By JOHN CHUBB
@JohnCphoenixfm
Isthmian North leaders Maldon & Tiptree continued their outstanding early season form by beating league rivals Felixstowe & Walton United 5-0 at home, to progress to the next stage of the FA Trophy.
Danny Parish helped himself to a hat-trick – the first of his goals coming from the penalty spot – before Charlee Hughes and Jorome Slew added their names to the scoresheet.
Canvey Island of the same league also enjoyed an impressive victory as they travelled to Welwyn Garden City of the Southern League Division One Central, and came away with a 4-1 win.
George Purcell gave the Gulls a 19th minute lead from the penalty spot before Jason Hallett scored to put them two up at the break.
Purcell scored a second just after the break and, although Callum Stead pulled a goal back for the hosts, Hallett completed his brace by netting Canvey’s fourth.
But Coggeshall Town will not be in the hat for the Preliminary Round, as they slipped to a 2-1 defeat away to Bracknell Town.
The hosts went two goals ahead through Mitchell Parker and Dan Carr before being reduced to 10 men for the final quarter of an hour, following a red card issued to Mark Scott.
Nnamdi Nwachuku pulled one back for the Seed Growers with his successful 79th minute penalty, but the home side held on for the win.
Harlow Town made sure of their place in the hat for the next stage of the competition, earning a replay against Hanwell Town after drawing 1-1 with their fellow Isthmian South Central club at the Harlow Arena.
Hanwell took an early lead through Gareth Chendlik before Ozzy Adeniji replied for the Hawks 16 minutes before the end.
The sides meet again tonight (Tuesday) in the replay at Hanwell’s Reynolds Field ground.
Meanwhile Heybridge Swifts comfortably ensured their passage to the next stage of the competition by defeating Hertford Town 4-1 at Scraley Road.
Alex Teniola, Evans Kouassi and Jack Adlington fired Swifts into a half-time 3-0 lead before Matt Price added a fourth a minute from time.
Kevin Zola netted a consolation for Hertford just before the final whistle.
But there was no such joy for Hullbridge Sports as they exited the competition, losing 4-2 at home to Barton Rovers of the Southern League Division One Central and finishing their first ever FA Trophy tie with 9 men in stormy circumstances.
Dean Dummett scored twice to put Barton 2-0 up before Yemi Adelani pulled one back for Hullbridge just before the half-time whistle.
After the break Nathan Tshikuna made it 3-1 to the visitors before Sports’ much-travelled veteran striker Bertie Brayley scored his side’s second with five minutes left.
Controversy then abounded as a Perry Dunn header found the net for the hosts but it was disallowed by referee Nick Dunn, supposedly for a foul.
Hullbridge manager Darren Manning was fuming at the decision and received a red card for his protests, then two of his players were ordered off – Emmanuel Okunja, who received a second yellow card and Courtney Homans, who was shown a straight red.
And to add insult to injury, when play eventually restarted Barton’s Connor Vincent went to the opposite end and scored his side’s fourth.
The draw for the Preliminary Round has been made and the ties involving Essex sides are as follows:
Staines Town v Heybridge Swifts
Grays Athletic v Bedfont Sports Club
Whitehawk v Romford
Harlow Town or Hanwell Town v AFC Dunstable
Brentwood Town v Basildon United
Great Wakering Rovers v Westfield
East Grinstead Town v Aveley
Ashford United v Witham Town
Barking v Guernsey
Maldon & Tiptree v Cray Valley (PM)
Tilbury v Waltham Abbey
Ashford Town (Middx) v Canvey Island
The ties are due to be played on Saturday 12th October.
