Isuzu FA Vase Fourth Round Proper, Saturday 13th January
It was FA Vase Last 32 day and all sixteen ties took place on the same day, I was over at Burnham FC's 1878 Stadium on the outskirts of the village for the very first time to see Combined Counties Premier North Hilltop take on Southern Counties East Premier Erith Town.
Now Hilltop were only formed in 2005 as a club for the Somali diasporta in North West London, they are based in Stonebridge, London, and in their short history they have managed to come from the Middlesex County League Division Two all the way through to Step Five football today, they even threw in a County FA Junior Cup in that time too.
This Vase run was also three rounds better than they had ever achieved before, so they were creating more history for themselves in this season's competition, although it was effecting their league form for sure as they amazingly sat bottom of their division having lost eight of their fourteen league games thus far, but they do have quite a few games in hand so they can still put that right too.
Their opponents Erith Town have been established for quite a while longer having been formed in 1959 although they were known as Woolwich Town until 1996 when they transferred from the Spartan League over to the Kent League (The SCEFL) and changed their name to Erith Town due to their move to the Erith Stadium and have competed in that division ever since, winning a couple of county cups along the way too.
Erith Town had already matched their best run in the Vase and would set their best ever with victory in this one, their league form this season had been rather mixed, sitting seventh in their division having won twelve but losing seven of their twenty two games so far this campaign, but like Hilltop, all they cared about was the Vase this afternoon, this was a big one for both of course.
Now this tie as said before was being played at The 1878 Stadium, which is home to Burnham FC, who play in the same division as Hilltop, Burnham were due to play Hilltop on this day as a league fixture. However, Hilltop went through in the FA Vase so Burnham arranged a league game which happened to end up as as an away match with Wallingford & Crowmarsh. Hilltop seeing a vacancy at the 3G facility asked to use The 1878 Stadium and Burnham agreed to this, which was nice of them to do. Hilltop normally play their home fixtures at Hillingdon Borough's Middlesex Stadium which is of course grass and could not be guaranteed to be played what with all the weather around lately.
Hilltop certainly began the tie on the front foot and had two golden chances in the opening ten minutes or so, one chance seeing visiting keeper Mackenzie Foley save with his legs and then another chance when the hosts somehow thumped an effort off the post when it looked easier to score, but just before the quarter hour mark came the breakthrough.
More wonderful play from Hilltop saw a sweeping passing move end with a ball played in from the right and find Adnan inside the box to send a finish beyond Foley and give the hosts a more than deserved lead, and it was a lead that should have been greater as they were literally running rings around their opponents in the opening half hour or so.
Erith were lucky to still be in the tie but did show glimpses of life towards the end of the half, their only real chance in the entire opening forty five minutes came from an error from the home side but keeper Victor managed to tip over the effort and make sure the hosts did have a lead heading into the break.
No doubt some choice words were said in the visitors changing room during the break, they had to improve on ther first half showing, although they nearly fell further behind early in the second period but had keeper Foley to thank again for making a decent stop to prevent this, but then after this for a period of time it was Erith who looked the stronger of the two sides, and during that period they found a leveller.
It came in the 56th minute, a corner from the left by James Miles into the danger area saw keeper Victor and visiting striker Harry Taylor challenge for the ball, and it looked as though Victor in trying to punch clear failed to do so, and instead saw Taylor head the ball home and bring his side level and set up the tie perfectly with just over half an hour to go.
You did feel though after Erith levelled that momentum was now with them, and that they may well go on to win the tie, which did not look the case in the opening forty five minutes, but as the tie entered it's final stages, it was now becoming one hell of a cup tie, very enjoyable indeed, unless you were involved with either side were the tension was palpable.
The tempo of the game had been fairly decent throughout, and both sides looked to try and win the game, Erith definitely had the better chances in the second period, which was a total reverse from the first half, however neither side could find a winner and it meant the dreaded penalties would be needed to decide who progressed into the next round.
The shoot out began with Erith keeper Foley taking the first kick, which I've never seen before, but he slammed it into the corner, giving Victor no chance, but the Hilltop stopper was to be the hero in the shootout, as he saved the next two spot kicks meaning the hosts built up a 3-1 lead after three pens each, and at 3-2 the hosts had 'match point' but saw their fourth one saved by Foley, meaning a late twist perhaps?
Sadly for Erith no, because Victor produced a third save out of five spot kicks to win the tie for Hilltop and cue mad celebrations between themselves and the crowd behind the goal who had also charged onto the pitch to celebrate with them, it had been a terrific cup tie and it's a shame someone had to lose it this way, but it's Hilltop who go through to the Last 16 and continue to make their own history as a result.
Full time Hilltop 1 Erith Town 1 (Hilltop won 3-2 on penalties)
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