May & Baker 8 Burnham Ramblers 1

Buildbase FA Vase First Qualifying Round, Saturday 1st September 2018

Dan Gilchrist netted four as May & Baker put eight past Burnham Ramblers at Barking Rugby Club to progress into the next round of the Buildbase FA Vase and set up a Second Qualifying Round tie away at Saffron Walden Town in two week’s time.

This was May & Baker’s first ever match in the competition and they were confident of progression after a good start to life in Senior Football, and they welcomed a Burnham Ramblers side who had yet to record a victory this season after dropping down from the Essex Senior League Premier last season.

The hosts had the first opening after three minutes when Craig Hall headed over the bar, before the visitors were screaming for a penalty three minutes later after Bradley Morgan had gone over inside the area, but nothing was given and the opening ten minutes or so yielded little in the way of chances.

But on the quarter hour mark the hosts broke through as a ball into the box found Dean Hall totally unmarked and he duly sent a side footed volley beyond Laurence Whymark, and the hosts had their first goal in the competition.

Ramblers though should of hit back just three minutes later as a ball into the box found it’s way through to Karl Swanborough and with keeper Michael Gooch just to beat he hit his effort straight at him and the chance to equalise was gone.

Hosts skipper James Barlow then went close as he touched an effort just wide at the near post, but midway through the half the course of the game was set when the hosts added two goals in two minutes, firstly when Gilchrist was played in to slot beyond Whymark, and then Reece Tranter controlled a cross before slotting home and suddenly the hosts were three goals to the good.

And just past the half hour mark it was four as a wonderful ball from Gilchrist found Tranter who duly thumped an effort off the post and into the net, and unbelievably it was five ten minutes before the break when Gilchrist teed himself up to volley past Whymark into the net and the home side were in dreamland.

Tranter then forced Whymark into a save at his near post moments after, then Craig Hall got in behind a non-existent Ramblers defence but Whymark stood tall to make the save.   And in first half stoppage time Baker’s skipper Barlow drove forward but saw his effort across goal go just wide, but the hosts went into the break 5-0 up, and Ramblers looked shell-shocked.

Half Time May & Baker 5 Burnham Ramblers 0

Gilchrist went close to getting his hat-trick four minutes into the half but saw Whymark save, before a cross towards the visitors far post saw Dean Hall head wide.  Barlow then got in down the left after a miscue by a visiting defender and the claimed handball after his ball in hit the hand of the same defender, but it was more ball to hand and play continued.

In the 57^th minute another ball into the visitors box saw Tom Harvey strike an effort wide of the near post, and then six minutes later the hosts broke three on one and it looked for all money that Gilchrist would complete his hat-trick, but he put his effort wide of the far post to everyone’s amazement.

And two minutes later Ramblers found a goal for themselves in a rare high point of the contest, when defender Jack Davis looped a close range header over Gooch to at least get them on the board so to speak.

But with eighteen minutes remaining Baker’s restored that five goal cushion when a gorgeous ball across goal from Barlow saw Gilchrist steam in at the back post to rifle home into the roof of the net and finally complete his hat-trick and see the hosts make it six.

A terrific cross field ball towards Barlow saw the full back take the ball first time forward but his effort was saved by Whymark, but in the 79^th minute it was seven for the hosts when Barlow played a pass to Gilchrist who ran past his marker as if he wasn’t there and slammed home his fourth of the afternoon.

With nine minutes to go it was eight as the hosts seemed to be scoring at will once again, when after Whymark had fumbled a cross, substitute Kiel Chandler thumped the loose ball in off the post, and it was now more than embarrassing for a crushed visiting side.

The hosts nearly made it nine a minute from time when Harvey almost nipped in to head home, but Whymark stood tall to save, and soon afterwards Burnham’s misery was ended when the referee blew for full time.  A superb performance from the hosts though and their first Vase game ended in an 8-1 victory.

Full Time May & Baker 8 Burnham Ramblers 1