The Hanwell Town Geordies have to try again on Tuesday evening after just managing to gain a draw and a replay in their FA Cup 1st qualifying round tie on the Isle of Sheppey on Saturday (31 August 2024).
Hanwell made the journey to Kent to try and make it to the 2nd qualifying round, and in the first 15 minutes, looked as if they’d manage it comfortably, dominating possession and creating chances.
First chance fell to attacker Jordan Edwards, who forced a good save from Sheppey keeper Aiden Prall, before striker Alfie Pendlebury had a header which flew over the bar.
The Geordies continued to dominate but the home club managed to find their bearings and get back into the match with Hanwell keeper Sam Beasant having to make a smart save, and defender Cameron Rohart-Brown doing well to clear a dangerous chance away.
By half time, it had become an even contest, with both teams having chances and having spells of possession but neither able to claim they had the upper hand.
On the hour though, that all changed as Sheppey Utd’s Daniel Carr managed to get his head to a bouncing ball in the Hanwell penalty area, and score past Beasant off the post.
This forced the Geordies to have to up their game, as memories of last season’s mortifying FA Cup exit to a club two levels below began to surface in the minds of the travelling supporters, who also increased their noisy support, urging the players on.
There was just 5 minutes of the second half left, when Hanwell finally got their equaliser. Hanwell defender Dan Carr found some space down the Sheppey left, and fired in a teasing cross into the penalty area. Edwards timed his run perfectly to meet the ball at the back post and diverted the cross past Prall and into the net.
Despite another 5 minutes of additional time, neither side could get the winner, and so the clubs will meet again on Tuesday September 3rd for the replay.
After the match finished, manager Chris Moore felt “we’d got to grips with them at the start, before they had a spell on top, and then we ended the half back in control. In the second half, we were OK, never good, never bad, just OK and I still felt if there was going to be a winner, it would be us. ”
“After they scored, that goal lifted the boys, and after a little change of shape and a couple of substitutions, we’ve come away with a draw at a place that’s really tough to come.”
“I’ll looking at Monday’s draw, but won’t really be interested in it as we’ll be focusing on the replay, and when you take your eye off them, that’s how you end up losing games. I won’t be doing that, and I won’t let the lads do that either.”
The replay kicks off at 7-45 at the Powerday Stadium, with the winners earning a place in the 2nd qualifying round, when the clubs from the National League South enter the competition.
1 Sam Beasant, 2 Dan Carr, 3 Cameron Rohart-Brown, 4 Callum Woodcock, 5 Dwayne Duncan, 6 Harry Seabrook, 7 Kameron English (Leo Donellan 76′), 8 Mat MacKenzie, 20 Alfie Pendlebury, 10 Jordan Edwards, 11 Chris Regis (Ezekiel Coker, 74′).
Substitutes
12 Joe Wilson, 14 Leo Donnellan, 15 Kyron Richards, 16 Rod Orlando-Young, 9 Nathanael Boayke, 17 Elliott Beynon, 19 Ezekiel Coker
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