So it was Buildbase FA Vase Second Qualifying round day and I was back at Southchurch Park to see if hosts Southend Manor could reach the First Round Proper as they took onEssex Olympian Premier outfit Canning Town.
The home side were massive favourites for this tie as they play to steps above Canning Town in the non league pyramid and with the hosts also playing Senior football to the hosts who played Junior football only one result was expected in many people eyes.
But this is cup football and you should underestimate the opponents at your peril and the first ten minutes yielded very little in the way of chances for either side. The first real chance came for the hosts on twelve minutes when Rhys Fatt crossed towards the near post were Daniel Okah’s flick just rolled past the far post with Callum Ibe lurking.
The visitors were next to test the keeper five minutes later when they sent a harmless looking free kick into the box but the ball bounced high off the hard surface and almost deceived Ryan Karrer in the Manor goal but he managed to paw the ball away from danger and then moments later Manor went close as a cross just invaded the diminutive George Crispin at the back post.
However these chances were played in a half that lacked pace and tempo and a certain amount of quality as the game seemed to be played in slow motion. On the half hour mark the visitors sent a dangerous ball into the box but the hosts managed to deal with but they had been well off the pace today so far.
However despite this the hosts almost went into the break ahead as a minute before half time aVinny Murphy free kick was brilliantly tipped over by Nick Wilson in what was arguably the only save either keeper had to make in the opening half. It had been a pretty poor first half in general and as D:Ream once said “Things can only get better”.
Half Time Southend Manor 0 Canning Town 0
And the second half was only four minutes old when one of the keepers was tested again, and it was the hosts keeper Karrer who had to make the save, as a great chance for the visitors saw Julian Edwards in the clear but Karrer managed to stick a leg out to thwart the visitors a shock lead.
Apart from this chance though and a few hosts balls into the box it was as you were, tedious and goal less, as we hit the hour mark in this one. Four minutes later Manor did finally test visitors keeper Wilson in this half as full back Samuel Short tried his luck from range but the visiting keeper made a decent save down to his left.
With just over twenty minutes to go Manor went close as Fatt got into the area down the right hand side but his ball across goal just invaded Crispin at the near post and then two minutes later they thought they had finally found the breakthrough as Fatt’s ball to the back post saw Ibe steam in to score but after this happened the linesman then raised his flag to chalk off the effort, much to the home sides dismay.
So the game was still goal less going into the last ten mins and the hosts mounted another attack and saw a cross towards Tim Beckford missed totally by the Manor forward but at the same time caught out visiting centre half Neil Barratt who almost put the ball into his own net. Moments later another cross from Manor saw Barratt again almost score an own goal but keeper Wilson made a good diving save.
This proved the final act and so the game would now enter an extra half hour.
Full Time Southend Manor 0 Canning Town 0
So would Manor’s extra fitness count against a tiring Canning Town side? Well the hosts certainly started the extra time period on the front foot as Beckford forced Wilson into a diving save and then the hosts went close again as Murphy curled an effort just wide of the far post.
Canning Town to their credit kept plugging away and sent a warning to Manor that they still could pose a goal threat themselves when Chris Barratt volleyed a lose ball just wide for the visitors after Karrer and Edwards had battled for a cross into the six yard area.
And in the second period of extra time Edwards lofted over for Canning Town as the Olympian side continued to make life difficult for their Senior hosts and as penalties got ever closer Mark Argent curled a free kick just wide for Town.
Manor saw an effort on goal blocked before the follow up went way off target as penalties were now looking likely but with what was almost the final act of the 120 minutes Manor had a golden chance to nick the win when Ibe burst through into the box on goal but somehow put his effort over the bar. It kind of summed up the hosts day in front of goal. It also meant that the game ended goal less after extra time so penalties would decide the teams fate.
Full Time (aet) Southend Manor 0 Canning Town 0
And so to penalties and they didn’t start well for either side as they both saw their opening spot kicks saved, however the next four penalties from each side were converted meaning it was 4-4 and sudden death. Canning Town converted their sixth penalty leaving Okah needing to score Manor’s sixth kick in order to stay in the competition but he saw his penalty saved by Wilson and cue celebrations from the visitors, who had caused a major shock in dumping Southend Manor out of the FA Vase and see the Olympian Premier side take their place in the First Round Proper and also find themselves £800 richer threw prizemoney, well done to them for that!!!
Full Time (aet) Southend Manor 0 Canning Town 0 (Canning Town won 5-4 on penalties)
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