May & Baker 2 Stotfold 2 (May & Baker won 4-2 on penalties)

Isuzu FA Vase First Qualifying Round, Sunday 28th August

Sunday saw me over at Parkside for another FA Vase First Qualifying Round contest, and it saw Eastern Senior South side May & Baker shock Spartan South Midlands Premier outfit Stotfold after the hosts won on penalties to set up a home Second Qualifying Round tie against another SSM Prem side in the shape of Colney Heath.

Bakers have started the season well, and did lead the Eastern Senior South table up until the weekend, but they have began the season unbeaten in five with four of those wins although this was likely to be their toughest test of the season so far as they were up against a Stotfold side who play a step above and sit tenth in the Spartan South Midlands Premier table.

And the visitors today arguably should have beaten Grays Athletic, a Isthmian North side, in their two FA Cup ties recently, after a 2-2 draw last weekend they played here at Parkside on Wednesday and Stotfold saw a 2-0 lead slip from their grasp as Grays managed to turn it around to win 3-2, so this would be a stern test for the hosts and Stotfold were hoping for better luck at this ground this time around.

Things looked good for the visitors too when just before the quarter hour mark they went in front as a nice cross in from the right by Samuel Nicholls found Mason Spence at the near post to nod a header across goal into the far corner, but seven minutes before the break Bakers found a leveller when a long ball into the box found Idris Animu and the forward twisted and turned before firing a left footed effort into the net.

The early part of the second period saw the higher step visitors put plenty of pressure on the hosts back line as they tried to gain control of the contest, and just past the hour mark they broke through to lead again as a nice ball into the right channel by Spence found Kade Bagge, and after good work from him he lifted a ball over to the far post where Joe Sutton was on hand to head home, and at that point you felt the visitors may go on to win this one comfortably.

But they did not push on after this and to Bakers credit they kept plugging away and also kept their belief that they could find a leveller and take this tie to penalties, and sure enough with five minutes of the ninety to go they won a spot kick and saw Abedemi Lamini send keeper Liam Gooch the wrong way and restore parity for the second time in this contest.

No further goals meant a second Vase shoot out between Step Five and Six in three days for myself, but unlike Friday night it was the lower league opposition who prevailed this time, as Bakers caused an upset by dumping their opponents out, winning the shoot out 4-2 after the hosts netted all their penalties and Stotfold saw hosts keeper Jack Riddell save two of their four penalties, cueing joyous scenes amongst the hosts players/management.

An marvellous result for May & Baker then, and they now take on Colney Heath, also of the Spartan South Midlands Premier, in the Second Qualifying Round towards the end of September, Stotfold go out and will be sick of the sight of Parkside after the last few days.

Full time May & Baker 2 Stotfold 2 (May & Baker won 4-2 on penalties)