Bowers & Pitsea 2 Dereham Town 2
My FA Trophy trail for this season began at the Len Salmon Stadium in Pitsea, Essex, for Bowers & Pitsea vs Dereham Town in an all Bostick North Preliminary Round tie.
Both teams had started their league seasons well and sat third and fifth respectively so a close battle was expected.
It was the hosts who saw the first opening on three minutes as Knight got the other side of the visitors back line but saw the defence recover to make a last ditch tackle to thwart him, although he wanted a penalty claiming he had been fouled.
On ten minutes Knight hit an effort straight at Dereham keeper Pride after a cutback from Ashman then moments later Dereham hit the bar after going up the other end, it was a big let off for the hosts.
On the quarter hour mark Crisp diverted a cross just over the Bowers bar as the visitors went close again but five minutes later the hosts went close when a great Bowers move ended with the ball finding Tony Stokes in the middle, but he got his feet in a tangle and saw the chance wasted, before Bowers got in again but saw Pride save the effort.
The resulting corner saw Nyanja receive the ball in a decent position inside the box however he could only sky his effort well over the bar and in the 28th minute another hosts corner saw centre half Martyn Stokes send a free header at the back post well over.
The hosts continued to pile on the pressure and with seven minutes of the half remaining were almost gifted the lead when a poor header back by the visitors went straight to Knight, and he rounded Pride but couldn’t get his shot away from a tight angle, and from the corner Martyn Stokes struck an effort off the bar and over.
It meant the half ended goalless, a half Bowers should of been two of three goals in front, however Dereham were still in the tie.
Half Time Bowers & Pitsea 0 Dereham Town 0
Bowers continued to pressure Dereham at the start of the second period and four minutes into it forced an error in the back line which was pounced on by Tony Stokes who dinked an effort over Pride and into the net and the hosts had finally broke though.
On the hour mark another great Bowers move ended with a Sartain effort pushed away by Pride as they looked for a second and a more comfortable position in this tie.
However the visitors exploded into life and levelled on 62 minutes as a ball played into Logan saw him lift an effort beyond Chaffer and suddenly we were all square.
Three minutes later Logan fired a decent effort straight at Chaffer as the visitors tails were well and truly up after that goal, and midway through the half went close to taking the lead when the impressive Logan cut inside onto his left foot and smacked an effort off the bar.
But with just under twenty minutes left Dereham did grab the lead as centre half Ebbage got the faintest of touches to an inswinging free kick and divert the ball into the far corner and The Magpies were now in the driving seat.
Bowers should of wiped out that lead five minutes later though when Sartain got in for the hosts, but he clipped his effort wide of the far post. It had been another great chance for Bowers in a game where they had squandered many.
With eight minutes left Logan threatened again for visitors, driving across the box before hitting a right footed effort just wide of the near post, whilst both sides also had free headers at goal but both were wasted.
But just as the game reached the 90 minute mark Bowers were level as after Sartain had sent a terrific long range dipping effort against the bar, Tony Stokes was the only one to react and prodded the rebound over the line to earn the hosts a replay at Aldiss Park on Tuesday evening.
It should be another decent cup tie in Norfolk, and the winners host Egham Town in the next round.
Full Time Bowers & Pitsea 2 Dereham Town 2
So it was off to Norfolk and a replay at Aldiss Park, and here is how that replay went:-
Dereham Town 1 Bowers & Pitsea 4
Bowers set up a home tie with Egham Town at the end of October after seeing off Dereham Town at Aldiss Park.
Bowers had an early chance in just the fifth minute when Farhad Nyanja saw a cross headed away to Johnny Ashman whose volley went wide but in the 28th minute the visitors found the breakthrough when Jamie Dicks produced a cross for Jamie Salmon to flick home into the bottom corner with the outside of his right foot.
Just past the half hour mark the hosts created a chance but the cross was headed over by Ebbage. It was a free header and a warning to the visitors however with eight minutes of the half remaning Bowers doubled their lead when a ball in from David Knight saw Tony Stokes rise to nod home and give the visitors breathing space.
And just three minutes later it got even better for the South Essex side as Dicks grabbed his first goal for the club, and it was a beauty as well, as after receving a ball from Ashman he bent one in from twenty five yards and the visitors were cruising and went into the break three goals to the good.
Half Time Dereham Town 0 Bowers & Pitsea 3
Dereham knew they needed a quick goal back to have any chance of a fightback and seven minutes into the second period saw a fantastic block from Martyn Stokes deny them a way back into the game before four minutes later the visitors attacked and saw a free kick in from Salmon headed just over by Lewis Clark.
However Dereham did then find a way back into the contest when Ashley Jarvis tapped home after a nod down by Ebbage, only for Bowers to quosh any thoughts of a miracle comeback when Gavin Cockman smashed home to restore their three goal cushion.
Dereham kept fighting though and in the 79th minute Jarvis headed over the Bowers bar before visiting keeper Callum Chafer had to make a save to keep Dereham at bay four minutes later.
It was too little to late though for the hosts who crash out of the FA Trophy for another season and sees Bowers & Pitsea host Egham Town in the next round on Saturday 28th October.
Full Time Dereham Town 1 Bowers & Pitsea 4
Right here are the Preliminary Round Results in full:-
Saturday 7th October
Ossett Albion 1 Droylsden 1
Ramsbottom United 3 Colwyn Bay 0
Bamber Bridge 4 Brighouse Town 2
Cleethorpes Town 2 Hyde United 1
Mossley AFC 3 Skelmersdale United 1
Kendal Town 2 Radcliffe Borough 1
Stocksbridge Park Steels 1 Atherton Colleries 4
Scarborough Athletic 2 South Shields 5
Tadcaster Albion 0 Glossop North End 2
Ossett Town 3 Goole AFC 0
Prescot Cables 3 Trafford 1
Clitheroe 3 Colne 0
Sheffield 0 Frickley Athletic 3
Newcastle Town 3 Soham Town Rangers 0
Chasetown 2 Market Drayton Town 0
AFC Rushden & Diamonds 1 Kidsgrove Athletic 3
Basford United 3 Peterborough Sports 0
Stamford AFC 3 Loughborough Dynamo 0
Belper Town 1 Alvechurch 2
Gresley 0 Bedworth United 1
Leek Town 4 Lincoln United 1
Greenwich Borough 0 Hanwell Town 1
Heybridge Swifts 2 Carshalton Athletic 0
Hertford Town W - O Guernsey (walkover for Hertford Town - Guernsey withdrawn)
Kempston Rovers 0 Hythe Town 1
Potters Bar Town 4 Tilbury 0
Ashford United 0 Sittingbourne 3
Egham Town 7 Shoreham 1
Northwood 2 Maldon & Tiptree 5
AFC Sudbury 2 Aylesbury United 2
Waltham Abbey 2 Faversham Town 1
VCD Athletic 0 Bedford Town 1
Haringey Borough 3 Whyteleafe 0
Bowers & Pitsea 2 Dereham Town 2
Cray Wanderers 8 Horsham 0
Chipstead 1 Barking 1
East Grinstead Town 2 Lewes 4
Corinthian Casuals 2 AFC Dunstable 0
Cheshunt 3 Herne Bay 0
Ramsgate 3 Bury Town 5
Hayes & Yeading United 3 Barton Rovers 1
Brentwood Town 3 South Park 3
Walton Casuals 3 Canvey Island 0
Phoenix Sports 0 Chalfont St Peter 3
Ashford Town (Middx) 4 Uxbridge 1
Grays Athletic 4 Norwich United 3
Aylesbury 4 Molesey 3
Marlow 0 Aveley 0
Taunton Town 1 AFC Totton 1
Mangotsfield United 0 Thame United 1
Bishop's Cleeve 0 Larkhall Athletic 1
Shortwood United 1 Didcot Town 0
Fleet Town 1 Yate Town 1
North Leigh 1 Wimborne Town 3
Moneyfields 4 Bideford AFC 2
Swindon Supermarine 1 Barnstaple Town 0
Salisbury 2 Paulton Rovers 3
Slimbridge AFC 0 Hartley Wintney 1
Bristol Manor Farm 4 Cinderford Town 1
Kidlington 3 Winchester City 1
Sunday 8th October
Romford 0 Hastings United 1
Romulus 0 Corby Town 2
Thamesmead Town 1 AFC Hornchurch 1
Evesham United 2 Cirencester Town 3
Monday 9th October
Replay
Aveley 5 Marlow 3 (AET)
Tuesday 10th October
Replays
Droylsden 1 Ossett Albion 1 (AET; Droylsden won 4-2 on penalties)
AFC Hornchurch 1 Thamesmead Town 2
Dereham Town 1 Bowers & Pitsea 4
Barking 2 Chipstead 1
South Park 2 Brentwood Town 7
AFC Totton 1 Taunton Town 2 (AET)
Yate Town 2 Fleet Town 1
Wednesday 11th October
Aylesbury United 1 AFC Sudbury 2
So the winning sides went through to the First Qualifying Round and here are those 72 ties that take place this weekend:-
Friday 27th October
Kingstonian VS Thurrock
Saturday 28th October
Sittingbourne VS Merstham
Ashton United VS Frickley Athletic
Glossop North End VS Matlock Town
Mossley AFC VS Lancaster City
Ossett Town VS Droylsden
Altrincham VS Clitheroe
Farsley Celtic VS South Shields
Buxton VS Cleethorpes Town
Warrington Town VS Bamber Bridge
Shaw Lane Association VS Ramsbottom United
Whitby Town VS Marine
Prescot Cables VS Stalybridge Celtic
Kendal Town VS Atherton Collieries
Workington AFC VS Witton Albion
Grantham Town VS Halesowen Town
Rushall Olympic VS Nantwich Town
Hednesford Town VS Mickleover Sports
Newcastle Town VS Kidsgrove Athletic
Stratford Town VS Bedworth United
Chasetown VS Spalding United
Stafford Rangers VS St Ives Town
Barwell VS Carlton Town
Stamford AFC VS Sutton Coldfield Town
St Neots Town VS Corby Town
Redditch United VS Coalville Town
Cambridge City VS Alvechurch
Leek Town VS Kettering Town
Stourbridge VS Basford United
Hitchin Town VS Cheshunt
Dorking Wanderers VS Ware
Maldon & Tiptree VS Walton Casuals
Billericay Town VS Tooting & Mitcham United
Leatherhead VS Hythe Town
Bishop's Stortford VS Hanwell Town
Needham Market VS Arlesey Town
King's Lynn Town VS Mildenhall Town
Hendon VS Kings Langley
Aylesbury VS Harlow Town
Barking VS Beaconsfield Town
Brentwood Town VS Bedford Town
Tonbridge Angels VS Heybridge Swifts
Bury Town VS Chalfont St Peter
Hastings United VS Ashford Town (Middx)
Metropolitan Police VS AFC Sudbury
Dunstable Town VS Lewes
Corinthian-Casuals VS Hertford Town
Cray Wanderers VS Grays Athletic
Worthing VS Lowestoft Town
Staines Town VS Margate
Waltham Abbey VS Dulwich Hamlet
Royston Town VS Enfield Town
Potters Bar Town VS Witham Town
Harrow Borough VS Haringey Borough
Leiston VS Folkestone Invicta
Burgess Hill Town VS Aveley
Bowers & Pitsea VS Egham Town
Biggleswade Town VS Wingate & Finchley
Hayes & Yeading United VS Chesham United
Taunton Town VS Merthyr Town
Dorchester Town VS Basingstoke Town
Paulton Rovers VS Cirencester Town
Gosport Borough VS Bristol Manor Farm
Yate Town VS Moneyfields
Thame United VS Wimborne Town
Larkhall Athletic VS Farnborough
Swindon Supermarine VS Hartley Wintney
Hereford VS Weymouth
Tiverton Town VS Banbury United
Kidlington VS Slough Town
Shortwood United VS Frome Town
Sunday 29th October
Thamesmead Town VS Brightlingsea Regent
I'll be back at the Len Salmon Stadium in Pitsea for Bowers & Pitsea Vs Egham Town. Bowers sit fifth in the Bostick North having won eight, drawn one and lost five in their fourteen matches whilst their opponents from Surrey sit seventh in the Evo Stik Southern East, the same level as the Bostick North, having won six, drawn two and lost three of their games. Egham demolished Shoreham 7-1 at home in the last round although this one will be a much tougher test at Bowers and it should be a decent cup tie.
