Substitute Alex Owuadey netted a brace as May &
Baker came from behind twice to eventually saw off a spirited ten-man North
Greenford United at Barking Rugby Club to progress into the Second Round Proper
of the Buildbase FA Vase.
The hosts were up against another side a step above them in
the pyramid as NGU reside from the Spartan South Midlands Premier, and they
were having a fairly solid season sitting sixth in their division, but Bakers
are also having a solid season to date and had netted twelve goals in their
previous two Vase games.
The visitors though were probably slight favourites for the
tie although I felt along with a few others that Bakers could easily spring a
surprise here, and the opening fifteen minutes certainly proved that this could
be possible as Bakers created the better openings, seeing Dan Gilchrist strike
the post and then volley over too.
An NGU defender almost put into his own net too after a
decent ball into the visitor’s box, although the visiting side did cause home
keeper Michael Gooch some alarm on a couple of occasions, seeing a long floated
free-kick sail just over, and then getting down well to save another set play from
the visitors.
NGU then saw Courtney Austin get the ball in acres of space
inside the Bakers box however his effort was weak and straight at Gooch, but in
the 33rd minute came the opening goal when Aaron McLeish got through
the defence and fired a brilliant effort in off the post to give the favourites
the lead in this one.
There had been chances for both leading up to that goal,
with the hosts seeing Craig Hall volley over a spectacular effort before Conor
Okus rifled over a powerful effort from range, whilst the visitors had seen
another free kick go close too. After
the goal McLeish had gone close again too for NGU, whistling an effort just
over the bar.
The hosts though should really have been level before the
break though as Reece Tranter somehow thumped a close-range effort against the
underside of the bar, but it meant that the visitors held a slender lead at the
break with everything still to play for still.
Half Time May &
Baker 0 North Greenford United 1
Bakers made a good start to the second period and after
Gilchrist had seen an effort tipped wide by Lewis Todd, the corner from Tom Harvey
curled into the dangerzone and over the line despite a desperate attempt to
clear from the visitors, and although Okus nodded home the loose ball, the flag
was already up for a goal and the hosts were level barely two minutes into the
half.
Both teams then had chances to take the lead, firstly Craig
Hall sent an effort straight at visiting keeper Todd, whilst down the other end
Ben Long mis-kicked an effort when in a decent position, but then in the 63rd
minute came a moment of madness.
A ball forward saw the ball bounce up high and home keeper
Gooch and visiting forward McLeish went up to challenge for the ball, and Gooch
won the ball but then saw McLeish come charging at home and grab him and then
pushing and shoving ensued, the result being a straight red card for the
visiting player and a booking for the hosts keeper. It meant NGU would have to play the remainder
of the tie with ten men.
Tranter then saw a decent chance go by, it ending with a
poke at goal being saved by Todd, but it was the visitors who got their noses
back in front again when Lee Armitt beat the offside trap, although the hosts
disagreed, ran onto the ball and lobbed a stranded Gooch and see the ball bounce
into the net, and the visitors had around twenty minutes to hold out.
Bakers then saw another couple of chances go by, firstly
Gilchrist had an effort well blocked, before Harvey fired over a great chance
from inside the box when he really should of at least worked the keeper, and it
looked like it wasn’t going to be the home sides day.
But in the first minute of stoppage time the hosts levelled
when after they had seen a goal ruled out for offside, substitute Owuadey
managed to get his boot to a loose ball inside the box and send it into the far
corner, meaning extra time would be needed.
A pivotel moment then came towards the end of the first
period of the extra half hour when moments after the visitors had seen a goal
ruled out for offside, Bakers went down the other end and saw Owuadey turn provider,
sending in a perfect cross for Craig Hall to power a header home in the 100th
minute and give Bakers the lead for the first time in the tie.
And with the tiring ten men pushing forward for a leveller,
Bakers broke in the 112th minute and saw that man Owuadey clean through
on goal, and after terrific skill to control a bobbling ball, he composed
himself to fire an effort into the roof of the net and finally seal this tie
once and for all and end the challenge from the ten-man visitors.
Full Time (aet) May
& Baker 4 North Greenford United 2
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