White Ensign netted four as they progressed into the Second Round Proper of the Buildbase FA Vase after a hard-fought victory over Buckingham Athletic at Burroughs Park.
Both these sides play at Step Six, the hosts have only played five league games so far due to their cup triumphs, winning three of those, whilst the visitors have lost six of their opening nine league games so had struggled somewhat so far in the league at least, although they did net six in their last Vase game so knew where the goal was, just like their free scoring opponents.
The hosts applied some early pressure although the visitors struck a long-range effort just off target before lofting a decent effort onto the roof of the net, as the game had started at a very good tempo indeed.
Ensign then saw a effort spilled by visiting keeper Joshua Mcadoo before he managed to grab at the second attempt, before the visitors then sent a long range effort at hosts keeper James Parkins, and then the hosts saw an effort deflect into the side netting.
Athletic then saw a free header at the back post diverted off target, and then after an Ensign attack had broken down inside the box, the visitors broke and fired over from the angle as they continued to look dangerous on the break.
But in the 27th minute Ensign broke the deadlock as a loose ball fell to Luke Skinner who fired an effort in off the bar and the hosts had the advantage.
Six minutes later it got even better for the home side as they doubled their lead when Brett Munyard sent a mishit effort across the box into the path of centre half Andy George who fired home and suddenly Ensign had a two-goal lead.
It had been a pretty even affair in the first forty-five minutes, but goals either side of the half hour mark proved the difference so far in this one as the hosts went into the break two goals to the good.
Half Time White Ensign 2 Buckingham Athletic 0
And two minutes after the break Ensign added a third as Luke Skinner got in down the right before unselfishly squaring to Munyard who finished from close range, and it was the worst possible start to the half for the visitors whose half time team talk was already out of the window.
Athletic knew they needed a quick response, and they found one, as just two minutes after conceding that third goal netted themselves one back as after Parkins had made a decent stop, Jeramiah Adams was on hand to prod the loose ball over the line, and the lead now reduced to two again.
Ensign then almost capitalised on a poor pass out from keeper Mcadoo, before the visitors glanced a cross off the bar, and then the hosts headed over at the other end. The next goal was going to be crucial in this contest.
The visitors then mounted another dangerous attack and saw this fired wide of the far post, but just before the hour mark Ensign added another as after Dominic Locke had chased down a lost cause it seemed, he did brilliantly to get into a crossing position before sending a ball into the mix which was flicked towards the back post and then inadvertidly headed back across goal and into the far corner by a visiting defender for an own goal.
Athletic to their credit kept going knowing a second goal might give them a sniff of an unlikely comeback now, and they were applying plenty of pressure onto the hosts back line as they looked for a way back although time was now against them with around twenty minutes left in this one.
And with the visitors upfield Ensign almost added a fifth when Munyard lead a counterattack, but his lofted finish towards goal lacked power and saw the defender clear off the line.
There had not been much between the sides throughout the contest, but Ensign proved more clinical going forward and took the win to progress into the next round of the Vase.
Full Time White Ensign 4 Buckingham Athletic 1
No comments:
Post a Comment