Banstead Athletic 4 Merstham 0

Banstead cruised to a 4-0 Surrey Senior Cup third round victory over Merstham at Merland Rise on Tuesday to set up a home tie against Woking in January, writes Colin Darby.

Banstead scored after just two minutes when James Greenaway turned a defender on the edge of the box and hit the ball low past the keeper.

Greenaway headed in a corner for his second goal on 27 minutes, before Merstham saw an effort come off an upright.

Graham Knight scored the third on 75 minutes and Jerome Richards added a fourth in injury time.

Last Saturday, Banstead manager Bob Langford was dis-appointed his team did not leave second-placed Leyton Pennant with all three points.

An equaliser, four minutes from time, denied Banstead a deserved win.

Athletic skipper Mark Leahy went off with a back injury after 18 minutes, but the make-shift centre-half pairing of Martin Beard and Wayne Finnie snuffed out 14-goal striker Billy Cove's threat.

An own goal gave Banstead the lead when Simon Tickner headed Jerome Richards' cross into his own net.

Leyton were reduced to 10 men after 63 minutes when Waldron was dismissed for pulling back Justin Georgiou as he sprinted clear.

But, as so often happens, the depleted side upped the tempo and Finnie had to clear off the line after Banstead keeper Glyn Shimell dropped the ball under pressure.

With time running out, Tickner made amends for his own goal by heading Jay Notley's corner past Shimell.

Banstead: Shimell, Day, Langford, Whelan, Finnie, Greenaway, Knight, O'Connor, Georgiou, Wise, Emerson

Subs: Whiter (Day, 66 mins), Moore (Emerson, 72 mins), Richards (O'Connor, 75 mins)

December 4, 2001 11:32