Owens. He cut inside the defence and as Brown advanced he shot past him in to the far corner for a well deserved goal.

The final whistle came immediately after leading to jubilant celebrations by the travelling supporters as VCD made the last 32 for the third year running.

VCD Athletic: Brown, Merridan, Probets, Spriggs (Hogg 87), Cook, Hunt, Greatorex (Rice 79), Parkinson, Huggins (Mitchell 87), Sinden, Thomson.
Subs: Driscoll, Abbott

AFC Hornchurch 2-1 Folkestone Invicta
Ryman Premier League
By Richard Murrill

Luckless Folkestone Invicta left Essex feeling robbed as they went down to a controversial 90^th minute penalty on their first visit to AFC Hornchurch on Saturday afternoon.

With the scores level at 1-1, referee Wade Norcott appeared to have given a goal kick when substitute Amos Foyewa went down under challenge from Charlie Mitten when the goalkeeper came sliding out on the wet surface.

But an assistant referee flagged for an infringement and substitute Mark Janney stepped forward to convert the subsequent penalty and give his side an unlikely three points after the home side had trailed 1-0 going into the final ten minutes.

Mitten could not believe the decision and got a hand to Janney’s spot kick, but Invicta were beaten and have now slipped to second from bottom in the Ryman Premier League when they seemed to be on course for a long overdue victory.

The visitors’ players and supporters made their feelings known to the officials at the final whistle as they vented their frustration.

Invicta had led thanks to a first half goal from new striker Richard Shittu and twice hit the post during the second half.

But striker Simon Parker equalised in the 82^nd minute before Janney’s late winner and the home side held on despite six minutes being added on at the end of the 90.

The visitors went into the game with Shittu partnering the fit again Leigh Bremner in attack, with Liam Friend on the bench for the first time this season alongside Ellis Remy and James Everitt, with player-coach Mark Saunders still out injured.

For the second successive away match, Invicta found themselves in Essex with a running track between the crowd and the pitch.

Amid wet conditions, first half chances were limited, though Invicta got themselves into trouble following their own thrown in the 13th minute when Mitten had to save with his feet at the expense of a corner after a good ball was threaded down the left hand side to Parker.

Invicta have missed striker Bremner’s industry in recent games and the striker was heavily involved in the Folkestone side’s 26^th minute goal when he ran past two defenders and played the ball out left to Shittu who opened his account for the club with a well-taken finish into the far corner of the net.

Bremner raced away again a minute later but his attempted cross from the left to James Corbett at the far post was headed away by Jim McFarlane.

There was a scare at the other end in the 29^th minute when big striker Richard Goddard scooped the ball over Mitten and onto the crossbar when the Invicta goalkeeper had appeared to have dealt with Steve Whales’ cross from the right.

A Bremner shot flew just past the post from outside the penalty area after 53 minutes, but there were worrying signs for the visitors when the striker appeared to be struggling seconds later when he broke again before being stopped in his tracks.

Invicta centre half Tom Bryant made a good 56^th minute block when left back Elliot Styles’ cross into the middle of the penalty area was nodded down.

The home side were close in the 64^th minute when Goddard headed wide after Parker got to the bye line down the left hand side from a Dean Green pass.

Invicta won their only corner of the game after 72 minutes when a headed back pass had home goalkeeper Dale Brightly scrambling.

Brightly then made an excellent save to touch a Charlie Glyde shot onto the post, with Roland Edge’s follow up flashing just wide of the same post across goal.

As the rain fell more heavily, Goddard shot wide from outside the penalty area for the visitors after 74 minutes.

And the home side were level courtesy of a neat finish from Parker when the ball fell to him inside the penalty area.

Invicta responded immediately and might have known their luck was out as within 60 seconds of the equaliser, James Everitt hit a low shot against the post.

The visitors were disappointed not to have seen out a victory and they were then left shattered by the late penalty decision.

The Urchins’ Frank Curley was the game’s only booking for a 21^st minute foul.

AFC Hornchurch: Brightly, Barnard, Styles, Purdie, McFarlane, Green (Halle 82), Boateng, Curley (Janney 60), Goddard, Parker, Whales (Foyewa 60). Subs: Elmes, Bostock.

Folkestone Invicta: Mitten, Watson, Edge, Chappell, Bryant, Okikiolu, M. Everitt, Shittu (J. Everitt 75), Bremner (Remy 66), Corbett, Glyde. Subs: Friend, Stonebridge.

Attendance: 264.

Herne Bay 2-2 Erith & Belvedere
Kent League Premier Division
By Thomas Hawes

Paul Gross struck in the dying moments for the second time in a week, this time to grab a deserved point at Winch’s Field and avoid three consecutive Kent League defeats.

Atrocious weather conditions meant that the fixture attracted just 52 people but those who were present didn’t see a damp squib.

Erith were the better side early on, with left-winger Nathan Bell impressing on his first start for the Deres. Another player making his first start for Erith was defender James Holder, who was signed from Erith Town. The Bay defence held firm though, limiting the Deres to a few half chances and long-range efforts.

Bay’s defence got their reward for holding firm as they scored on the counter attack. In one of their first forays into the Deres half, a cross from the right was converted by Simon Brown to make it 1-0 to the Bay.

The home side began to threaten more after taking the lead and for a period it looked as if they were going to get the next goal and were unfortunate not to double their lead on 23 minutes when captain Martin Chandler’s shot was tipped over by Neil Murray.

Erith came back into the game as the half wore on, but went in 1-0 down at the interval.

The visitors began the second half as the better side, but without creating many opportunities. Herne Bay were to punish the Deres for this as on 55 minutes a 25-yard shot bounced off the bar and back to the onrushing Chandler whose diving header found the back of the net to double his side’s lead.

Erith pulled a goal back with a quarter of an hour left, ironically on the counter-attack having bossed the game territorially. Matt Johnson dribbled 30 yards before unleashing a venomous effort, which flew past Jack Delo and into the back of the net.

The comeback was completed with one minute of normal time remaining. Substitute Adrian Deane chipped the ball into Nick Smith 12 yards out. Smith had his back to goal and struggled to wriggle free of his marker. Smith fell to ground, but managed to poke the ball to a team-mate, who slid the ball into the path of Paul Gross, who coolly slotted the ball past Delo to snatch a point.

Bay could have snatched all three points in the last minute of stoppage time, but Simon Brown could only find the side-netting.

One point from a possible nine certainly isn’t championship form, but with so many of the top sides dropping points, the Deres still have an outside chance of being in the mix come April.

Erith & Belvedere: Murray, Gibson (Deane 89), Farley, Morgan, Gross, Holder, Bedford, Johnson, Smith, Pursglove, Bell.
Subs: Scowen, Browne, Hardie.

Attendance: 52

Erith Town 1-1 Faversham Town
Kent League Premier Division
By Tony Gray

An injury time equaliser from Miguel Cuhna shattered what would have been a deserved win for the travelling Lilywhites as they drew against an Erith Town side fifteen points better off in the Kent Premier League.

In a match played mainly in driving rain the first chance fell to the home side after seven minutes with Marcus Cassius shooting just wide of Rob Hudson's near post.

Cassius went close again some five minutes later as he latched on to a through ball which appeared to confuse the Faversham Town defence, turning Cassius was allowed time to shoot, the resulting shot being easily taken by Hudson.

At the other end Sean Hetterley chased down a long ball to keep it in play close to the touchline, Hetterley cut the ball back into the home side's six-yard area with not a Town striker in sight.

The effective Cassius should have given the home side the lead on 35 minutes, after rounding Hudson on the edge of the area his shot cleared off the line by Darren Constable.

Skipper Tom Hickman had a close range shot saved by home keeper James Wanstall shortly before referee Joss called time on the opening half.

With the second half underway an ankle injury picked up by Michael Cook saw him limp from the pitch to be replaced by Dane Luchford on 54 minutes.

Luchford wasted no time in making his mark on the game as he opened the scoring to give the visitors the lead, a cross from Ricky Freeman fell to Luchford on the edge of the area - his low driven strike finding it's way through a crowded box and past the feet of Wanstall.

Faversham Town continued to push forward and looked the more impressive of the two sides, Ricky Freeman saw a fine solo effort denied by the fingertips of Wanstall and Sean Hetterley's effort from inside the six-yard box past agonisingly over the crossbar.

With the final whistle only minutes away a cheaply conceded corner kick saw the ball launched into the area to be cleared only as far as the feet of Cuhna who fired low and hard into the Faversham Town net.

Managers Luchford and Strouts recently asked for their side to show progress - on today's performance they won't have been disappointed!

Chatham Town 3-2 Molesey
Ryman League Division One South
By John Crow

New Chatham Town boss Steve Binks saw his side pick up their second home win of the season in the Ryman League, but once again slack defending could have cost them dear - as a lacklustre Molesey scored twice in the last four minutes to bring the match to a nailbiting conclusion.

In the first half particularly, the Chats played some impressive football - belying the weather conditions, which saw rain lashing across the pitch for most of the 90 minutes.

With some neat one-touch passing moves, they could have gone in at half-time with a much greater advantage than their two nil lead, leading goalscorer Darren Smith having found the net twice in the 13th and 26th minutes.

Ross Finn made it 3-0 just seconds after the restart, when he was first to react after 'keeper Jon Ashwood dropped a stinging Free Kick from Tommy Binks, and Chatham looked to be on their way to a convincing victory until Jamie Findlay found the back of the net in the 86th minute.

To make things worse for the home side, substitute James Mepham scored a second for Molesey three minutes later, leaving the Chats hanging on for a very welcome final whistle and the three points.