A LATE Mo Kamara goal saved Hampton & Richmond Borough ’s blushes as they beat Three Bridges 1-0 in the FA Trophy Second Qualifying Round.
The Beavers started sluggishly, with Mo Bettamer particularly profligate in front of goal, the Libyan U21 international failing to connect properly after a neat flick by debutant Tresor Kandol.
And their Ryman One South opponents should have made the hosts pay as the industrious Abub Touray fluffed his lines when one-on-one with Rodney Chiweshe, before Joel O’Hara scuffed his shot wide after Charlie Cooke’s free-kick evaded everyone.
After losing to The Bridges 5-4 ten days ago in the Ryman League Cup, Mark Harper’s side were under enormous pressure to deliver a far better performance this time around.
But for all the talk of revenge, the host’s passing was poor throughout, lacking both guile and penetration. And they failed to make the most of the few chances they created in the first half, with Bettamer hitting a tame effort at White, before missing the ball completely with another.
It was the visitors that almost took an unlikely lead however, as Touray beat a cumbersome Beavers offside trap, to only hit his effort straight at Chiweshe.
Hampton were limited to a few speculative efforts outside the box, with Bettamer and Turner going close to breaking the deadlock in between O’Hara’s miscued toe poke.
Harper’s men then found extra impetus in the second half, forcing their opponents to defend with real doggedness and tenacity. But with the home side struggling to find a way through The Bridge’s stern defence, Harper introduced Moone, replacing theineffectual Kandol.
The previous round’s hat-trick hero proved the difference again, smashing a powerful strike at White who’s save kindly fell to the onrushing Kamara, sending Hampton into the next round.
Kamara said: “We couldn’t get going, for whatever reason today. Luckily enough, I came up with the goal, and we won. We’re into the next round, so I can’t complain.”
