Newport Pagnell Town 3 Sunderland RCA 2 (aet)

FA Vase Fifth Round Proper, Saturday 28th January 2017

So finally after missing three rounds of the FA Vase I managed to rejoin my trail and I found myself at Willen Road, home of Newport Pagnell Town, and they were hosting Sunderland RCA from the North East in a Fifth Round tie.

The hosts are mid table in the United Counties Premier whilst the visitors have a similar record in their respective division, the Northern League Division One, considered to be the toughest Step Five division in the country.

This meant the hosts were probably considered underdogs again but had showed in the previous round they could cause an upset so the visitors would have to put in a decent shift if they were wanting to progress.

A record Willen Road crowd of 764 welcomed the teams out and the majority of them were hoping their side could make history and reach the Quarter Final stage of the competition. However it was the visitors from the North East who began the tie on the front foot and had the better of the early exchanges and saw their best chance, a close range volley, creep inches wide.

The hosts were struggling to get a foothold in the contest and midway through the half the away side got their deserved lead when Colin Larkin saw his effort deflect beyond the keeper and into the far corner, cueing wild celebrations amongst the visiting players and bench. It had certainly been a dominant opening period for the Northern League outfit.

They continued that domination throughout the majority of the half as the home side could not get going and it seemed the occasion might have been getting the better of them, and six minutes before the break it got worse for the hosts when Sunderland RCA doubled their lead in terrific style as Steve Callen cut inside and bent a wonderful effort into the far corner and the visitors were in cruise control.

The hosts did end the half on the front foot and saw two decent openings go off target but it was a fairly comfortable afternoon for the visitors thus far and Newport Pagnell knew that they would need to improve massively if they were to stay in this years Vase.

Half Time Newport Pagnell Town 0 Sunderland RCA 2

The opening exchanges of the second period did see a half chance for the hosts but the visitors really should of been out of sight as they missed three guilt edged chances to arguably put the tie to bed as at 0-3 there would of probably been no way back for the home side. However at 0-2 the North East side still looked ok and were keeping their opponents at arms length.

The hosts were at least getting a lot more stuck in in this period and were not being as outplayed as they were in the first half. However they knew they needed to find a goal from somewhere to get themselves back in the tie. And with the match heading towards the final twenty minutes time was against them.

But then with twenty minutes to go a loose ball inside the area was lashed home by Daryl Smith and just like that the tie seemed to change it’s whole complexion. For the first time in the tie the visitors were looking rather ragged and it was now the home side who were on top and searching for what looked a rather unlikely leveller twenty or so minutes earlier.

The Northern visitors were now being pegged back although they were defending well and getting bodies behind the ball to block any efforts from the hosts who were desperately trying to force an equaliser. The home side saw a goal ruled out for offside, which was borderline, and then with five or so minutes to go struck a close range volley straight at the keeper in what was a golden chance.

The fourth official then signalled for six minutes of stoppage time and you felt the hosts may get one last shot at forcing extra time. However Sunderland RCA continued to repel anything thrown at them and you felt that maybe they would hold on for a hard fought win in the end.

However in the 96th minute one last hurrah into the mixer saw Adam Pryke get his head to the ball ahead of the keeper’s hands and glance the ball into the far corner and cue mass celebrations amongst the home contingent. The visitors sunk to their knees in despair and at that moment you thought the home side would go on and win this tie in the extra half hour. What drama!!!

Full Time Newport Pagnell Town 2 Sunderland RCA 2

And so to extra time and the hosts saw Dom Lawless miss a great chance to put his side ahead early in the first period but in the 99th minute he made amends, outpacing a defender and slotting home to send the home crowd wild once again.

It was now the visitors turn to try and find a leveller but the hosts were making it very difficult for them. Newport twice threatened to breakaway and seal the tie but poor decision making meant these openings vanished and as the tie reached the last few minutes the tension was palpable.

Sunderland almost pinched a 123rd minute equaliser when a ball into the area caused utter panic and ended with the ball going across goal and the keeper grabbing it and you could hear the sigh of relief around the ground.

Soon after the referee ended the contest and Newport Pagnell Town became only the second North Bucks side to reach the Last Eight of the Vase. What an achievement and what a comeback which looked highly unlikely at half time. Football eh!!!!! What a thoroughly enjoyable cup tie though so thank you to both teams for that.

Full Time (aet) Newport Pagnell Town 3 Sunderland RCA 2

Old Southendian 1 Old Chelmsfordians 1

Essex Olympian Senior One, Saturday 21st January 2017

So on a day where most of the local football was wiped out due to the freezing conditions, including even Southend United‘s home game against Bolton Wanderers, I found refuge atGaron Park, where Old Southendian were hosting Old Chelmsfordians in an Essex Olympian Senior One fixture.

After having a free beer in the clubhouse courtesy of home side boss John Brandon (thank-you very much for that, was much needed after the 45 minute walk from my flat!!!) I was greeted by cold but very sunny conditions at the main pitch in the complex.

The hosts were having a mixed season it’s fair to say and sat down in tenth position in the table although they knew a win would take them up three places whilst visitors Old Chelmsfordians sat fifth and were in striking distance of third place so a win would of been very useful to slot in behind the runaway top two in Basildon Town and Catholic United.

It was the lower placed hosts though who were the better side in the opening exchanges although neither side managed to test the keeper early on. The hosts were enjoying the bulk of the possession with the visitors coming forward on rare occasions but their was nothing really clearcut it was fair to say.

However as the game went past the half hour mark the hosts really began to dominate their opponents and were creating the better openings but just could not find that killer touch in the final third, that was until eight minutes before the break when a corner from the left hand side was nodded home at the near post to give the hosts a deserved lead.

They so nearly doubled it moments after but were thwarted by a good save and as half timecame the dominant hosts knew they could and should of been further ahead and the visitors knew they needed to raise it if they were going to get back into this one.

Half Time Old Southendian 1 Old Chelmsfordians 0

The opening exchanges of the second period were rather scrappy although it seemed the hosts were beginning to assert pressure on their opponents as the half grew ten plus minutes old and saw them force a decent stop from a header and you felt maybe a similar pattern to the first half was developing perhaps.

But this didn’t materialise and on the hour mark the visitors had their only real chance of note but saw the home keeper produce a brilliant save to keep the scores level. It was a warning though and showed that the game was far from won for the home side.

Despite this though the home side always looked fairly comfortable with the 1-0 lead and this seemed to be enhanced in the 72nd minute when an Old Chelmsfordians midfielder decided to haul down an opponent after he had tried to get around him and was duly shown a second yellow and therefore dismissed from the pitch.

However rather than this affect the visitors, who up till this point had cut a frustrated looking figure and in danger of loosing their discipline, suddenly looked like they could get something from the game and were threatening a leveller as the game entered it’s final ten minutes.

For some reason the hosts had stopped playing the lovely football they had entertained all in the first half and began to try and run the clock down, maybe down to the fact they had only won four of their fourteen league games this season, so the win would be a big one so nerves may have kicked in, who knows but with ten men and a 1-0 lead maybe they should of tried to seal the deal perhaps?

The visitors sensed they could nick a point from this perhaps and sure enough with two minutes remaining they did just that with a bullet of a shot from twenty yards to bring the visitors level. It had been a scrappy half but the visitors didn’t care one jot and soon after this the game ended and the points were indeed shared.

The hosts were no doubt disappointed not to have finished the job but the point does take them up two places to eighth. As for Old Chelmsfordians well they spent a lot of this game struggling but defended fairly well and came away with a well earned point in the end although they do slip a place to sixth.

Not the best game I’ve ever seen but it was a game at the end of the day and it was a good competitive encounter, especially second half if a little scrappy. Good luck to both sides for the remainder of the season.

Full Time Old Southendian 1 Old Chelmsfordians 1

Great Wakering Rovers 0 Dereham Town 5

Ryman League One North, Saturday 14th January 2017

So my first football of 2017 took me to one of my local clubs Great Wakering Rovers which for me is about a 20 minute bus ride away. They were hosting Norfolk side Dereham Town in a Ryman One North encounter.

Now it’s fair to say Wakering have struggled somewhat this season and at kick off sat second bottom, eight points from safety. They also came into this one off the back of a 5-0 hammering to Ware at home a week ago, leading to manager Keith Wilson to express his anger and frustration at his players performance and attitude.

No doubt he was looking for a reaction in this game and it’s fair to say so was Dereham boss Matt Henman of his side too after they also lost 5-0 at home last time out, although that was to the league leaders Maldon & Tiptree. Dereham sat in 15th place at kick off although they were way clear of the drop zone and in touching distance of the top half so Wakering knew another tough test awaited them.

The first few minutes saw the visitors put the hosts defence under pressure without really testing young keeper Tyler McCarthy to much and as the game got to the quarter hour mark the home side had seemed to have settled and started to look dangerous going forward themselves.

However on 17 minutes the visitors to hit the front and it was from an error from the young keeper sadly. A corner from the right saw keeper McCarthy punch weakly out to Daniel Beaumont and with no one putting any pressure on him he took a touch and rifled an effort beyond McCarthy and defenders on the line for the opening goal.

Soon after this the first half was halted for around ten minutes or so after the linesman on the near side pulled his calf muscle and despite several minutes of treatment he was unable to continue meaning a Wakering club official had to take over for the remainder of the contest. It didn’t help to get what was now a rather scrappy encounter although it was fairly competitive nonetheless.

The hosts knew that they must not concede a second goal before the break and in the twelve minutes of stoppage time that followed they almost did when after a cross from the right was not closed down, the visitors sent a header just wide when it really should have hit the target. Still Wakering were looking ok going forward so an early second half goal could turn the tide so to speak.

Half Time Great Wakering Rovers 0 Dereham Town 1

Now it was imperative that Wakering did not concede early in the second half right? Well unfortunately two minutes into the half they did fall further behind as the ball found it’s way to an unmarked Beaumont on the left side of the area and he duly drilled an effort beyond a rather static McCarthy and into the net.

Dereham thereafter were fairly dominant and could and should of added to their tally, especially when Joe Gatting was presented with a chance from twelve or so yards out but could only hit it over the bar. The hosts needed to find something to get back in the game but on 63 minutes fell foul of a classic counter attack as after Jake Gordon had tested visiting keeper Will Viner, Dereham went straight up the other end and saw Gatting find the net this time and give his side a three goal cushion.

But what was to happen next was unreal. Last weekend Wakering keeper McCarthy had hit a clearance straight at a Ware player and saw it end up in the net, well this was even worse. After the keeper had claimed the ball from a Dereham attack with no one else around him other than his skipper Nikki Beale a few yards in front of him jogging away from goal he proceeded to blast his drop kick straight against Beale’s head and see the ball go back past him and into the net, it was truly unbelievable and something I have never seen before.

It was alarming how badly the hosts had unravelled in the second half though and were heading for another heavy home defeat. Gordon did keep trying to find the net for Wakering with a few long range efforts but non of these really tested keeper Viner.

And on 78 minutes the visitors did make it five when more poor defending allowed the ball to be knocked across goal for Gatting to kind of chest/thigh the ball over the line as he was falling over the line with the ball. It had certainly been a ruthless half of attacking football from the visitors although some of the hosts defending hadn’t helped the cause. Keeper McCarthy had probably had better games too so all these factors didn’t help the cause.

So another awful afternoon for the hosts and this leaves them still eight points from safety with just fifteen games remaining. For Dereham it’s a welcome win and keeps them in 15th, some sixteen points above the drop zone and only eleven from the play offs.

Full Time Great Wakering Rovers 0 Dereham Town 5