FA Vase and Southern Counties East round-up: Rochester beat Lordswood on penalties after eight-goal thriller while interim manager Ryan Smith scores 101st-minute winner for Lydd
Published: 21:29, 19 October 2024
Updated: 21:30, 19 October 2024
Rochester United won an astonishing FA Vase tie at Lordswood on penalties after fighting back from 3-0 down to lead.
Goals from Jake Embery, Rahman Kareem and Harry Fleming put Southern Counties East Premier Lords in charge at half-time against their Division 1 opponents.
But three goals in eight minutes from Jack Nelson, Ben Wyness and Max Morgan squared the match, then Mack Reilly put the Spartans 4-3 up.
Embery took the tie the distance with an 88th-minute equaliser but Rochester won 4-3 on spot-kicks to reach the second round.
Interim boss Ryan Smith scored the winner in the 11th minute of added time as Lydd Town won a dramatic tie at Athletic Newham.
Smith’s header - his second goal of the game - earned a 3-2 victory for the Lydders.
Lydd trailed to a Leonardo Luis De Carvalho Pedro goal early in the second half but Will Dempsey levelled and Smith’s first - also a header - looked to have pinched victory in the 90th minute.
Abdul Khamis levelled six minutes into injury time but Smith’s heroics won it for the Lydders.
Two late goals saw Bearsted to a 4-2 victory at Yateley United.
Fraser Daniels gave the Bears an early lead but they trailed 2-1 at the break.
Connor French made it 2-2 from the penalty spot and the visitors advanced thanks to Elliott Mitchell’s 88th-minute own goal and a second for French in added time.
Johan Caney-Bryan’s fifth-minute goal was the difference as Faversham edged British Airways 1-0 at Salters Lane.
One goal was also enough for Whitstable to beat Virginia Water, Josh Oliver on target in the ninth minute.
SCEFL Premier Division leaders VCD progressed 5-3 on penalties after drawing 1-1 with Roffey.
Ollie Freeman put the Vickers in front but the tie went to spot-kicks with Ricardo Fernandes levelling in the second minute of added time.
Erith & Belvedere beat Wallingford & Crowmarsh 2-0 on penalties after a 1-1 draw.
Rob Curtis gave the Deres a second-half lead but Caelan Isaac levelled six minutes from time.
Stansfeld lost 4-1 on penalties to Peacehaven & Telscombe after a 1-1 draw.
Dario Sesay-De Luca scored the hosts’ second-half equaliser after Max Mesquita struck for Peacehaven.
Cameron Gordon scored both goals for Clapton Community in a 2-1 win at Stansted.
Tunbridge Wells’ home game against Pagham was postponed.
Punjab United missed the chance to go second in the Premier Division after losing 4-2 at home to Fisher.
Jack Hopkins gave Punjab an early lead but Armani-Jordan Martin’s double and a Kesna Clarke goal saw them trail 3-1.
There was hope for the hosts when Chris Edwards scored a penalty but Teddy Jones clinched Fisher’s victory deep into added time.
Clint Gooding claimed his first league win as Hollands & Blair boss, with Harvey Welford scoring a 63rd-minute winner in a 1-0 victory over Larkfield & New Hythe.
Kennington moved level on points with third-bottom Sutton Athletic after a 2-1 home win against high-flying Corinthian.
Tom Scorer broke the deadlock at Homelands and Kryon Lightfoot doubled the lead in added time before Henry Arnold’s last-gasp consolation.
Rusthall beat Holmesdale 2-0 thanks to Kalani Barton and a Charlie Clover penalty.
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Craig Tucker