Two goals in the second half of extra time sent Bearsted tumbling out of the Emirates FA Cup on a frustrating night for Kevin Stevens’ side.
After ninety minutes that didn’t really get going, the extra period became fast and frantic, but the home side were unable to convert the numerous half chances that they created and were undone a minute into the second period as Harry Forster forced his way through, firing in off the underside of the bar and the game was all but sealed with six minutes left when Leo Vowles netted Crowborough’s second.
Sub Connor French did prod one back for the Bears in the 118th minute, but that next opportunity just did not fall to a white shirt and the Cup dream is over for another year.
Two evenly matched sides produced a contest where in truth both struggled for long periods and only sporadically they threatened.
Indeed Steve Smith’s first chance of the game summed the opening half up perfectly as the Crows number nine hooked a speculative ball goalwards which had home keeper Frankie Leonard scrambling.
Leonard was though as his finest ten minutes before the break when Vowles’ downward header seemed to be creeping in the left post. The keeper though did really well to get down to the ball and turn it behind for a corner.
The home side did finally threaten in the half’s closing minutes as first Eniola Hasson thudded a drive into the chest of keeper Matt Larkin when he had the whole goal to aim at and then on the stroke of the whistle, Ollie Freeman’s dipping volley just did not dip enough.
The second half was more attacking although there was still the sense of wariness and not wanting to make the costly mistake.
Sam Flisher made a brilliant block to deny Ollie Hyland early on as the visitors tried to get on top whilst Hassan again could only shoot straight at the keeper when well placed.
William Johnson-Cook was next to test Larkin, but as before his shot was straight at the keeper, before what proved to be the home side’s best chance in 90 minutes – an awkward bouncing free kick fell to Flisher whose far post header was clawed away by the keeper.
Leonard then pulled off the save of the night to deny Hyland’s diving header. Marcus Goldsmith’s free kick from wide on the right was met by the flying Hyland and as his header arrowed towards the roof of the net, Leonard made a sensational tip-over to keep the scoreline blank!
As extra time loomed, both sides could have won the game late on – Joel Wakefield’s back flick (which resembled Bearsted’s favourite daughter – Alessia Russo’s – effort in the Womens Euro’s) was only inches away from being converted by the lunging Connor French, whilst at the other end, Foster blazed over with the goal at his mercy.
And so, to the extra period which may have well been a different contest with the game becoming increasingly stretched. The home side’s best chance of the first period fell to Hassan, who was brilliantly found by a great ball from French, but he could not keep the shot down, whilst Leonard made his third top drawer save of the night as he tipped Foster’s effort which flicked off a defender magnificently onto the bar.
Almost from kick off, French was brought down on the edge of the box only for the referee to wave away the howls of protest. As the Crows broke, Hyland powered through and crashed home the opening goal off the underside of the bar from the edge of the box.
The Bears almost levelled straight away as French’s header from a corner went through the legs of a teammate when any touch would have surely taken the ball over the line.
The home side were left to rue that miss when Foster raced through and despite the valiant efforts of Leonard, who denied the Crows man at the first instance with a great block as he tried to round the keeper, the rebound fell kindly, and the ball was in the home net.
The home side did pull one back when Flisher’s ball into the box was poked home by French with two minutes left, but Bearsted just ran out of time as they desperately searched for the goal that would have taken the tie to a shoot-out and it’s Crowborough who go through to meet Isthmian League South Park on Saturday week.
BEARSTED – Leonard, Flisher, Nurden, Turton, Daniles, Melvin, Stace, Palmby (Wakefield), Freeman (French), Hassan (Albi), Johnson-Cook
Subs – Blake, Sage
CROWBOROUGH ATHLETIC – Matt Larkin, Zabaone (London), Salter (Turner), Boddy, Puffette, El-Hage (Pring), Goldsmith, Hyland, Smith, Foster (Adam Larkin), Vowles
Subs – Lambden, Holmwood