Beckenham Town 5-3 Binfield - I can't put it into words, reaching The FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round for the first time is a fantastic achievement, says Beckenham Town assistant manager Billy Walton

Beckenham Town 5 – 3 Binfield
Location	Eden Park Avenue, Beckenham, Kent BR3 3JL
Kickoff	01/10/2022 15:00

BECKENHAM TOWN  5-3  BINFIELD
The Emirates FA Cup Third Qualifying Round
Saturday 1 October 2022
Stephen McCartney reports from Eden Park Avenue

BECKENHAM TOWN assistant manager Billy Walton says he can’t put it into words the fantastic achievement of reaching The FA Cup Fourth and final Qualifying Round for the first time after winning an eight-goal epic.

Binfield arrived at fortress Eden Park Avenue unbeaten in their first 11 games in all competitions and were in second-place in the Isthmian League South Central Division with 13 points from five games and having kept nine clean sheets, conceding only two goals.

Binfield beat Kidlington (3-0) and Holyport (1-0) and raised eyebrows by thrashing Vanarama National League South side Tonbridge Angels 4-0 at home in the last round, under the joint managerial partnership of Carl Withers and Jamie McClurg.

The pair have since taken over at Southern League Premier Division South neighbours Bracknell Town and Garry Haylock’s first game in charge of the club ended in bitter disappointment against the newly-promoted Combined Counties League Premier Division South champions that have started their maiden campaign at this level in impressive form.

Beckenham Town went into their first ever Third Qualifying Round tie in second-place in the Isthmian League South East Division table with 13 points from five games and also unbeaten in their first 11 games this campaign.

Jason Huntley’s men have beaten Horsham YMCA (3-0) in the Extra Preliminary Round, K Sports (3-2), East Grinstead Town (3-1 at home after a 2-2 draw) and stunned Vanarama National League South giants Dartford with a 2-1 win at Princes Park Stadium two weeks ago in The FA Cup.

Beckenham Town opened the scoring on the counter-attack through striker Louie Theophanus but the Moles equalised through central midfielder Liam Tack’s near-post half-volley.

Theophanous then notched his eleventh goal of the campaign to put Beckenham Town in the driving seat in this end-to-end basketball type clash between two clubs that play in the eighth-tier of English football.

Freddie Nyhus gave the home side a 3-1 lead but Binfield showed great character to pull a second goal back just 103 seconds later as the home side switched off at a set-piece for Lewis Pegg to head home.

Holding midfielder George Goodwin’s magical curler from 35-yards gave Beckenham Town a 4-2 lead 10 minutes into the second half, before Tack notched his fifth goal of the season from the penalty spot to give Binfield a lifeline.

The pacey Tyler Anderson came off the bench to seal the deal inside the final two minutes to put Huntley’s men only 90 minutes away from a potential meeting against an English Football League club in The FA Cup First Round, leaving Walton close to tears during the post-match press conference.

“I mean, what a day, what a day for everyone. I’m getting emotional really. I asked my (late) wife this morning to look down on us and she did,” said Walton.

“I didn’t think it was a great game in all fairness, some great goals, a little bit of sloppy defending from us for their goals. We knew they’d get in crosses and we knew they go to the back post so we’re just disappointed that we conceded two goals like that but our goals were quality, absolutely top drawer.

“This team doesn’t know when they’re beat.  That Binfield side have beaten everyone and are scoring goals (29) for fun and they don’t concede and we’ve put five past them!”

When asked about reaching the Fourth Qualifying Round for the first time, Walton replied: “I can’t tell you how happy we are.  It’s just a fantastic achievement.

“I can’t put it into words, what do I say?  I’ve never done this in my life and the rest of the club, the manager, full credit to all the players."

Walton dedicated the victory to long-serving club secretary Peter Palmer.

“Listen, there’s a bloke called Peter Palmer, love him or hate him, he’s been down here 35 years and every club has got someone like Peter and to put that amount of dedication and hard work year in year out and doesn’t get anything and to do this, I’d like to think today we’ve done it for people like Peter and a few other people down here and the supporters. It’s what makes these non-league clubs, people like that and it’s great to give something back.”

Binfield created the first chance of the game with five minutes and 47 seconds on the clock.

They built up well with left-back Gabriel George playing the ball into Tack, before centre-half Pegg stabbed the ball back to Tack, who threaded the ball through to right-winger Taylor Morgan, who dragged his left-footed shot harmlessly wide of the right-post from inside the D.

However, Beckenham Town swiftly went up the other end and took the lead just 32 seconds later.

Jamarie Brissett’s through ball released Theophanous down the left channel and he beat his man and unleashed a low left-footed angled drive which beat goalkeeper Chris Grace at his near post from 20-yards.

“That’s football, isn’t it? You think you’re 1-0 down and next thing you know you’re 1-0 up,” said Walton, who runs the side alongside Huntley, Jason Clews, Peter Sweeney and Phil Wilson.

“It was a quick break from us. I think if Louie showed a bit more quality like that throughout the game, I think we would’ve been more comfortable winners.”

Binfield’s hard-working striker Sean Moore, who often dropped deep in the second half to link up play, drilled a right-footed free-kick past the left-hand post from 35-yards.

Binfield equalised with 16 minutes and 34 seconds on the clock, hitting the home side on the counter-attack.

Tack released Morgan down the right and his initial first cross from within the channel was cleared by centre-half Danny Waldren.

Tack stabbed the ball back to Morgan, who put in a second low cross towards the near post for Tack to flick his first time half-volley past Nick Blue into the bottom near corner from six-yards.

“I was disappointed we didn’t go and press the cross, where we know they like to get in crosses, so that was disappointing,” added Walton.

Binfield squandered a couple of chances during a good spell of possession just before the hour-mark.

Holding midfielder Massimo Giamattei floated in a cross from within the right channel for the towering Morgan to steer his free header past the post from eight-yards.

George galloped down the left wing before whipping in a deep cross towards the back post for Morgan to hit a first-time drive into Blue’s midriff from a tight angle.

Beckenham Town were easily getting in behind Binfield’s two centre-halves Liam Gavin and Pegg at will in the first half and missed several chances to add to their scoreline.

Brissett’s through ball put Theophanous through on goal but Grace came to the edge of his penalty area to make the block before Binfield cleared their lines.

Beckenham Town clinically doubled their lead with 30 minutes and 59 seconds on the clock.

Centre-half Rob Carter approached the half-way line before playing the ball into Theophanous’ feet and he cut into the box and placed a low left-footed drive into the bottom near corner from 12-yards, despite Grace sticking out his left leg.

“That’s the type of things that he can do.  He proved that today.  You give him a yard of space and he will absolutely bury you,” Walton said of Theophanous.

“Louie gives you goals, experience and he’s just a class player to have in your side.  Teams are constantly always worried about him.” 

Binfield squandered a glorious chance to equalise just 119 seconds later as Beckenham Town switched off at a set-piece.

Giamattei’s short throw went to George, who wasn’t pressed, and he took a touch before floating a cross towards the near-post where an unmarked Moore spun and hooked his left-footed volley screaming past the near post from 10-yards.

Walton said: “Respect to them, they’re a good side, they’re undefeated etc, etc. They had a little period where they dominated the game. They got on top of us and it was something that we were trying to get across with the players.  We’ve given Binfield too much room in midfield, allowing them to move the ball forward and play through the lines and that’s what we improved on.”

Beckenham Town’s holding midfielder Nick Curran floated a long ball into the box, which was flicked on by Alfie Bloomfield (who was forced off with an reoccurring ankle injury at the interval) and left-back Archie Johnson’s left-footed angled drive was comfortably held by Grace, low to his left.

Beckenham’s counter-attack saw Bloomfield’s long ball put in Theophanous again and he poked his shot straight at the advancing keeper, who made a vital block with his legs as the home side capitalised on more poor defending from Gavin and Pegg.

The pair opened the door on a couple more occasions as Curren’s defensive-splitting pass on the carpet released Theophanous again and Brisett’s one-v-one attempt was saved by the busy keeper’s legs.

Curren’s sliced shot on goal fell kindly at Theophanous just outside the corner of the six-yard box and his shot trickled towards the bottom far corner, only to be cleared away.

Walton added: “That’s a team that’s kept nine clean-sheets and we’re opening them up at will!  I don’t want to be disrespectful, but I didn’t think they were too good at the back, especially the two centre-halves.  I thought we just got at them all the time.”

Beckenham Town deservedly edged 3-1 in front with 44 minutes and 19 seconds on the clock, courtesy of a solo goal from Nyhus.

The winger picked up a loose ball on the right inside the Binfield half and went on an arrowing 40-yard run and once a couple of yards outside the box his weak left-footed angled drive went across Grace and nestled into the bottom far corner.

“Freddie likes to cut in and hit shots.  When I watched it, he might have scuffed that because normally it goes in with power,” said Walton. 

“I think it totally wrong-footed the keeper because he thought it was going near post and it cut across him and it went far post.  The keeper couldn’t adjust his feet and get across to it. I was so pleased for Freddie because he’s a great little lad and does well for us.”

Binfield showed great character though and pulled a goal back 62 seconds into time added on.

Giamattei played a short free-kick to right-back Kai Hobbs, who played the ball inside to five-goal winger Johnny Efedje, who dinked a cross towards the back post where the unmarked Pegg guided his free header into the near corner from three-yards.

“It’s all about players’ switching off.  You hear managers talk about it all of the time to concentrate and don’t switch off and that’s a perfect example of it,” bemoaned Walton.

“We’ve given them a free-kick which was a needless free-kick. Danny Waldren dived in and gave away a silly free-kick.  Then we let them play it short and we don’t pick up in the box.  In saying that, I have asked a lot of people and everyone has said it was two or three yards offside but anyway the referee gave it but you have to stay concentrated all of the time.”

When asked his half-time thoughts, Walton revealed: “We weren’t happy at all. We weren’t happy that we weren’t shutting them down quickly enough. We didn’t get to them in midfield and we let them back into the game.

“We were 3-1 up and we allowed them to get a crucial foot in the game just before half-time and it wasn’t good enough!

“We sorted out the midfield at half-time. We emphasised how closer they had to get to them and we did that and we totally dominated the second half.”

Binfield were not going to give up without a fight and went close to scoring a third goal inside the opening nine minutes.

Gavin played a 20-yard pass into Giamattei, who swept a first time pass to release Moore, who ran 30-yards before dragging his right-footed shot across Blue and trickling past Blue from just a yard inside the box.

Beckenham Town’s fourth goal was sheer class and quality, when it arrived with nine minutes and 18 seconds on the clock.

Johnson threw the ball to Goodwin, who was in oceans of space so he decided to have a go at goal, hitting a sublime right-footed curler around the diving keeper to find the far corner from 35-yards.

“What a goal! If that’s on Premiership football, you’ll be talking about that,” hailed Walton.

“A little joke, we were sort of saying, ‘is George alright?’ as he struck it.  George has just come back off holiday, he’s had two weeks in the sun and he’s literally came back on Thursday and to score a goal like that, that goal is a top class goal.

“I thought to myself that was the final nail in their coffin – I thought we wouldn’t concede again.”

Binfield were given a lifeline when Moore was on the receiving end of Waldren’s rash challenge as he cut into the box down the left and referee Conall Bartlett had the easiest decision to make to point to the spot and book the Beckenham Town captain.

Tack sent Blue the wrong way with his right-footed penalty, which nestled close to the bottom right-hand corner, as Binfield scored a third goal with 17 minutes and 11 seconds on the clock.

“It was my fault,” admitted Walton.  “I told Bluey he goes to the right and Bluey did dive to his right and just missed it with his feet.

“Danny done us a fantastic favour today playing at centre-half. It was a little bit rash to bring him down on the angle of the penalty area.  He could’ve just shepherded him out a little bit.

“I just thought to myself, whatever you do, I don’t want to go to Binfield on Tuesday night.  I was looking up to the heavens saying (to my late wife), please don’t let them score and my dear old wife stuck with us and they didn’t.”

George’s throw-in gave Tack the licence to stride forward but his right-footed daily-cutter from 35-yards was comfortably gathered by Blue at his near-post, smothering the ball low to his right to ensure the ball didn’t nestle inside the bottom left-hand corner with 20 minutes of this breathless FA Cup classic remaining.

Beckenham Town’s right-back Harvey Brand raced down the right before teeing up substitute left-winger Steven Townsend, who scuffed a poor first-time side-footed shot straight to Grace from 25-yards.

Beckenham Town sealed the deal with 42 minute and 2 seconds on the clock.

Johnson’s long ball was poorly headed out by Gavin and Anderson pounced on the loose ball some 35-yards from goal, before his pacey run took him past a couple of defenders before slotting a clinical right-footed shot past Grace from 16-yards.

“That’s what Tyler’s going to give you.  If he gets past you, you ain’t going to catch him.  It was a great finish. He hasn’t got a tremendous amount of experience at playing, he’s a very, very intelligent, good footballer and he’ll do well for us,” added Walton.

Both sides created chances inside stoppage time.

A free-kick from Binfield substitute Brad Pagliaroli was cleared out to Moore, who recycled the ball back into the Beckenham box where the impressive Tack flicked his free header past the far post from six-yards out.

Theophanous, who had a much quieter second half, hit a right-footed fierce shot on the turn which was screaming towards the near corner, only for Grace to beat the ball away at his near-post.

Walton believes BBC Sport should select Beckenham Town for live television coverage in the next round, especially as they are unbeaten at home since losing 1-0 to Rusthall in the Kent Senior Trophy on 23 November 2021.

“I think so, why not? Why not?  Because they deserve all the credit they can get.  Thanks to people like yourself (who forked out £100 in cab fares from Tunbridge Wells to Westerham, then two buses, via Bromley and then to Beckenham to report on this game due to the train strike) that comes and puts us out on the World Wide Web and says good things about us, not always but most of the time, this painter and decorator from Bermondsey putting his little bit of knowledge in with all of the other people down here like Jason Huntley, Peter Sweeney, Phil Wilson and Jason Clews.

“This FA Cup victory, it means everything. I can see myself with you on Soccer Saturday with Jeff Stelling interviewing us both and you answering questions about Beckenham and stuff so we might get an interview on Sky Sports News.”

When asked about who he wants in the next round, Walton replied, “Wrexham away, Southend away.  I want to play an ex-League club. Yeovil would be nice because we’ll make it a massive weekend of it.

“I don’t want to sound like we’re getting ahead of ourselves but who will want to draw little old Beckenham? Who will want to draw them? Even one of the big sides. We’ll give everyone a game and with that little bit of help from up above, we’ll go a long way.”

Walton wants a dream draw against the Premier League team he supports.

“I think we can get to the Semi-Final and hopefully we’ll play West Ham and they beat us in Extra-Time.”

Meanwhile, Grant Basey’s VCD Athletic are in fifth-place in the table tonight after holding leaders Ramsgate to a 2-2 draw at Oakwood today.

Beckenham Town slipped down a place to third after Ashford United leapfrogged over them with a 3-1 win at newly-promoted side Littlehampton Town.

Beckenham’s last home league defeat was when Chatham Town won 5-1 in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division on 10 November 2020, meaning Huntley’s men are 27 league games unbeaten at Eden Park Avenue.

Looking ahead to next Saturday’s clash against VCD, Walton said: “Every single team is a tremendously hard game.  VCD will come here, we beat them at their place in a very, very tight game 1-0 at the end (on 29 August).  It’s going to be another extremely hard day at the office.

“We’ll train on Thursday and try to get everyone together but we’re a hard side to play against and a hard side to beat so it will be another cracker.”

Beckenham Town have scooped £13,819 in FA Cup prize money and will pick up a further £9,375 with a win or £3,125 with a defeat in the next round.

The next round of The FA Cup will be on Saturday 15 October, meaning Beckenham will have to make a midweek trip to Littlehampton in the league.

Walton added: “It all helps. Listen, the way the world is now all that money helps paying for the electricity and the bills and everything else.  Hopefully we can win the next round and get a bit more money and I think the first round proper is £41,000 just for the winner.  I’ve still got to buy my own drink when I go in the bar!

“Winning the league last year was the highlight of my career and doing this (FA Cup run) is magical.”

Beckenham Town: Nick Blue, Harvey Brand, Archie Johnson, Nick Curran (Luke Hedges 65), Rob Carter, Danny Waldren, Alfie Bloomfield (Steven Townsend 46), George Goodwin, Louie Theophanous, Jamarie Brisset (Tyler Anderson 72), Freddie Nyhus.
Subs: Callum Henry, Baldwin Kaluya, Ishmael Erskine, Jamie Humphris

Goals: Louie Theophanous 7, 31, Freddie Nyhus 45, George Goodwin 55, Tyler Anderson 88

Booked: George Goodwin 25, Rob Carter 28, Danny Waldren 62

Binfield: Chris Grace, Kai Hobbs, Gabriel George (Brad Pagliaroli 84), Massimo Giamattei (James Beauchamp 69), Liam Gavin, Lewis Pegg, Johnny Efedje, Liam Tack, Sean Moore, Connor Holland (Jonathan Denton 16), Taylor Morgan.
Subs: Brandon Curtis, Joe Gater, Elliot Leg, Kian Duncan

Goals: Liam Tack 17, 63 (penalty), Lewis Pegg 45

Booked: Liam Tack 36

Attendance: 275
Referee: Mr Conall Bartlett
Assistants: Mr Matt Goldsmith & Mr Peter Andrews