Chelmsford City  2-2 East Thurrock United

Brentwood Town 3-2  Witham Town

Morecambe  1-0  Southend United

York City  3-2  Dagenham & Redbridge

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FULL TIME:  And a replay at Rookery Hill in the most dramatic of circumstances.  Brilliant comeback by the Rocks, although there’s a dispute between who got that equaliser – Newby, Higgins and, erm, Max Cornhill.  What a game!

Next up is the replay on Tuesday.  Can you possibly wait?  I can’t!

100th min – Wow!  Chelmsford come forward again, there’s a melee inside the area, the shot goes in from less than 10 yards, and it canons off the crossbar again.  It’s eventually cleared for a corner, which Jamie Riley collects.

98th min – GOAL! ….. Chelmsford City 2,  EAST THURROCK UNITED 2 Unbelievable Jeff!  A KRIS NEWBY free kick on the left evades everyone and goes into the net.

That’s the magic of the Cup!

95th min – Sam Collins replaces Ross Parmenter, and Marc Gorbell on for Kye Ruel, in a final throw of the dice.

93rd min – Both teams going for it at the moment, with nothing clear cut created.  The crowd are suddenly animated though.  Quelle surprise.  Bah.

88th min – GOAL! ….. CHELMSFORD CITY 2, East Thurrock United 1 It’s all my fault.  Ryan Sammons concedes a free kick on the left touchline, for which he is booked.  From that, KENNY CLARK heads home from about 8 yards.

But at least 10 minutes of injury time.  Blimey.

86th min – Well, the batteries on the camera have run out so there better not be any more action.  Unless the Rocks win.  As it happens, the last few minutes have seen the sides cancel each other out.

82nd min – Luck goes the Rocks way.  Sub Anthony Cook puts in a menacing centre on the right, Tom Stephen heads it awkwardly away for a corner, but the ref gives a goal kick.  Phew.  And chortle.

79th min – The delivery of set pieces and crosses wide from East Thurrock has been exemplary this afternoon and yet another from Kris Newby on the right causes all sorts of panic.  Kye Ruel and Reiss Gilbey try shots but are both blocked.

75th min – Covo wanders onto the pitch to see how Richard Wray is.  He then turns to his bench and signals that Jamie Riley has to come on.  Wray is still receiving treatment.  Fingers crossed he’s okay.

71st min – The home come forward again, and Max Cornhill’s shot is deflected for a corner on the right.   Richard Wray punches clear but clashes heads with an oncoming forward.  Ooh, I felt that from here.

67th min – Rob Edmonds comes on for Chelmsford and his effect is immediate, setting up Jamie Slabber on the edge of the area, but the shot is blocked.

Anyone’s game here.

63rd min – And another half chance.  A high ball is well controlled byReiss Gilbey, and Sam Higgins times his run for the through ball to perfection.  His shot goes six inches wide of the near post.

60th min – Lovely run from Kye Ruel, breezes past a challenge, gets to the right hand edge of the area, but his shot is well wide.

58th min – Nice Sam Higgins run down the right, gets on the end of a decent Reiss Gilbey pass, but his centre into the area is cleared.  Meanwhile, Kris Newby has had a yellow card for another clumsy foul.  Oops.

53rd min– A terrible refereeing position almost cost the Rocks dearly.  A long, high ball reaches halfway inside the East Thurrock half.  Simon Peddie is clearly wrestled to the ground by Jamie Slabber, but amazingly is waved on by the ref.  His curling shot beats Richard Wray but smashes off the right hand edge of the crossbar.

49th min – Kris Newby, wide on the right, tries a lob from around 25 yards out.  It’s curving, dipping, and evades everyone, but ends about a foot over the bar.  Great start to this period from the Rocks.

47th min – Almost the perfect start for the Rocks to the second half.  Sam Higgins rounds the keeper after a fine ball from Kris Newby, his shot from the edge of the area is goalbound, but is cleared about a yard from the line

4.05pm – Kick Off! What, another one?

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HALF TIME:  And a thoroughly entertaining first 45 minutes it’s been.  East Thurrock United have been the better side for long spells, but you know how the cup works.  Rough justice on the Rocks but that’s always the way.

Anyway, off for a Bovril and another pannini.  Laters.

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Injury Time – Ooh, a Chelmsford City shot from the edge of the area on the left flashes past the far post.

44th min – GOAL! ….. CHELMSFORD CITY 1,  East Thurrock United 1 It had to happen.  A team completely in control in the cup, and the other side equalise.  A corner on the right, a scramble, and DAVID BRIDGES shoots home from 10 yards.

Typical.

43rd min – A couple of yellow cards for clumsy rather than malicious fouls.  Dave Rainsford for the hosts soon followed by Ross Parmenter for the visitors.

40th min – So close to a surreal equaliser.  Chelmsford cross from the left into the area, and Spencer Harrison, in a carbon copy of what he did last weekend, heads away for a corner, missing the near post by a cat’s whisker.  The corner’s easily dealt with.  Phew.

37th min – And again East Thurrock threaten.  Reiss Gilbey takes a corner on the right.  It misses Hakeem Araba’s head by millimetres and is desperately hacked away by the Clarets.  It’s really Amber alert for City at the moment.

34th min – Absolutely no doubt about it, East Thurrock United are bossing this game.  Closing down whenever they are without the ball, and causing problems when going forward.  The natives are getting restless.

30th min – And back come East Thurrock with Ross Parmenter.  His stinging drive is superbly parried away by Searle for another corner, and then another, which is eventually cleared.  Great stuff.

28th min – As play resumes, Reiss Gilbey gets to the edge of the home penalty area, which is deflected for a corner.  It causes problems momentarily but is cleared in the end.

26th min – A lengthy delay whilst ex Rocks and current Clarets playmaker Max Cornhill is treated for an injury.  He’s up and about eventually.

22nd min – The home side have tried to force the issue, with possession inside the Rocks half, but created nothing clear cut.  Meanwhile, a high ball almost runs kindly for Kye Ruel on the edge of the Chelmsford box.  You can feel the edginess around Melbourne Park.

17th min – The Rocks win another corner on the right.  There’s no match ball over there, for some reason, and some of the crowd bizarrely berate the ball boys.  I don’t think they like the way it’s going so far.

14th min – GOAL! ….. Chelmsford City 0,  EAST THURROCK UNITED 1 Oh yes!  A cross came in from the right after a throw in near the corner flag,  Spencer Harrison shoots from the edge of the area, it takes a wicked deflection off SAM HIGGINS and ends in up in the right hand corner of the net.

Liquid football!

10th min – That’s better.  Ryan Sammons hoists in a free kick on the right, and causes the Chelmsford keeper Stuart Searle to flap, and win a corner.  It’s easily dealt with, though, but better from the Rocks.

8th min – The Rocks have settled down a bit, with play more in the middle third.  Meanwhile, the media chappies around me discuss types of balls in the 70’s and 80’s.  I bet their wedding nights were fun.

4th min – The hosts win a corner on the left this time, a bit of panic in the six yard box, big appeal from the home fans for handball, and while that’s going on Bridges shoots a foot wide of the near post from about 10 yard.   Tidy start by Chelmsford.

3rd min – Early corner for Chelmsford on the right.  Nicely delivered, it flashes past the far post.  And thankfully everyone else.

3.02pm – KICK OFF! Oh yes!

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2.58pm – The team come out to loud cheers and applause, Chelmsford in Claret, the Rocks in Amber.  It’s almost like a Bradford City tribute.

2.55pm – There looks to be a good crowd in.  The skies are overcast but, somehow, bright at the same time.  Not a drop of wind.  Apart from maybe me after my vegetarian sausage pannini.  Perfect football conditions.  There’s a bit of a buzz, the slightest hint of a crackle of atmosphere.  This is the FA Cup.  Oh yes.

2.50pm – I know I’m supposed to be unbiased, with looking at things from our area’s team’s point of view, but also giving balance and credit to their opponents.  But today, well, it has to be said.  Come on you Rocks.  Please win.

2.45pm – Elsewhere, Brentwood Town play host to Ryman One North new boys Witham Town.  Southend United and Dagenham & Redbridge have long away trips.  And in the FA Cup, two teams recently covered live, South Park and Met Police, face each other over at St. Georges.  Could another giant be killed there?  I dunno, really.

2.40pm – It’s pretty cramped in the press box.  14 peeps fighting over just 6 seats.  But guess who had his name written on his seat for him.  Sound people, Chelmsford City, you know.  Behind me is the inimitable voices and scribblings of assorted local and national media.  Bubbling up nicely, with the Rocks side all on the pitch warming up.

2.35pm – Team News: The Rocks go for glory with:

1.  Richard Wray

2.  Ryan Sammons

3.  Tom Stephen

4.  Simon Peddie

5.  Spencer Harrison

6.  Ross Parmenter

7.  Kris Newby

8.  Reiss Gilbey  (c)

9.  Sam Higgins

10.  Hakeem Araba

11.  Kye Ruel

Subs:

12.  Sam Collins

14.  Matt Hall

15.  Joe Keith

16.  Marc Gorball

17.  Jamie Riley

As ever with Covo’s side, continuity is the key.  Spencer Harrison slots straight in for the injured Steve Sheehan.  Best of luck, Steve, for a full and speedy recovery.  Ever if your cast looks like blue Scotch tape.

2.30pm – A very, very good afternoon from Melbourne Park, home of Conference South side and renowned name in non-league football, Chelmsford City.

Once again, East Thurrock United have it all to do if they are to make it to the first round and into the hat with the big boys from the Football League.   Lightning, though, could strike twice.

The Rocks stunned Eastbourne Borough last year to set up their epic match at Rookery Hill in front of the nation’s tv screens.  Covo’s boys, despite the pounding his reserves took in the Essex Cup at Aveley on Monday, are in good shape, and playing well.  They’re a classy side and will, of course, be well up for it.

For Chelmsford City playmaker Max Cornhill, this match is probably the one he wanted to avoid.  An integral part of the East Thurrock’s title winning team two seasons ago, he’s now charged with dumping out the side he took to his heart.  The Clarets, though, are decent from back to front, with or without Max.  They should win.

Should, though, doesn’t mean will, as Eastbourne found to their cost.  This could be about who wants it the most.  Oh, my, this is the FA Cup in it’s purest form.  One step away from glory.  One mistake and you’re out.  How could you not want to stay tuned to this??!!

As ever, keep refreshing this page every few minutes, and the drama, the passion, the thrill of the FA Cup will be yours.  I can hardly wait.

GAME ON!