Colney brush aside Hanwell to set up Marlow trip

LONDON Colney began their FA Cup adventure with an upset winning 3-1 away at Hanwell Town of the South Midlands Premier Division.

A fine rearguard display laid the foundations for the victory and once again Frankie Jowle and Sam Mitchell linked up well to cause the opposition trouble.

The Blueboys could have taken an early lead when Mitchell released Russell Gallagher who rounded the goalkeeper but saw his goalbound effort hacked off the line.

Hanwell mustered a couple of half chances but Charley Baverstock fired wide and Blaise O’Brien failed to beat Mark Whittamore.

The deadlock was broken by the visitors in the 22nd minute. Jowle was again the architect, beating two men before teeing up Mitchell to fire past Hanwell ‘keeper Kieran Jimmy and into the bottom right hand corner.

Hanwell fought back and Whittamore had to get down low to deny Baverstock while Colney’s Gallagher saw another effort cleared off the line by Jimmy.

Hanwell enjoyed a spell on top just prior to the interval with Jerome Pereira shooting wide and O’Brien crashing an effort off the top of the bar.

The interval ended this spell of pressure and Colney come out on top in the opening stages of the second period.

Blueboys’ skipper Kenny Hull was wide of the mark with a header and James Thompson was denied by Jimmy.

With 57 minutes gone Julian Robinson’s side doubled their advantage. A throw-in from Danny McCafferty found Mitchell and his cross to the far post was met by the advancing Jowle who volleyed home.

It was very nearly 3-0 just two minutes later when Mitchell’s lob beat the ‘keeper but bounced over the bar.

Yassine Fehmi-Gil’s long range effort was saved by Whittamore but the Blueboys’ stopper was beaten with 15 minutes remaining by Chris Mills. The Hanwell man lined up an effort from 30 yards which took a deflection as it made its way through a crowded penalty area sending Whittamore the wrong way.

With the game edging towards its conclusion the chances continued to come thick and fast with Colney’s Matt Hudson denied by Jimmy and Baverstock firing straight at Whittamore when through on goal.

With only a few minutes to go Hudson ensured it wasn;t to be a nervy end for the visitors with a third. Gallagher saw his effort beaten behind for a corner by Jimmy and from the resulting set play Jowle picked out Hudson who beat Jimmy with a first time effort.

London Colney’s reward is an away trip to Marlow in the Preliminary Round.

Man of the Match: Tom Dickie.

London Colney: Whittamore; Hull, McCafferty, Paradise, Murphy, Dickie, Jowle, Shaw (Hudson), Thompson, Mitchell, Gallagher. Subs not used: Dalton, Butcher, Davison, Townsend, Tammaro (GK).