The FA cup doesn’t just begin when the Premier League teams enter in the 3rd Round proper. It began in summer with the First Qualification Round and one pre qualifying round before.

In the truest traditions of the grassroots tournament, we are following a side from the outset and hope to stay with them and be at their games, or those of the side who eliminate them, all the way to Wembley.

This site already sponsors the manager of Carlisle City, James Nichols. So in the interests of geographical balance, we selected a club at the other end of the nation, Portsmouth’s own Moneyfields FC. Our assistant editor Conor Smith claims to have played against their reserves for Netley which may have influenced our choice. 

The decision was cemented by their opposition Aylesbury United. The Ducks are a club with an FA Cup pedigree, who currently play their home games in Chesham, agonisingly far from their own Buckinghamshire home town, but agonisingly close to Wembley which is where this story ends next May.

So we started our series, “Moneyfields to Wembley“ with their visit to Aylesbury United, the Ducks, now playing their home games at the Meadows, home of Chesham United.

The Moneys however lost to London’s oldest club Cray Wanderers. Wanderers went to the West Country on October 17th and won through on penalties against Bristol Manor Farm. Cray then travelled to Canvey Island in a quest to achieve reaching the First Round Proper for the first time in their 160 year history.

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Canvey Island 3 : 2 Cray Wanderers

Canvey Island managed to secure a return to the First Round of the FA Cup for the first time since 2004 with a cup upset over Cray Wanderers at Park Lane.

The Isthmian North hosts stormed into a two goal lead inside just ten minutes.

First Evans Kouassi managing to open up the scoring with a close range effort deflected in after just two minutes while both sets of fans were still walking to watch from behind the goal theric club was attacking.

Canvey started quite evidently as the brighter side as a result of the early strike and Kouassi managed to make it 2-0 after the ten minute mark as he broke free from the Cray defence before dribbling round Lewis Carey in the Cray goal.

The hosts continued their dominance and out of nowhere, an ambitious shot was taken by Connor Hubble which found its way into the top left corner of the net making it 3-0 to the Isthmian North outfit after 22 minutes.

Canvey carried on like they had started with Tobi Joseph, Elliot Ronto and double-goalscorer Kouassi all making close attempts in a bid to extend their lead.

The wind made life tough for the keepers with goal kicks from both Lewis Carey of Cray and Canvey Island keeper Bobby Mason heading straight out.

Canvey went into the break at 3-0 and 45 minutes away from achieving success in this tie however the few attempts made by Cray towards the latter moments of the half were a portent of things to come.

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More FA Cup

Moneyfields to Wembley

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The teams returned back from the changing rooms in now bleaker conditions than that they left. This also led to many fans going into the sheltered parts of the stand.

With Cray having the better of the wind on their side now, it opened a door to a comeback.

Shortly after the restart, Cray managed to start the first of many attacks which allowed Canvey to soak up the attack and counter through Joseph who managed a great run through before the shot was deflected off Carey which should’ve seen off the game.

However in time, things soon changed for Canvey. After a tense few minutes of pressure from Cray in the Canvey half, the Wanderers were given a way back into the game following a handball from Connor Hubble.

Joseph Taylor putt away a well timed penalty sending the keeper the wrong way.

At that point, Cray knew they had 30 minutes to grab two more goals and potentially take the game to penalties. And they did just that eight minutes later in the 67th minute as Lee Lewis managed to strike a 30 yard strike beyond Mason.

Cray now had just under 25 minutes to grab an equaliser in order to force penalties or even win the game in the the time remaining and they were continuing to put their hosts under immense pressure.

Gulls keeper Mason continued to be at the heart of the action as he made save after save in order to keep Cray at bay from grabbing that all important equaliser.

As the game approached the closing minutes, Cray were sending in corner after corner, Mason being the key player for the Gulls in parrying the balls away on a lot of the occasions.

As the minutes were being run down, Canvey had a chance to make it 4-2 when a brilliant ball was set onto Harrison Chatting who shot wide.

In the four minutes of added time were played, Cray continued their pressuring on Canvey however in the final moments, Ronto and Joseph both ran the ball into the far corners of the Cray half to kill the clock.

Cray’s hopes were left in vain as the referee blew the whistle for full time. Wanderers players sunk to the ground in despair over how close they had come

Canvey had survived the pressure gallantly and had been rewarded as a result for their efforts. The result means Canvey are now through to the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time since 2004 when they were part of the Conference.

Canvey have had a somewhat weird run to the First Round Proper by having played Ware at home, Dereham Town away, Biggleswade at home and Bedfont Sports away before welcoming Cray Wanderers to Park Lane all along the way to this journey in they journey they have endured in the last two months.

With experience of playing such EFL teams like Port Vale, Stevenage, Northampton, Wigan and obviously local neighbours Southend United in the FA Cup before, this isn’t unchartered territory for the Gulls despite it being over 15 years since Canvey’s last visit.

There is also the added possibility of facing local island rivals Concord Rangers in the next round who also progressed through on Saturday afternoon whilst also facing local league opponents Maldon & Tiptree and local county neighbours Dagenham & Redbridge.

Colchester United and as previously mentioned, Southend United are also potential Essex derbies

Gulls will be hoping for a home draw given the current COVID restrictions don’t permit fans to be watching games at EFL stadiums.

Cray can hold their heads up knowing they did well throughout the game and especially in the second half and also proud of their run made.

If anything, they sure have the firepower and quality to continue their push for promotion to the National League South which will hopefully put them in good stead for next season’s return to Cray after 21 years of playing at National League side Bromley.

Maybe next year the Wanderers will finally reach the promised land of the First Round Proper of the FA Cup for the first time in their 160 year history?

If so, they will represent their town well on evidence of this year’s cup run.

Canvey Island: Bobby Mason, Dan Humphreys, Ben Sampayo, Jamie Salmon, Michael Finneran, Mason Hall, Elliott Ronto, Conor Hubble, Tobi Joseph,  Harrison Chatting, Evans Kouassi (Rob Girdlestone, 77)
Subs: Jey Siva, Rob Girdlestone, Cameron Harris, Rob Lacey, Tom Blackwell, Henry Sims

Cray Wanderers: Lewis Carey, Lee Lewis, Tom Carlse, Jay Leader (Charles Allen, 87), Mitchell Nelson, Tom Phipps, Jason Banton, Joseph Taylor, Freddie Parker, Bradley Pritchard, Rhys Murrell-Williamson
Subs: Jerome Federico, Roman Hall, Kyron Richards, Enizojie Onoabhagbe, Charles Allen, Herson Rodrigues Alves

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