Thamesmead came from behind three times to come within seconds of a fully deserved replay as they took Ryman Premier Peacehaven to the very limit only to suffer penalty heartbreak in the final seconds of stoppage time.
Slow out of the blocks, the visitors found themselves two down after 25 minutes through goals from Joe Gatting and Tom Burton. Yet should have been in front by half time as for 20 minutes, Mark Zawadski in the Peacehaven goal must have felt like he was the target of a shooting range.
And it was a “disappointment” that the Mead were only level through a classy finish by Rowan Liburd, and a penalty by Tyrus Gordon-Young which was thumped home as there were three clear cut spot kicks the visitors should have been awarded, yet despite Hampshire official Moody being in A1 positions, he only gave one of the four which was arguably the most borderline of the four, as the foul on Gordon-Young was questionable as to being in the box or not.
The home side were again ahead on 51 minutes when James Fraser ghosted in past a statuesque defence to head home and looked to have knocked the stuffing out of the Mead.
Yet incredibly they lifted their game yet again and for the last half hour, every time the Green and White piled forward they caused the home defence no end of problems, but they couldn’t find a way through courtesy of some poor shooting and a couple of fine Zawadski saves.
That was until the 82nd minute when Leslie Thompson drove home an uncleared corner to spark wild scenes of delight.
Scenes of delight that sadly were to turn to scenes of despair just moments later when Burton sprinted clear taking advantage of a defensive slip and as he raced clear only for Mead keeper Budd to bring him down in full flight, and referee Moody pointed to the spot, and this time it was Gatting who crashed the ball in the net to send Peacehaven into the First Round proper and to send Thamesmead home bitterly disappointed and frustrated as for the second Saturday running poor defending had cost them dear, and for the second Saturday running, a penalty in stoppage time had denied the Mead a deserved result.
PEACEHAVEN – Zawadski, Metcalfe, Knee (Marzetti 14), Tommy Fraser, Ash Jones (McLaughlin 14), El-Abd, Brotherton (Cotton 79), James Fraser, Gatting, Burton, Josh James
Sub not used – Barker
THAMESMEAD – Budd, Spencer, Probets, Hopkins, Coburn, Bower, Traore, Butler, Gordon-Young (Carter 85), Liburd, Thompson (Ramaden 87)
Subs not used – Hallam, Kamara & Mansanet
Attendance – 121
Referee – Aaron Moody
Assistants – Phillip Milton & Micaal Fogt