In the eighth match report from this season's FA Cup Godalming Town of the Rymans Isthmian League carried the baton in to this Third Qualifying Round tie against Maidenhead United of The Blue Square Premier League.
The match was played on Saturday 29th October.
You can read the match report from the Extra Preliminary Qualifying Round by clicking here ==> From Falmouth To Wembley: Falmouth Town AFC
and the match report from the Preliminary Qualifying Round can be found by clicking here ==> From Falmouth To Wembley: Bodmin Town FC
and the match report from the First Qualifying Round can be found by clicking here ==> From Falmouth To Wembley: Bodmin Town The Journey Continues In To Uncharted Territory
and the match reports from the Second Qualifying Round can be found by clicking here ==> From Falmouth To Wembley: Bodmin Town – The Giant Killing Continues As The First Round Proper Gets Tantalisingly Close
and the match reports from the Third Qualifying Round can be found by clicking here ==> From Falmouth To Wembley: Bodmin Town Pass The Baton To Godalming Town After A Replay
Compared to the earlier rounds of the FA Cup the coverage of this game was scant to say the least.
Both the build-up to and coverage of the FA Cup games for the earlier rounds in Cornwall was so much better in my view. I'm not sure what if anything that says about Falmouth Town and Bodmin Town really but it's an interesting point to note and shows the importance of having good local coverage of our national game.
So, I am grateful to Charles Watts for taking time out from his role as drummer in The Rolling Stones to compile his report of the game for The Maidenhead Advertiser (which was also referenced on the Maidenhead United FC website).
Or maybe it was a different Charles Watts altogether, perhaps? Anyway, it's a cool name.
The Godalming Town FC website also had a short report and some match pictures.
In front of the biggest crowd of the season at Wey Court of over 700 fans, the opening exchanges between the two teams were cagey at times as they settled in to the game. However, the visitors looked the stronger of the two teams as you might expect.
On six minutes Scarborough went close with a header for Maidenhead which was cleared off the goal line and on twenty four minutes McClurg had a good chance for Godalming – nicknamed The Gs – with a glancing header that went wide.
The first goal of the game came on the half hour following a long free-kick from Behzadi to Holgate who chested the ball down for Powell to powerfully fire the ball in to the net.
In the 38th minute it was 2-0 to the visitors – nicknamed the Magpies – as Man Of The Match Solomon scored the first of his hat-trick with a curling effort from 25 yards, having cut in from the left, which found the top corner of the net. The Gs 'keeper Norris had no chance.
There were chances for both teams before the break. Tison-Lascaris hooked an effort wide of the target for Maidenhead and Wheeler saw his good shot fly past the far post for Godalming.
HT: Godalming Town 0-2 Maidenhead United
The visitors started the second period quickly and the game was effectively over as a contest 2 minutes after the half-time break.
Solomon cut in from the left hand side and saw his cross in to the box fly over Thomas and end up in the back of the net to make it 3-0. His team mate celebrated too but he didn't connect with the cross and Solomon was credited with the goal.
There was no more scoring until the final ten minutes of the match.
In the 80th minute that man Solomon completed his hat-trick following a good one-two passing move with team mate Holgate before neatly flicking the ball in to the corner of the net.
The fifth Maidenhead goal came in the final minute of the match as Williams rounded 'keeper Norris, who showed some hesitancy, and slotted the ball into an unguarded net.
FT: Godalming Town 0-5 Maidenhead United
Godalming Town: Norris, Hollis, Lake, Smith, Foulser, Cooper (Short, 61), Read, McClurg, Smith (Harrison, 59), Wheeler, Harris. Unused subs: Palmer, Harte, Baker.
Maidenhead United: Beasant, Behzadi, Solomon (Fagan, 82), Brown, Henry, Scarborough, Powell (Worsfold, 75), Hendry, Holgate, Thomas, Tison-Lascaris (Williams, 48). Unused subs: McKain, Saroya, Clement, Kamara.
MOTM: hat-trick hero Leon Solomon of Maidenhead United is the clear MOTM, not a bad performance for a left back! He signed for Maidenhead in February 2011 from Windsor & Eton and has played for England C. He has previously played for: Welling United, Hayes & Yeading United and Hemel Hempstead Town.
Attendance: 703, the biggest crowd of the season at Wey Court. Oh the lure of the FA Cup!
Next Up: the baton passes from Godalming Town to Maidenhead United who have drawn Aldershot Town at York Road in the First Round of the FA Cup. The match is to be played on Saturday 12th November at 3PM.
Reference Sources
Maidenhead United FC book spot in FA Cup first round written by Charles Watts in the Maidenhead Advertiser
Maidenhead United FC Website match report
Godalming Town FC Website match report
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