Bearsted are on the road to Wembley but made hard work for this win, but before the game Kevin Stevens was quietly confident of victory and his players came out victors despite a nervous last 15 minutes.

The game started with Bearsted on the front foot as in the 8^th minute Harrison Hatfull tried his luck from 18 yards but Billy Wilson saved it. Six minutes later Hatfull was put through & beat the onrushing Wilson but poked the ball wide, in the very next minute Jordan Ababio saw his snapshot from 6 yards go just past the post & in the 23^rd minute Ababio was put through but from 20 yards he shot high & wide.

Ababio was causing problems all night & in the 25^th minute his shot from 15 yards was cleared. Four minutes later another chance came when Giorgio Russo saw his free kick from 25 yards out dropped in front of the goal by Wilson & hurriedly cleared away.

Bearsted were in total control & another chance came in the 35^th minute Hatfull got to the by-line & his low cross to the back post was stabbed away for a corner & that’s when Bearsted scored, the corner was taken short & then crossed to the back post where Lekan Mayaygbe was & his header went across the goal into the net, thoroughly deserved.

Three minutes later & it could have been two when Ababio saw his cross find Charlie Hatton who controlled it & passed into Daniel Melvin whose volley went just wide.

In the 43^rd minute Banstead had their first effort, when Donda Dieu Tantra saw his effort go just wide. In the 45^th minute Tom Penfold tried his luck from 25 yards forcing Wilson to parry it away.

The second half was only a minute old when Banstead conceded a penalty for a foul, up stepped Sam Stace & he powered his shot straight down the middle. 

Bearsted were in total control & in the 54^th minute Ababio picked the ball up 45 yards from goal went on a run into the area & saw his shot saved he was not going to get on the score sheet despite his performance.

In the 76^th minute it could have been three when firstly Russo marauding down the right  saw his low cross find Ababio who from 6 yards forced Wilson to pus around the post & from the corner taken short again & the cross saw Ababio beat Wilson to it but his header flew over the bar, then in the 80^th minute out of nothing Banstead got a goal back when Dieu Tantra 20 yards shot past Tom Barnes.

For the next 15 minutes they went for an equaliser forcing Bearsted on the back foot but the final whistle went & Burgess Hill awaits them on Saturday.

        BEARSTED:

1.  T.BARNES      2. G.RUSSO   3. T.PENFOLD (45)  D.MELVIN  5. L.MAJAYGBE   6. A.LUKMAN   7. C.HATTON (63) 8. S.HAFNER     9. J.ABABIO   10. H.HATFULL (77)   11. S.STACE.

SUBS USED:  12. D.BARONOWSKI (45)  18. F.PERISOR (63)  14. J.ROGERS (77)

SUBS NOT USED:  15. R.CROUCHER  16. C.McCARTHY  17. R.BLAKE  19. J.WESTFIELD

BOOKINGS:  2. G.ROSSU (86)

        

BANSTEAD ATHLETIC:

1.  B.WILSON    2. S.NEWMAN  3. B.GERRATY   4. L.FRANCIS (45)  5. A.STINGLIN 6. K.NORTH  7. D.CAMERA 8.     J.BELL (59)    9. D.DIEU TANTRA  10. L.HOLDEN (59)  11. E.AKIOTU.

SUBS USED:  12. W.OMENJI (45)  14. J.FITXGERALD-SMITH (59)  15. A.MARKVIC (59)

SUBS NOT USED: 16. A.HOLLAND  17. A.AMMAH  GK. K.NEWMAN

BOOKINGS: 3. B.GARRETY (78)  9. D.DIEU TANTRA (83)

REFEREE:  Mr M.CHARLES

ASSISTANTS: Mr K.WILLIAMSON & Mr M.HEWSON

ATTENDANCE: 146