Corinthian 1-1 Erith Town - I have decisions to make at the end of the season regarding what I’m going to do because I don’t want to miss out on my family growing up , says Erith Town boss Adam Woodward

Corinthian 1 – 1 Erith Town
Location	Star Meadow, Darland Avenue, Gillingham, Kent ME7 3AN
Kickoff	29/03/2024 13:00

CORINTHIAN  1-1  ERITH TOWN
(Erith Town win 5-3 on penalties)
Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Final
Good Friday 29 March 2024
Stephen McCartney reports from Star Meadow

ERITH TOWN manager Adam Woodward says he will sit down and discuss his future in football with his wife at the end of the season after his side held their nerve from the penalty spot to grab their first piece of silverware in 13 years.

A crowd of 452 witnessed a poor Southern Counties East Football League Challenge Cup Final, which was played on the artificial pitch at Hollands & Blair’s Star Meadow ground in Gillingham.

Corinthian were the better side during the 90 minutes and Michael Hagan’s tenth goal of the season gave Michael Golding’s side a deserve lead on a very windy day.

Woodward brought on striker Jake Lovell with 15 minutes remaining and he won a penalty, which was converted by James Dyer with four minutes of normal time remaining, which was the attacking midfielder’s 26^th goal of the campaign.

The Dockers held their nerve from the penalty spot, winning 5-3, with substitute midfielder James Miles converting the winner.

“I thought it was a poor game to be honest. I thought we looked very tired. That’s no surprise, three games in six days. We’ve not had it easy.  They’ve had a full weeks’ rest.  I thought the players’ looked fatigued but look, fair play to them because their backs were against the wall because Corinthian are a very good football side and we’ve come out with a penalty shoot-out win,” said Woodward.

“Look, what I will say, we’ve played them twice in the league, they beat us twice and when we went 1-0 down I thought ‘oh no, here we go again,’ but fair play to the players.

“Listen, neither goalkeeper really had to make a save today. I thought their goal was poor from our perspective but we’ve held in. I don’t know how we’ve done it. We’ve found that little bit extra and we’ve won on pens.

“It was tough today, leaving people out of the squad like James Trueman whose been fantastic for me for three or four years and people like Calum McGeehan, whose been exceptional since he’s come in.

“I felt today it was only fair to bring Ryan Mahal back in. He hasn’t kicked a ball for a couple of months. He’s our club captain and I thought he was exceptional for the 75 minutes that he played.

“Jack Holland has been out in the wilderness. He hasn’t really kicked a ball. He’s been out in Australia, hasn’t played since December. He played his first game the other night and I thought he was brilliant at left-back as well.

“The heart and the desire the boys showed was fantastic but it means nothing  - like I said to the players out there – if we don’t go and win at Rusthall.”

Corinthian coach Alfie Pailes added: “Penalties are always a horrible way to lose.  I think it was a scrappy game.  The conditions didn’t help either team. It was a battle but at the end of the day it came down to a lottery and we’ve come out second best, so we’re disappointed.

“We have a huge amount of time left in our season where we’ve still got a lot to play for, so we have to use this as a kick up the backside to go and go again and put that feeling of pain and horrible feeling of losing on penalties behind us and rally together and go again.

“In terms of the game, I think it was a typical cup final, scrappy, not much happening. I think we’ve had one chance and they’ve had the penalty and they took theirs and I’d say evenly-matched. In a League game I’d say a draw was probably a fair result and they’ve won on a lottery.”

Corinthian now have the statistic of losing their last seven cup finals and they arrived in Gillingham in third-place in the table, having picked up 70 points (21 wins, seven draws and six defeats) from their 34 (of 40) league games.

Corinthian completed the league double over the Dockers, winning 4-3 at Bayliss Avenue (12 September) and 2-1 at Gay Dawn Farm (30 December).

Golding’s men beat Stansfeld (6-2), Meridian VP (3-1), Faversham Town (2-1) and Whyteleafe (5-2 on aggregate) to reach their fifth League Cup/Challenge Cup Final.

Erith Town, meanwhile, are in fifth-place in the league table, having picked up 62 points (19 wins, five draws and nine defeats) from their 33 games and occupy the final play-off berth.

The Dockers’ have beaten Tooting Bec (3-1), Rusthall (3-0), Holmesdale (3-1) and beat Deal Town (5-4 on aggregate) to reach their third League Cup Final.

Woodward revealed his players were feeling fatigued as this was their third outing in the past six days, while Corinthian had played just once since last Saturday.

Corinthian were the better side – in a game spoilt by windy conditions – and created their first opening after only 99 seconds.

Jamie Billings – one of five defenders – threw the ball into the left-channel for left-wing-back Alexander Jack Billings to flick the ball on before Hagan switched the play towards an unmarked striker Sam Bewick, taking a touch before sweeping a left-footed half-volley towards goal from 20-yards, which was comfortably gathered at the second attempt by McKenzie Foley, to prevent the ball finding the bottom right-hand corner.

“I think we started on the front foot,” said Pailes.

“We said to the boys go out there and get into their faces, try and start early.  Bewick, as we know, he likes to have a shot and nine times out of 10 it does hit the target and the keeper’s picked it up.  I don’t think it was a clear chance.”

Woodward admitted: “Do you know what, I thought it was a poor game if we’re honest.  It weren’t a great game.  I must say, it was a bit s**t, let’s be honest.

“I think the wind, the conditions didn’t help.  I think we looked very fatigued but it was an even game throughout and I thought first half we didn’t create a lot.  We went a big direct.

“We left Harry Taylor very, very isolated, which didn’t help.”
 
Erith Town lacked quality in attack, as they struggled to break down Corinthian’s back five – with Brandon Davey sitting in front of them – but they created an opening in the tenth minute.

Dyer skipped past Alexander Jack Billings before feeding Ladic Melconian who played the ball into Dyer, who dragged his right-footed shot past the left-hand post from 30-yards.

Jamie Billings floated a free-kick into the Erith Town penalty area from the edge of the centre-circle but a poor first touch from Alexander Jack Billings inside the penalty area ensured Foley wasn’t troubled.

Corinthian wasted a glorious chance to smash the stalemate in the 24^th minute.

Oscar Housego linked up well with Alexander Jack Billings on the left before Jack Billings played in a low cross from within the left channel towards the unmarked right-wing-back Jack Unwin, who went to pieces inside the box, lashing a first time left-footed shot high over the crossbar from 15-yards.

“I think it was quite a well-worked move and probably the first time that we got into a good area and made a couple of chances and he’s taken a first-time shot.  I couldn’t quite tell if he could’ve taken another chance,” added Pailes.

Bewick played the ball inside to Ahmed Salim Futa (who sits beside Davey in holding midfield) but his left-footed half-volley from 25-yards bounced into Foley’s gloves for a comfortable save.

Corinthian deserved their lead when it arrived with 31 minutes and 8 seconds on the clock, although Foley and his centre-half Jerome Jayaguru were guilty of making mistakes in the build-up to Hagan’s counter-attacking composed finish.

Bewick threw the ball into a crowded penalty area where centre-half Sam Fitzgerald (who kept 29-goal Erith Town striker Harry Taylor in his pocket) flicked his header past the near-post.

Foley’s resulting left-footed goal-kick bounced and failed to reach the halfway line and a poor touch from Jayaguru sent Hagan on his way, controlling the ball three times on the run straight down the heart of the pitch and with his fourth touch, slotting his left-footed shot past Foley into the bottom left-hand corner from 12-yards.

Pailes watched Erith Town’s 2-1 home win over Holmesdale on Tuesday night and his preparation helped with the Corinthian opener.

“It’s something that we looked at. I went to watch them on Tuesday and the keeper did exactly the same thing against Holmesdale.  His kicking is really good but inconsistent and it’s something we picked up on,” said Pailes.

“It’s gone straight through to Hagan and he’s showed great composure. He’s had quite a lot of time as well to think about it and make the finish in a pressure moment in a cup final.

“That’s the quality that he’s got. He’s scored goals in big games and in cup finals and won this Cup before and it was a great finish.”

Woodward added: “Poor from us, two individual mistakes. A bad kick from the goalkeeper. I think JJ (Jayaguru) should’ve just got out of the way maybe but he’s tried to control it and it’s bounced through and he’s gone through and that’s just stuff that we’ve got to cut out.

“I said at half-time, look, I told them before the game this game will be won in both boxes. If you defend properly, you’ll get chances and I’ll be honest with you, when that went in, it was just a mistake that we didn’t help ourselves in that situation and we’ve obviously got a mountain to climb.”

Housego tripped Dyer as he cut inside him and Dyer drilled the resulting left-footed free-kick over the crossbar from a central position some 35-yards from goal in the 36^th minute.

Corinthian were winning all of the second balls and Erith Town created a better opening with 42:15 on the clock.

Central midfielder Melconian rolled the ball out to ineffective left-winger Ollie Milton, who cut into the penalty area and his initial low cross was cleared out to Dyer, who cut in before stroking his right-footed drive towards the centre of the goal from 22-yards, which was comfortably saved by Nathan Boamah.

Woodward said: “I thought our big players today, James Dyer was quiet, Harry Taylor was quiet, Harrison Carnegie was quiet but what I will say, they all worked hard.

“It didn’t come off for them but they worked hard but we need those players. If those players’ are not performing, we need others to step up and I thought the back four were superb.

“I thought Ryan Mahal was absolutely excellent at centre-half today.  My management team were the ones that suggested putting Ryan in today and I thought it paid off really. I thought he was brilliant for 75 minutes.”

Pailes added: “I think across the 90 minutes, we’ve nullified quite a lot of their threats.  They’ve got a lot of very, very good players and those two boys (Taylor and Dyer), we identified their strengths.

“But across our back three and a wide five, nullified their threat quite well and there wasn’t much in the game, scraps and battles but that’s something that we normally kind of thrive off and that type of game, the battles, lots of work, lots of firsts and lots of second balls.”

Both Woodward and Pailes were asked their thoughts at the break.

Woodward said: “Just stay calm! I said to them, I played this cup final down all week.  They’ve got nothing to lose, just go out and enjoy the second half.

“I said don’t be out of it, there will be a chance and if we get the leveller we will win and there was no shouting our hollering. 

“I remined the boys that we’re in a cup final, don’t let that mistake be the one that wins the game.”

Pailes added: “I was out there doing the warm-up so I don’t exactly know (what was said in the dressing room).

“I asked for how it went and it was positive messaging.  We’re 1-0 up, 45 minutes to go, so carry on doing the same things, which is what we were saying on the touchline.  More of the same, more belief, get round each other and keep going.”

Corinthian skipper Jamie Billings tried to score from 40-yards inside the opening 11 minutes of the second half but his drilled left-footed attempt bounced into Foley’s midriff for a comfortable save.

“You’ve probably seen what Jamie has done this season from those type of areas and nothing surprises us as a management team in terms of when he puts the ball down and the keeper’s claimed that one,” said Pailes.

“It’s something that Jamie’s got in his locker, so we wouldn’t stop him doing that for sure.  We wouldn’t be here if he hadn’t put that one in against Whyteleafe (in the Semi-Final).”

Golding sent on pacey striker Michael Ihiedi in the 66^th minute and he lacked composure on the edge of the Erith Town penalty area shortly afterwards.

Jamie Billings launched a long ball in behind Dockers’ left-back Jack Holland and Ihiedi’s pace got him in behind.  Jayaguru failed to clear his lines and Ihiedi’s stabbed shot was straight at Foley, who advanced to the edge of his penalty area to make the block.

“Michael is a young player, playing for our under 18s and come and done a bit with us and we’re trying to give him that exposure,” said Pailes.

“I don’t think many management teams would be brave enough to chuck him on in a cup final but we believe in his talent. He’s got a lot of talent and it dropped and caught his stud instead of going over the goalkeeper.

“When he came on he offers us something different up there, a bit of pace and stretching the back four, which is something we thought could cause them issues.”

Woodward admitted: “I thought it was dire second half. I thought the game was just played in midfield and both teams were cagey.  We looked fatigued but I don’t think we ever looked in trouble second half really.

“It was hard to break them down with the five at the back.  That was hard and they were doubling up on Harry Taylor and Harrison Carnegie and Dyer didn’t get much room so listen, it was a cagey second half.”

This was a Cup Final lacking in quality and Erith Town almost grabbed an equaliser with 31:09 on the clock.

Holland played the ball in from within the left-channel towards the D where Melconian’s hooked volley from 20-yards went miles up high in the sky – and cheers from the Corinthian fans behind the other goal as they thought the shot was going to trouble the housing estate behind the high wooden perimeter fencing.

However, the ball dipped drastically and bounced off the angle of right-upright and crossbar.

“Where was we?  We were turning our backs, not worrying about it. That’s small margins. If we follow it in, maybe we score there but it was one of those freakish moments,” said Woodward.

Pailes added: “I think that sums up the weather conditions today. I think half the people behind the goal were cheering because he’s put it into the car park and it’s looped down and hit the top of the bar.

“I’d like to think Nathan had it covered but I think that passage of play sums up the whole game, given the conditions and the unpredictability of the wind.”

Woodward threw on Lovell for skipper Mahal and holding midfielder George Goodwin dropped into defence to partner Jayaguru.

Futa tripped Melconian on the half-way line and Dyer’s resulting left-footed free-kick was knocked towards the edge of Corinthian’s penalty area and the towering Goodwin guided his header bouncing into Boamah’s midriff for a comfortable collection.

Corinthian looked on course to land their first piece of silverware for 36 years but Dean Nayler sent Lovell crashing to the ground just inside the penalty area on the left-hand side and referee William Donnelly pointed to the spot.

Dyer held his nerve and stroked his left-footed penalty just right of centre, as Boamah dived to his right, to snatch an equaliser with 40 minutes and 54 seconds on the clock.

Woodward said: “He came on Jack and when he came on his work-rate and his partnership with Harry is very, very good. 

“Do you know what, Harry needed a little bit of help second half. He was very isolated and we brought Jake on and he caused problems.”

Pailes refused to throw Nayler under the bus for giving away the late penalty – Erith Town hardly looked like getting back into the game before then.

“Dean’s given away the foul but he’s an 18-year-old boy. He’s been absolutely outstand and us as a management team give him so much credit for what he’s done this season and I think he was brilliant.

“He’s a superb defender and he’s understandably gutted and as a young boy he’s been playing a men’s senior final but he’s got such a huge, huge career ahead of him so everyone will rally around him and it’s one of those things.

“It happens to a defender. He just got there a second late.  Dean’s disappointed. He feels as an 18 year-old boy it’s his fault but he’s been different class for us and he’s going to play a huge part in us being successful for the rest of the season.”



Jamie Billings tried to score with a speculative left-footed shot from close to the centre-circle but Foley was relieved to see the ball drift past the right-hand post (49:41).

This disappointing Cup Final was to be settled by a penalty shoot-out.

Erith Town goalkeeper Foley went up first, his left-footed penalty slipping through Boamah’s fingers and creeping into the bottom left-hand corner.

Jamie Billings placed his right-footed penalty straight down the middle, as Foley dived to his left.

Left-footed Dyer ran towards the penalty spot before grabbing hold of the ball and Boamah dived to his left and got a hand to the ball, which kissed the base of the right-hand post before crossing the line.

Hagan rifled his right-footed penalty into the top left-hand corner, giving Foley no chance as he dived to his right.

The Corinthian fans in the crowd were celebrating when it appeared that Boamoah had saved Taylor’s right-footed penalty, diving to his right and ensuring the ball looped over his crossbar, but the keeper moved off his line and the referee ordered a re-take.

Boamah dived to his left and got a hand to it but Taylor’s second right-footed penalty nestled inside the bottom right0hand corner.

Alexander Jack Billings’ right-footed penalty saw Foley dive to his left to push towards safety, as Corinthian’s poor Cup Final run continued.

Erith Town were 4-2 in front and Goodwin’s right-footed penalty found the top right-hand corner, with the keeper diving the same way.

Futa danced to the ball on the penalty spot and cracked his left-footed penalty top middle, with the goalkeeper diving to his right.

Miles won the cup for Erith Town, rifling a clinical right-footed penalty into the roof of the net (top left), with the goalkeeper guessing to his left and dropping to his knees on his goal-line in despair, while the Erith Town players and supporters celebrated a smash-and-grab victory.

Both were asked about the penalty shoot-out.

Woodward was asked why his goalkeeper went first.

“Back in the day, when I played (in goal), I fancied myself with penalties. I never really got the manager to trust me to take one. I remember the warm-ups at Phoenix the year when we won the Kent Invicta League and we took penalty shoot-outs before we went in (to the dressing rooms before kick-off), me and Boylie (Steve O’Boyle) used to have penalty shoot-outs.

“I always fancy my goalkeeper to take a penalty. He done it at Hilltop, he took the first one and took the first one today and fair play to him, he stepped up and managed to squirm it in somehow.

“I thought we held our nerve. Their goalkeeper came off his line for one and Harry’s stepped up and took it and scored the second one.

“What I will say, James Dyer, James Miles and Harry Taylor missed at Hilltop (1-1 draw, FA Vase in January, before losing on penalties) and they all stepped up and secured the goals today and took the penalties and scored, which is fair play to them.

“They didn’t have much options when I said who was taking them. They were told ‘you’re taking a penalty,’ no one was given the option. If they missed, it’s my fault and it’s one me but they didn’t miss today, fantastic.”

Pailes said: “It’s a lottery, so you never know in finals what way it’s going to go.  You hope it’s in the hands of the gods and you hope it’s going to fall your way, unfortunately, it didn’t.

“We’ve got faith in all of the boys that kind of put their hands yup and say they wanted to do it but we’ve scored three out of four penalties at the end of the day.

“Jack (Billings) is an experienced player and put it around the corner and the keeper’s made the save and that’s the difference between winning the cup and getting a runners-up medal unfortunately.”

When asked about his goalkeeper initially saving Taylor’s spot-kick before the retake, Pailes said: “He’s pulled off a great save and the lino’s adjudged he’s come off the line. I wouldn’t like to say he was or he wasn’t.  He’s told us he thinks it’s pretty harsh and he’s got one foot on the line but from where we’re standing in the dug-out, we’re miles away, so I wouldn’t want to assume the referee or the linesman has got it wrong.”

Reflecting on his club’s miserable record of not winning their last seven cup finals, Pailes said: “I didn’t know that. It’s not something that we’ve spoken about but if we get to the play-off final, let’s hope we kind of break that duck.  It’s not a nice thing to hear or want to be a part of it.”

Mahal held the trophy aloft and Erith Town travel to Maidstone to play First Division side Croydon in the Kent Senior Trophy Final on Sunday 14 April.

“I was going to have a day off tomorrow but I’ll probably go and watch Croydon (play at Sporting Club Thamesmead) and I’m sure the old woman will love that,” said Woodward.

“I must say my wife’s been absolutely brilliant. We’ve got two under threes and she doesn’t stop me doing anything when it comes to football and she’s here today and full credit to her because she puts up a lot of s**t from me.

“My daughters miss their dad because they don’t see her dad Tuesdays, Thursday’s and Saturday’s because he’s out at football, so it is for my family. My family suffer the most. Any non-league manager will tell you that the family suffer the most. It was a nice moment to share it (the winners medal) with the girls and the wife.”

When asked about his future, Woodward needs to discuss family matters first.

“Do you know what, it’s all the hard work that people don’t see behind the scenes. I’m out three times a week and the person that suffers is my wife and it is tough on her and mentally it’s tough being away from the family.

“I do football for my enjoyment. My wife suffers a lot and it is getting to a stage now where it’s getting very tough.  I have decisions to make at the end of the season regarding what I’m going to do because I don’t want to miss out on my family growing up and any non-league manager will tell you you’re family are the ones that suffer.

“I’ve learnt from people like Steve O’Boyle, he’s a workaholic and that’s what I try and do and be a workaholic around football and leave no stone unturned and I think maybe sometimes you have to take a step back from it. I’ve been in senior football since I was 16.

“No I’m not saying that (this is my last season in charge of Erith Town). It’s the conversation that I have to have with my wife.

“I absolutely love Erith. I absolutely love it and I absolutely love the chairman and his wife and they’re fantastic to me and my family. I love everyone around it but there’s time in life where sometimes you have to give a little bit back.

“It will be a conversation I will have with my wife. She will probably say ‘don’t give it up’ because she knows I’ll be a pain in the backside – but it’s a tough one.”

Deal Town climbed to the summit of the table with a 1-0 home win over bottom side Welling Town last Tuesday and Steve King’s men have picked up 73 points from their 30 games.

Glebe have played six games more and have also picked up 73 points and are joined in the play-off zone by Corinthian (70 points from 34 games), Faversham Town (65 points from 34 games) and Erith Town (62 points from 33 games).

Whitstable Town (58 points from 34 games), Lydd Town (56 points from 32 games), Bearsted (56 points from 33 games), Snodland Town (55 points from 31 games) and Punjab United (52 points from 31 games) cannot be ruled out.

The bottom six contains Tunbridge Wells (31 points from 29 games), Kennington (26 points from 34 games), Stansfeld (22 points from 33 games), Sutton Athletic (22 points from 32 games), Rusthall (19 points from 34 games), while Welling Town (17 points from 33 games) occupy the sole relegation berth.

Corinthian welcome Stansfeld to Gay Dawn Farm on Easter Monday, 1 April.

Pailes said: “I think that’s our job now as a management team to get us ready. I don’t think the boys need any motivation as to why we have to beat Stansfeld at home on Monday because we need to get another three points to put us in an important position in the league, so there’s three points at stake on Monday.

“We’ll roll into that and prepare properly for that and get around the boys.  The boys are brilliant with each other.  The biggest thing that’s got us to where we are now is the kind of spirit we’ve got at the club, the spirit we’ve got in the changing room and we’ll rally everyone and have full faith in us to go again and push on and use this as a fuel to the fire to say it hurts, let’s go again and see what happens.

“We’ve seen the last two or three weeks there have been a few unpredictable results.  Rusthall got a 2-2 draw at Faversham, Glebe drew Welling Town 1-1 and Stansfeld are going to come and we’ve drawn at their place in the league so we need to get three points on the board.

“Our objective is to put as many points on the board between now and the end of the season, see where it takes us. 

“From our perspective it’s a case of recover and go again and get three points on the board and then we’ve got five games after that to try to get 15 points and that’s the aim.

“You never want to lose a cup final but if you could swap this for promotion, then we’ll absolutely take it, so it’s a long way to go. We’ve got six games to try to get maximum points and see where it takes us.”

Erith Town, meanwhile, travel to Rusthall on the same day.  Jimmy Anderson’s side are winless in their last 17 outings.

“They drew with Faversham (2-2) last week. We’ve got to go down and get three points.  This cup means nothing – both cups, I’m not interested in. I want to get promoted. That was the aim at the start of the year and we haven’t had it easy with three games in six days,” said Woodward.

“It’s a massive game. They’re fighting for their lives. I do think they’re safe, if I’m brutally honest. I think they’re safe but we need to go down there and get three points.

“We lost (3-2) to Faversham the other day, last kick of the game and we’ve just got to make sure we turn up on Monday, recovered well, hydrated well, which they’re doing with their strongbow and black now.

“We’ve got to make sure we prepare right for Monday. It’s important.

“It’s brilliant for the club, fantastic. The hard work that goes on behind the scenes, is immense.

“I played this cup down all week and that was to take the attention of the boys, maybe just put it on me a little bit, which was trying to help them because they’re very tired and we’ve got to make sure the attention wasn’t on us too much. We took it off them and we wanted a calm and relaxed environment.”

FIRST TEAM CUP FINAL RESULTS

CORINTHIAN:
1983-84 Kent Senior Trophy - Erith & Belvedere - W3-2 at Sittingbourne FC
1986-87 Kent Senior Trophy - Cray Wanderers - D1-1 at Dartford FC
1986-87 Kent Senior Trophy Replay - Cray Wanderers - W3-2 after extra time at Sittingbourne FC
1984-85 Kent Senior Trophy - Greenwich Borough - L1-3 at Dartford FC
2011-12 League Cup  - VCD Athletic - L0-2 at Cray Valley FC
2012-13 League Cup - Erith & Belvedere - L1-4 at Welling United FC
2013-14 League Cup - Beckenham Town - L0-2 at Bromley FC
2018-19 League Cup - Chatham Town - L2-3 at Tonbridge Angels FC
2019-20 Kent Senior Trophy - Sheppey United  - L1-3 at Chatham Town FC
2023-24 League Cup - Erith Town - D1-1 (lost 5-3 on penalties) at Hollands & Blair FC

ERITH TOWN: (London FA not included)

2007-08 League Cup - Hythe Town - W1-0 at Folkestone Invicta FC
2008-09 Kent Senior Trophy - VCD Athletic - L2-3 (after extra time) at Welling United FC
2008-09 League Cup - Croydon - D1-1 (after extra time, lost 3-1 on penalties) at Welling United FC
2010-11 Kent Senior Trophy - Tunbridge Wells - W3-1 at Welling United FC
2023-24 League Cup – Corinthian – D1-1 (won 5-4 on penalties) at Hollands & Blair FC

Corinthian: Nathan Boamah, Jack Unwin (Harry Lashley 81), Alexander Jack Billings, Sam Fitzgerald, Jamie Billings, Dean Nayler, Ahmed Salim Futa, Brandon Davey, Sam Bewick (Michael Ihiedi 66), Michael Hagan, Oscar Housego.
Subs: Corey Holden, Conor Driscoll, Charlie Clover

Goal: Michael Hagan 32

Erith Town: Mackenzie Foley, Tom Ash, Jack Holland, George Goodwin, Ryan Mahal (Jake Lovell 75), Jerome Jayaguru, Ollie Milton (James Miles 63), Ladic Melconian, Harry Taylor, James Dyer, Harrison Carnegie.
Subs: Aaron Jeffery, Jamie Miller, Tom Walters

Goal: James Dyer 86 (penalty)

Booked: Ollie Milton 62, George Goodwin 70

Attendance: 452
Referee: Mr William Donnelly
Assistants: Mr Thomas Amber & Mr Harrison Clark
Fourth Official: Mr Kieran Cox