ROAD TO THE FA CUP FIRST ROUND!
- Jemma Sear
- Oct 29
- 5 min read
Written by Chris Wheeldon
2nd Qualifying round - Hemel Hempstead vs Bishops Stortford
Focus Community Arena, Hemel Hempstead
Score - 4-1
Goalscorers - Hemel | Jake Gray (7’,79’), George Williams (37’), Millar Matthews-Lewis (51’), Bishops Stortford | Saleem Akanbi (94’)
Match report:
The Tudors first FA Cup hurdle was against Bishops Stortford at the Focus Community Arena, where Hemel were able to get sweet revenge over their opponents in emphatic style. The home side were quick off the blocks, as Jake Gray bagged his first of the game early on from a shot by Millar Matthews-Lewis that was parried to Jake.
Hemel kept the pressure on throughout the first half, and the pressure paid off after George Williams executed a wonderful free kick into the top right corner towards the end of the first half. After this goal, the Tudors were able to keep their two goal lead going into half time, something they weren’t able to say last year when these two met.
The second half started just as well as the first for the home side as Millar Matthews-Lewis scored his first of the game, after some excellent build up play from George Williams and Devante Stanley.
It didn’t stop there for Hemel Town as the pressure got too much for the Bishops as Jake Gray scored his second goal of the game to punish the lacklustre Bishops Stortford. His tidy finish gave Hemel their fourth of the match and the certainty of a victory.
Unfortunately for the Tudors, Bishop's Stortford got a consolation goal in the 94th minute scored by Saleem Akanbi.
This set the tone for future FA Cup matches to come with confidence flowing through the squad.
3rd Qualifying round - Hemel Hempstead vs Hereford
Focus Community Arena, Hemel Hempstead
Score - 2-2
Goalscorers - Hemel | Kyle Ajayi (42’), Millar Matthews-Lewis (83’) Hereford | Sterling-James (54’) Remaye Campbell (60’)
Match report:
The start to this FA Cup fixture wasn’t as rewarding as the last despite a promising effort from Millar Matthews-Lewis, who could only find the side netting.
The attacking effort paid off with a lofted corner by George Williams that finds the skipper Kyle Ajayi’s foot to slot the ball home, and give Hemel Hempstead an encouraging one goal lead going into the second half.
The second half showed the opposite to how the first half finished for the home side, who saw a free kick scored by Sterling-James just nine minutes in. It didn’t end there for the Rams as they managed to score another just 6 minutes after by Remaye Campbell.665
Momentum swung away again and back into the Tudors favour as Millar found himself drilling the ball into the bottom corner from just inside the box to get himself on the scoresheet a second time in this FA Cup run with a tidy finish into the bottom corner.
This equalising goal would be the last of this match, and saw Hemel Hempstead travel to Herefordshire on a cold Tuesday night.
3rd Qualifying round replay - Hereford vs Hemel Hempstead
MandM Edgar Street, Hereford
Score - 0-3
Goalscorers - Hemel | Millar Matthews-Lewis (53‘), Finley Wilkinson (90’), George Williams (90’)
Match report:
The replay against Hereford was Hemel Hempstead’s one and only away fixture in the build up to the first round.
The match started with tension from both sides fighting to stay in the competition. Hemel defended perfectly to keep out the barrage of chances coming their way. Kyle Ajayi in particular was solid in defending what could have been a devastating start for the visitors.
As Hemel kept on well in the first half they would be rewarded highly in the second half. This would come in the form of a goal from you know who… Millar Matthews-Lewis. A retaken in-direct free kick just a matter of yards away was where Millar thumped the ball into the net leaving the goalkeeper stranded on the line with his teammates.
This goal gave a huge momentum boost as the chances kept coming for the Tudors going into the final stages of the match.
The final stages of the game ended up being the best for Hemel as super sub Finley Wilkinson found himself one-on-one with the keeper, and was able to finish his dinner and finish off the tie.
The visitors weren’t finished there as minutes later a lofted ball into the box found the diving head of George Williams, who made it three for Hemel and a lot of confidence going into the final qualifying match against Yeovil Town.
4th Qualifying round Hemel Hempstead vs Yeovil town
Focus Community Arena, Hemel Hempstead
Score - 2-1
Goalscorers - Hemel | Kyle Ajayi (39‘), Finley Wilkinson (87’) Yeovil | Harvey Greenslade (72’)
Match report:
This final part of this journey to the first round proper was undoubtedly the most memorable for the Tudors.
It was another tense start for Hemel with not many chances being created for either side.
However, the game became a lot more tense with Isiah Noel-Williams getting himself sent off for an off the ball incident just 25 minutes in.
This set back didn’t seem to phase them as the skipper Kyle Ajayi broke the deadlock with a low finish into the bottom corner. Ajayi once again showed resilience and gave his team a huge confidence boost going into the final six minutes of the half.
The second half started in Yeovil’s favour, who were capitalising on their extra man on the pitch, which eventually paid off 72 minutes in by Harvey Greenslade.
This equaliser seemed to spur on Hemel Hempstead and change the tide of the tie into their hands. They decided to go all into attacking and believing a winner was possible, and with 87 minutes gone the super sub Finley Wilkinson used his head to perfection by looping the ball over the keeper’s head and into the goal, sending the fans into bedlam.
The nerves around the Focus Community Arena doubled as the fourth official indicated ten more minutes to play and hold on.
The nerves quickly turned into elation as the referee blew his whistle to end the final qualifying match and end Hemel Hempstead's 11 year wait for the first round proper of the FA Cup!
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