Saturday was Larkfield’s most important match of their short history as they firstly played in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round for the first time and to play opposition 2 levels above them.

This club is on the up, as in two years approx they are looking to move into a new ground which will encompass all their teams (first & many youth teams) with an artificial pitch and a few grass pitches around it. The ground will be up to Step 3 level.

Larkfield will feel that they could have beaten Cray and they did have the chances and hopefully they will be alright in the replay.

The game was slow to get going and the first chance of the game came in the 8th minute when Matt Day was put through and from 15 yards his lob over Shaun Rowley was caught in the 2nd attempt.

Cray were now starting to get into the game but found it hard as Larkfield pressed hard and then in the 24th minute Adrian Owiredu-Gyamere on the right crossed into the area where Frankie Raymond’s header was saved by Danny McConnell.

In the 27th minute Larkfield had the chance to take the lead when a long ball forward saw Byran Zeppo and Darian Dowich clash and Dowrich was adjudged to have handled it and a penalty was given, up stepped Day and he hit it to the right but Rowley went the right way and pushed it away would this come back to bite them.

In the 34th minute a quickly taken free kick by Ross Ibbertson to Day in the area and his shot was saved by Rowley. Cray had a half chance in the 37th minute when Charles Edwards saw his cross into the area find Kevin Coker but he headed wide.

The last chance of the half came in the second minute of added on time when Alvin Turyatemba in the area on his own saw his shot deflected away for a corner.

The half time whistle went and Neil Smith would not have been pleased with his team and would want more from them, while Danny Lye would have been pleased but thinking they could be in front.

The second half started with Cray the quicker and in the 50th minute Tom Bonner knocked the ball into the area for Nyren Clunis but he headed wide.

In the 69th minute Larkfield were in heaven as they took the lead, a corner into the near post was flicked in by Zeppo the ground erupted, three minutes later it could have been two when Day was put through and once in the area went round Rowley but from an acute angle his shot was blocked.

In the 78th minute Temi Alaki in the area saw his shot deflected for a corner and from the corner Alaki received the ball and went into the area and was fouled and a penalty given, up stepped Anthony Cook who blasted it straight down the middle.

Larkfield would be allowed to think about shutting up shop and taking the replay but they carried on trying to get another. The last chance of the game in the 87th minute when Arazki Hamouchene saw his free kick diverted just past the post.

The final whistle went and Larkfield’s dream continues as they wait to see who they could get in the next round, so far in this exciting Cup run they have amassed £2569.00 in prize money and they could get another £2250 if they can beat Cray at Flamingo Park.

Larkfield & New Hythe: Denney McConnell, Ross Ibbertsen (Callum Emptage, 85), Nathan Daly, Jay Wade, Fraser Walker, Luke Russell, Ben Davisson, Bryan Zepo (Chibueze Innocent, 90), Temi Alaka (Clark Woodcock, 76), Matt Day (Josh Jackson, 75), Alvin Turyatemba. 

Subs not used:  Jack Clark, Dan Lewis, Michael Phillips.

Scorer: Zepo 68

Booked: Wade 44, Walker 78

Cray Wanderers: Shaun Rowley, Darion Dowrich, Quade Taylor, Tom Bonner, Adrian Owiredu-Gyamera. Frankie Raymond (Arezki Hamouchene, 76), Charlie Edwards, Nyren Clunis (Dontai Stewart, 85), Kenny Coker, David Smith (Anthony Cook, 63), Imran Kayani.

Subs not used: Alfie Evans, David Ijaha, Lateef Adaja, Archie Johnson.

Scorer: Cook 79 pen

Booked: Raymond 23, Bonner 33, Edwards 74

Referee: Edward Smith

Assistants: Nicholas Bone, Perry Hart

Att: 301