Chelmsford City eased into the next round of the FA Cup with a dominant performance over Southern League Premier Central side Kings Langley. The pre-game billing was a tight game between two sides in the play-off positions of their respective leagues but it panned out to be anything but as City became the only side to net 6 in the 2nd Qualifying Round of this year’s FA Cup.
Chelmsford City manager Robbie Simpson rung the changes from the Monday night win against Oxford City as the Clarets made 4 changes to the starting eleven. Jacob Marsden replaced Ovie Ejeheri in goal, Simeon Jackson replaced Harry Lodovica up front, Louis Dunne came in for Liam Trotter in midfield and Jamie Yila came in for his first Chelmsford start to replace Tom Blackwell on the left of the front three.
Chelmsford City made a fast start and City took the lead in just the 6th minute, the earliest Chelmsford have scored in a game under Robbie Simpson’s management. Khale Da Costa got the scoring underway when he netted his first Chelmsford goal when he tapped in Louis Dunne’s cross from the left-wing after Jamie Yila persevered down that side to win the ball back. However Kings equalised just 3 minutes later when Ken Feyi, climbing all over Eduino Vaz, nodded in Alex Lafleur’s ball from the left.
Kings Langley were playing an open, passing style with Aryan Tajbakhsh playing in an almost sweeper position in the middle of the back three. Chelmsford though were pressing high and took advantage of this risky game plan. Jamie Yila robbed Aryan Tajbakhsh and squared for Simeon Jackson who finished clinically across away keeper Hafed Al-Droubi with an unerring left-footed finish. Jamie Yila got his first City goal which his overall performance deserved with City’s 3rd of the afternoon on his first start for the club when he headed in Louis Dunne’s corner. Yila could have netted another just after but he flashed his header wide from Simeon Jackson’s right-wing cross.
Harry Crawford then hit the bar from 30 yards as Kings Langley continued to threaten when they broke forward with numbers but City immediately went up and won a penalty at the other end when Da Costa was felled by Aryan Tajbakhsh and Jackson finished the spot-kick into the bottom left-corner in just the 33rd minute to make it 4-1.
Langley then won a penalty of their own when Jacob Marsden didn’t deal with a cross in the box and took out right-back Samuel Okoye-Ahaneku but he more than made up for it by saving Ken Feyi’s effort down to his right. It was Marsden’s second penalty save of the season already.
City completed a nap-hand before the break when referee Jack Willmore gave his 3rd penalty of the half. Jamie Yila won the ball off Jorell Johnson in midfield, broke forward and fed Louis Dunne who rounded Al-Droubi but was caught by the keeper’s outstretched arm. Jackson completed his first City hat-trick when he netted the penalty, this time straight down the middle. It was the first hat-trick by any Chelmsford City player since Rhys Murphy’s memorable treble against Billericay on Boxing Day 2018.
As to be expected, the second half was a much quieter affair as the intensity had somewhat dropped off. Ade Oluwo could have scored when another corner caused confusion but he kneed his effort over the bar. There was still time for another goal though, as Yila finished the scoring off just before the hour with a deft flick from a Khale Da Costa corner to give what was eventually Clarets manager Robbie Simpson his biggest competitive win as City boss.
The last half hour of the game passed without much further incident but Chelmsford sub Tom Blackwell could have added the 7th but he headed just wide. Kings Langley’s afternoon was summed up when one of their subs Cain Keller headed a simple chance wide to reduce the arrears.
It was City’s biggest win since defeating Ramsgate 7-0 at the same stage of the FA Cup back in September 2017. Chelmsford can now look forward to the 3rd Qualifying Round draw which will be posted on our social media and website shortly after 1pm on Tuesday 20th September.
Chelmsford City (4-2-3-1): Marsden, James, Winfield (C) (Hockey 73), Oluwo, Vaz, Dunne, Ochieng, Ruff (Yearn 56), Da Costa, Jackson (Blackwell 56), Yila
Unused subs: Ejeheri (GK), Trotter, Lodovica, Payne
Booking: Winfield
Player of the Match: Simeon Jackson
Kings Langley: (3-4-3) Al-Droubi, Okoye-Ahaneku (Boorn 70), Johnson, Ogwuazor, A Tajbakhsh (Case 60) , Lafleur, Mulley, Jellis, Feyi, Crawford (C), N Tajbakhsh (Keller 46)
Unused subs: Deall, Hoskins
Bookings: Al-Droubi, Keller, A Tajbakhsh, Crawford
Referee: J Willmore
Attendance: 596
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