So the last Saturday in January saw the Fifth Round stage, the Last 16, of the FA Vase and I should of been at Broadwater, Berkhamsted for their tie against either Morpeth Town orNorth Shields. Sadly the all North Eastern 4th Round tie still hasn’t been played so that game was scrubbed.
So where else could I go? Well I decided to visit FC Romania conquerors Camberley Town, who play their football in the Cherry Records Combined Counties League. They were up against tough opposition in the shape of Newton Aycliffe, who play their football in the tough Northern Premier League in the North East, so this was always going to be a tough battle.
Both teams are having good seasons too, Camberley sit fourth in their league whilst Aycliffe are sixth so both sides are used to winning games so it was a tough one to call prior to the battle commencing.
A more than decent crowd of 460 were inside Krooner Park to see how this tie would unfold and less than two minutes into the game Matty Moffat got in on goal for Aycliffe but hosts keeperCraig Bradshaw managed to save the effort. A minute or so later after one or two meaty challenges, Perry Coles went in late on an Aycliffe defender and caused a not to friendly reaction from the visitors and the hosts frontman was duly booked. It kind of set the tone for the first half.
There was certainly no quarter given by either side as their were lots of meaty challenges going in early on in what was looking like becoming a proper old cup tie. The hosts were beginning to grow into the tie after the first quarter of an hour and had a spell were they had saw a few long throws into the box although these were dealt with by the visitors thus far.
Chances were at a premium though and midway through the first half Coles tested visiting keeper James Winter with a long range effort but the keeper easily caught the ball above his head, but it was a shot at goal at least. Just past the half hour mark a long ball into the Aycliffe box saw Bobby Dormers header glance off the bar and over in what was the best chance since the opening couple of minutes.
However the game was heading towards the half time break with no goals and very few chances, however, with five minutes of the half remaining the hosts took a precious lead whenColes got in behind the defence and struck an effort which saw keeper Winter tip up into the air but saw the ball loop into the far corner and gave the hosts first blood in the contest.
A couple of minutes later though the visitors almost hit back with an equaliser as a ball into the dangerzone was poked towards the hosts goal but hacked clear just in a nick of time and then a minute before half time a dangerous corner from the hosts somehow went through a crowded six yard area and away for a goal kick. So as the half time whistle sounded the match was very much in the balance still although Camberley held that slender lead.
Half Time Camberley Town 1 Newton Aycliffe 0
No one could of predicted what would happen in the second half though. Just two minutes into it saw the hosts double their lead as Coles turned provider this time, laying in Robert Lazaczukwho composed himself and slid the ball under Winter for their second goal. The visitors so nearly got a goal back almost immediately when a ball pulled back to Stuart Banks saw his effort deflect inches wide, serving a warning to the hosts that this tie was far from over.
Lazaczuk then blasted over for hosts soon after but ten minutes into the half Camberley grabbed a third goal to really take control of the tie when a long free kick caught a static visitors defence cold and Coles ran onto the ball and although he saw his first shot saved by Winter, he followed up to slot home and see the hosts put one foot into the Last Eight.
There was still some belief in the Aycliffe side although they were struggling to get through a now solid hosts defence and on 66 minutes the home side saw one flash across the six yard box as Aycliffe pushed forward but the home forwards couldn’t get on the end of it. As the tie went on you could sense the visitors frustration and this boiled over with fifteen minutes left when Aycliffe midfielder Ashley Coffey was sent off for what looked like a spit at hosts substitute Marcus Cousins, who was booked for the foul leading up to it. It left the visitors with a near impossible mountain to climb.
After this you could see the belief draining away from the Aycliffe side and the hosts added two more goals in the last ten minutes to really put gloss on the scoreline, firstly on 81 minutes when a free kick into the visitors box saw a header from Matthew Bunyan deflect just wide but from the resulting corner substitute James Hubbard powered home a header at the far post with his first touch to make it four and then three minutes later it was five when anotherLazaczuk corner went straight in at the far post as the hosts cruised into the Last 8.
So it’s Camberley Town who go through to the Quarter Finals of the Vase and they will surely be a side to avoid going on this performance. Tough on Newton Aycliffe though who did compete well for the first hour or so but fell away in the end although the 5-0 scoreline was a tad harsh on them. Still a very enjoyable tie and I look forward to the next one!!!
Full Time Camberley Town 5 Newton Aycliffe 0
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