Downham boss delighted with FA Cup win

Downham Town are celebrating their first-ever win in the world’s most famous cup competition.Connor Balment, Dylan Edge, Lagshan Sivakumar and Gelson Rocha grabbed the goals as the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division side made another bit of club history with a 4-1 at Long Melford in the Extra Preliminary Round.Downham will play either Thetford Town or Ipswich Wanderers, who will replay on Tuesday night following a goalless draw after an excellent 4-1 win at Long Melford on Saturday.Delighted manager Dale Stokes said: “It goes without saying that everyone at the club was delighted to get our first-ever FA Cup win and it’s another proud moment for us all.”It was really important that we reacted to such a poor showing on Tuesday night and to be fair the boys were desperate to redeem themselves.”Everything that was missing in that game, in terms of work rate, desire and intensity, we put it right.”Don’t get me wrong there’s still plenty to work on football-wise, but it was so much better.” Stokes added: “We’ve had to have a bit of a forced reshuffle as well, due to availability, which included bringing another centre back Connor in as we’ve currently got four unavailable. “He’s gone and grabbed the opener as well, so he’s become the club’s first FA Cup goalscorer.”In the second half, we started well and grabbed two goals inside 10 minutes and that pretty much sealed the game.”The visitors delivered an excellent display in the second half as they put their midweek defeat to Ely City firmly behind them to book their place in the next stage. Balment tapped home from a corner to give Downham the lead only for Freddie Pheby to convert a Ryan Gibbs cross to level matters going into the break.Downham regained the lead seven minutes after the restart as Jake Miller and Eoin McQuaid combined to play in Edge who slotted past the home goalkeeper. It was 3-1 three minutes later as Daniel Hobbs squared the ball from the right for Sivakumar to convert.Downham confirmed their spot in the next round with a fourth goal through Rocha in injury time. There was no cup joy for either Heacham or Fakenham Town.The Magpies suffered a 4-0 defeat at Harleston Town while Fakenham Town were beaten 3-0 at Cornard United.Nathan Stone headed home a Josh Durham corner to give Harleston an early lead Durham made it 2-0 after brilliant work from Asa McGeachy.Debutant Harry Hawthorne made it 3-0 early in the second period and there was still time for Robbie Turner to add another after a beautiful piece of play by McGeachy. Fakenham Town were sunk by a Louie Arnold hat-trick in their Extra Preliminary Round tie.Arnold fired the home team into the lead from the edge of the box after 30 minutes and doubled Cornard’s lead in first-half injury time.He completed his treble with 20 minutes left on the clock following an assist from Charlie Lindoe.In the Thurlow Nunn League First Division North, Swaffham Town opened their points account for the season with a hard-fought point from a goalless draw at Needham U23s.