SE Dons debut run in the Emirates FA Cup continued Tuesday night with a surprise 2-0 win over Isthmian South East Punjab United at the Bauvill Stadium.
The “home” side eased through to a “home” tie with another Isthmian side – Erith Town in the next round thanks to second half goals from Reece Barrett (who was later sent off for receiving a second yellow card during the second goal celebrations) which was scored by Joshua Bohui that evened the playing numbers up at ten-a-side after Lea Dawson was earlier shown a straight red card just moments after coming on as a second half substitute.
The first half was tight with few chances at either end. Chris Wedwards was denied by brilliant save Dons keeper George Kamurasi before an incident that really wasn’t Punjab’s night as they lost Will Johnson-Cole to freak injury that saw the striker helped from the field just before the break with a suspected dislocated shoulder.
Sub Hudson Scudder’s first involvement was to be race clear only to be brought down on the edge of the box with the defender “only” shown yellow when perhaps red was the right colour.
On the stroke of half time, Dons were denied when Walter Figueria was bravely blocked by keeper Jacob Russell as the Dons striker raced away.
The second period began with the visitors on top as Scudder had a shot beaten away by the keeper before the deadlock was broken with a stunning header from a corner. Barrett reacted fastest and timed him run to perfection as he powered home a right-wing corner.
The lead should have been doubled shortly afterwards as Aaron Watson did really well down the right, but Bohui completely missed his kick in front of an open net.
Punjab upped their game as they had to – Jordan Campbell volleyed into the side netting from an acute angle; sub-Pharrell Mensah was denied by a fabulous tip over from the flying Kamurasi and Edwards saw a vicious curling effort magnificently tipped over by the Dons big keeper.
Kamurasi pulled off possibly his best save with ten minutes to go as Edwards got on the end of a deep right-wing cross and powered a downward header goalwards that bounced and seemed to be lobbing into the top corner before the keeper’s fingertips came to the rescue.
Then followed the first of the nights red cards when Dawson was fouled and seemed to waft a kick into the air in disgust at being fouled. The match official showed the Punjab man a straight red card to the complete bemusement of nearly everyone in the ground!
Soon the game was over as a contest as Bohui hammered the ball home after Russell had denied Dominic Morgan-Griffiths, but what followed was even more bizarre than Dawson’s red card. Just as the players were returning to the middle, the referee showed Barrett a second yellow for something that was said or done in the middle of the celebrations!
Punjab kept going and Wayne Bushell had a late chance that Kamurasi saved well but this night and this tie belonged to the SE Dons, and they are still very much involved in their debut FA Cup season.
SE DONS – Kamurasi, Cook, Sargent (Kamara), Barrett, Palmer, De Melo (Hand), Morgan-Griffiths, Bohui, Watson (Nelson-Martin), Coker (Blackwood), Figueria (Crook)
Subs – Teniola, Nouble
PUNJAB UNITED – Russell, Lewis-Thomas, Wayne Bushell, Ratcliff, Singh (Dawson), Edwards, Wood (Mensah), Roman Campbell, Jordan Campbell (Vines), Johnson-Cole (Scudder)
Subs – Gill, Owen Bushell
Images courtesy of Jason Stanley