FA CupNews

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round

FA Cup Third Qualifying Round 

Wednesday 14th October

Havant & Waterlooville 4-1 Chatham Town

It wasn’t to be for Chatham Town tonight as they exited the FA Cup at the hands of National League South favourites Havant & Waterlooville 4-1.

Hawks boss Paul Doswell paid Chatham the compliment of having them twice watched prior to last night’s win at a near-deserted Westleigh Park.

Doswell insisted the tie was akin to a National League South match rather than one with a three-division gap between the two teams.

‘Chatham have a clear identity in how they play and they are very good at what they do,’ he said.

‘They are very well funded, they have some very good players who should be playing a lot higher.

‘They will walk their league (Southern Counties East) this season – that’s why we knew this would be a difficult game for us.’

Chatham dominated for a 15-minute spell in between Hawks’ two first half goals ‘without really hurting us’ Doswell added.

‘We genuinely felt we would score lots of goals.

‘They are very good going forward but we knew they over-load at times and they would leave space at the back.

‘It wasn’t a 4-1 game, it was a bits and pieces performance from us.

‘It’s a new group, a much younger group, and we know there’s lots of work on.

‘But we’ve won two and drawn one, and should have won all three.’

Hawks’ front three of Joe Iaciofano (4), Tommy Wright (2) and Roarie Deacon (2) have now scored all eight of the club’s goals in 2020/21.

‘Joe and Tommy will always score goals and it’s great that Roarie’s now had three starts in a row after being out for so long.

‘Joe is a real fox in the box and Tommy’s goal reminded me of one he scored for Sutton – the keeper thought he was going to go across him but the shot went in at the near post.’

Chats grabbed a late consolation goal from Harvey Brown but our now out of the Cup giving them more time to focus on their key objective of league promotion.

 


Tuesday 13th October

Eastbourne Borough 3-1 Sheppey United

 

Sheppey United lost for the first time this season as the 3 league gap eventually told against National League side Eastbourne Borough.

Another shock was on the cards early on when Billy Bennett gave the ‘Ites’ a 10th minute lead, finishing well from a Jack Midson flick on. That advantage was held throughout a first half which Sheppey edged and they deserved to go into the break ahead.

The second half was a different matter though as the hosts stepped through the gears, got a 67th minute equaliser through Greg Luer and immediately after took the lead from a Greg Whelpdale volley.

Any chance of a late comeback was put to rest when Luer scored again signalling the end of a Sheppey FA Cup run that will be remembered for a long time.

The big games come thick and fast for Ernie Batten’s men and they have little time to lick their wounds from this one as a trip to League leaders Corinthian this Saturday awaits.


Third Round Qualifying winners (40) £5,625
Third Round Qualifying losers (40) £1,875





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