The FA Cup is back, and the buzz around the oldest competition in football is as strong as ever!
Within the club, the passion to compete in this historic tournament is still alive and kicking. It’s always an honour to be part of a competition with such rich tradition and legacy.
We welcomed Isthmian League South East Division side Sevenoaks Town to Dagenham for the our Emirates FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round match today.
Coming off a hard-fought draw against Great Wakering Rovers midweek—snatching a point late in the game—our squad showed they’re hungry and ready for the fight.
Right from kickoff, Athletic Newham showed intent.
Sevenoaks Town were given no time to settle, with relentless pressing and sharp energy. An early free-kick from Johnny Ashman whipped into the box flashed dangerously across goal, begging for a touch—an early signal that Newham weren’t here to make up the numbers.
The first half saw Newham edging the play. Sevenoaks had their moments, but they were quickly closed down before any real chances could materialise. Our defence stood strong and composed.
Around the 25-minute mark, Abubakar Sadiq Mohammed tested the Sevenoaks keeper with a strike from just outside the box. While it lacked power, it still forced the goalkeeper into a double save.
Newham nearly took the lead shortly after. A shot from Tom Cottle-Wood wasn’t handled cleanly by Sevenoaks keeper Jordan Perrin, but just as in-form striker Chuks Uzor looked to pounce, Perrin recovered in time to snatch it off his toes.
The breakthrough finally came just before halftime. A perfectly delivered corner from Johnny Ashman found Chris John at the back post, who powered home a bullet header to mark his first goal for Newham on his first start of the season.
Both sides came out after the break with renewed energy. It didn’t take long for Sevenoaks Town to respond—less than four minutes, in fact. A clean strike from Thomas Hanfrey from outside the box found the net, with too many bodies in the way for keeper Harvey Simon to react.
To their credit, Newham didn’t sit back. Wave after wave of attacks came, but the Sevenoaks back line held firm under the pressure. The match opened up around the 65-minute mark, turning into an exciting end-to-end battle with some high-quality passing football from both sides.
As time ticked on, it seemed both teams were capable of grabbing the winner. But it was Sevenoaks Town who struck next. With just under five minutes remaining, a long throw-in wasn’t dealt with, and the ball fell kindly to Thomas Hanfrey, who calmly slotted home his second of the match.
With Newham chasing an equaliser, the visitors sealed the win in stoppage time. Warren-Hughes Mfula, with limited space, managed to squeeze a shot past Simon to make it 3-1 and send Sevenoaks through to the next round.