A couple of changes to the starting eleven as we played for the right to visit Herne Bay. First chance of the game came from the visitors in the opening minute as from space on the left they fired a shot over the bar. Our first shot came just short of ten minutes as Iker Noguera Leon over on the left passed to Ashley Mutongerwa for a shot that went across the face of the goal. A few minutes later Sang Baek came right out to the edge of the centre circle to clear a loose ball which ended up with Alex Kpakpe. He drove forward into the box on the right and centred for Noguera Leon. He moved to the left and hit his shot home for the opening goal on twelve minutes. The goalscorer was looking for a second five minutes later on the end of a ball into the six yard box but their keeper gathered the ball.

Just past twenty minutes and from a free kick on the left Kwesi Ntim had a shot that went high over the bar. A couple of minutes later Mutongerwa had a shot from distance that lacked the power to test the keeper. Having won another free kick on the left the ball was played into the box and Noguera Leon was on hand to make it 2-0 on 26mins. Two minutes later the referee made a debatable call for a free kick for Corinthian as their forward was clearly backing into Nicolas Bostan and he was defending his ground. The ball was curled in from the left corner of the box and a header went straight into Bostan's face and bounced loose. Sadly as has happened a bit so far this season we did not clear the loose ball and Corinthian pulled a goal back. Approaching the half hour a corner from the left for Corinthian was held up by lots of pushing and shoving on the goal line before we scrambled the ball away and then got a pressure relieving free kick.

Past the half hour and we had another free kick from the left of their box. Noguera Leon delivered it to the far post and a good header by Luke Richardson back across goal just drifted wide of the left post. Corinthian had a break with ten minutes to play but good defending by Jack McDonnell on the left edge of the box stopped their shot. However, a minute later some great work to hold onto the ball by Raphael Barbosa in the middle set up Noguera Leon for a shot that was cleared off the line. The pressure was still on as Mutongerwa took the ball back into the box to find Barbosa who shot wide of the left post. We continued to have joy on the left with a free kick from Jason Stripp that was cleared. Noguera Leon then had the ball in midfield, held off tackles from three players to then find Ntim out on the left. Noguera Leon followed up and received the ball back to then lean back as he shot to send it over the bar. Two minutes left and Corinthian had a free kick from the right ending with a free header past the right post. Into the final minute and a high ball was not not dealt with and allowed to bounce. The loose ball was lashed home and it was all square at 2-2. Into added time a ball looped forward had Barbosa under it to head it over the oncoming keeper. He chased after it but lost out to a defender who cleared the ball and that was half time.

Helped back into the game and lucky we spurned good chances to add a couple more goals, Corinthian came out on the charge after half time. Three minutes in and failing to get the ball clear of the edge of our box, the visitors tested Baek with a shot. From a corner Noguera Leon was able to gather the ball and keep it upfield helped by Ntim. Ten minutes in and Ntim battled well to keep the ball in play on the left and then set up Noguera Leon for a shot the keeper parried and then gathered. On 57mins with the ball on the right and Jimmy Williams providing cover, the cross was one of those that fluked over the keeper and dropped just inside the post for 3-2. Mutongerwa was replaced immediately by Reon Donker. Corinthian attacked down the left and the cross was deflected behind for a corner on the right. The ball in was not cleared and from a shot into the box two Corinthian players were inside the six yard box to make it 4-2 to the visitors on the hour. There was a question of offside but after talking to the linesman the goal stood. The tie ended on 63mins when a shot into the box hit somebody's arm and so a penalty was awarded for 5-2.

For the last twenty minutes on came Gabriel Odunaike, Stephen Hodge and William English for Williams, Stripp and Barbosa. The fresh legs lifted our energy and Hodge found Kpakpe down the middle who played in Odunaike to pull a goal back. A couple of minutes later Odunaike was under a ball into the box but could not send a header goalwards. Noguera Leon was replaced by Rewan Alyesi with ten minutes to play. A break from Corinthian and Bostan covered to force them to shoot wide. Still hoping that pulling another goal back would cause some panic in the visitors, on 84mins a good ball down the middle found Donkor who linked with Odunaike. The ball was cleared to the left where Kpakpe had it and won a throw. From the throw Alyesi had a shot that hit the post and in trying to get to the rebound McDonnell was judged to have fouled to let the visitors off. With five minutes remaining and another good move gave Alyesi a chance to shoot but it was straight at the keeper – to his right would have been interesting. Two minutes remained when Hodge was clattered on the right but play was allowed to continue until our move broke down and their attack was stopped by a foul. Into added time and Alyesi did well to track back and win the ball by the corner flag. He was on the attack again in a sixth added minute to win a corner that felt like the final move of the match. In another bout of pushing and shoving in the box Odunaike and their keeper ended up being carded. From the corner McDonnell got a solid header but it was off target and so after 9 added minutes it was all over.

During half time there was news that the previous evening Herne Bay had used an additional substitute in their replay at Broadfields United. The FA have ruled that Herne Bay's 6-1 win is void and the teams meet again next Tuesday. There were three all SCFL ties in the round which saw East Grinstead Town, Haywards Heath Town and Newhaven advance. Midhurst & Easebourne, Pagham and Hassocks are the others still in the competition.