Isuzu FA Vase Fifth Round Proper, Saturday February 1st
The first day of a new month, February, saw the return of the best competition in the world, The FA Vase, and we were now at the last sixteen stage and one step away from the Quarter Finals, and one step closer to a day out Wembley, serious stuff.
There were eight ties taking place and I decided to make my first ever visit to The Belmont Ground on the Kent coast to take in Whitstable Town Vs Fleet Town, both were at Step Five in the non league pyramid, the hosts playing in the Southern Counties East Premier Division whilst Fleet competed in the Combined Counties League Premier Division South.
Now Whitstable were in the Last 16 for only the second time ever, and the first time for nearly thirty years, they were not exactly setting the league alight, sitting 12th in their division with a very mixed bag of results, however their home form was pretty solid, which might suggest why they had done so well in the Vase as all but two of their ties had been at The Belmont, where they are much stronger.
I actually saw one of those away ties in this years competition, away at another Combined Counties Premier South side in the shape of Corinthian Casuals in the First Qualifying Round, that resulted in a 4-1 success (see my blog on that game here https://pedroslocalfootiefix.blogspot.com/2024/08/corinthian-casuals-1-whitstable-town-4.html), and would be their biggest win in this seasons competition thus far, as then followed several closely fought ties in Kent and one in deepest rural Suffolk, beginning by seeing off fellow SCEFL Premier Hollands & Blair 1-0 at home in the Second Qualifying Round to reach the Proper Rounds of the competition.
Combined Counties Premier North Virginia Water were then beaten 1-0 before fellow SCEFL Premier side Lydd Town were then beaten 2-1, but their most impressive result came in Round Three when they saw off high flying CCPD South Jersey Bulls 2-1 at The Belmont, Whitstable came from behind to win with two goals in the final ten minutes to inflict a rare defeat on a side that had only lost once in the league all season.
And Round Four saw them play away from The Belmont for the first time since the very first Qualifying Round, and they needed penalties to see off Thurlow Nunn Premier Walsham le Willows to reach the Last 16, before they were drawn back at home again for this tie against a Fleet side who are doing well in their division this term, sitting in fifth and just inside the play off zone with only two losses in the league this season.
Now their Vase run has almost all been away from home, after a bye into the Second Qualifying Round their campaign begin at home to Wessex League Division One Hamworthy United where they won 6-2, but since then all their ties have been away from home, the first of those coming in Round One at SCEFL Premier Sutton Athletic where a penalty shoot out was needed to progress.
Rochester was the next port of call as a 1-0 win at Rochester United saw them reach the Third Round Proper for the very first time, and they continued their now historic run in the competition by seeing off Spartan South Midlands Premier Tring Athletic in Hertfordshire, although penalties were needed once again to see Fleet progress, before they then travelled to West Sussex to see off Crawley Down Gatwick in another close 2-1 encounter, and now they are away again in the Last 16, with a trip to the Kent Coast.
So, how would this tie pan out then? Neither side had reached the Quarter Finals of this competition and neither had played each other in the competition before either, there were sure to be plenty of nerves in front of a bumper 1,121 crowd, who could settle the quicker and deal with the pressure of the occasion the best, we would soon find out.
The opening exchanges were cagey, which kind of suggested how big a game this was for both sides, but Whitstable certainly had the better of the openings in the first half thereafter, firing over from a good position after a nice move, and there were two balls fired across goal, one with pace and one a shot that was hit into the ground and went inches wide, and on both occasions just inches away from being poked in at the far stick. And they also saw a lofted effort hit the angle of bar and post, that was three or four good chances that the hosts failed to convert.
Fleet were not without there moments though in the opening half, one effort rocked just wide of the post, and another chance saw them get in behind but the ball across was behind everyone rather than in front, it looked offside when the original ball was played through, but it mattered not as nothing came from it, had it done, there may have been uproar amongst the hosts, it meant the tie was goalless at the break, and still right in the balance.
However, Whitstable flew out of the traps and had taken control of the tie before the hour mark, three minutes into the second period full back Jayden Boulton took aim and fired a lovely effort from outside the box into the far corner, and then eight minutes later in the 56th minute midfielder Mikey Dalton ran onto a ball into the box to fire in off the post and the hosts were now in dreamland and seemed to have one foot in the Quarter Finals.
Fleet though were never going to give up that easily, and they put nerves and doubt back into the hosts support when Ross Stepney managed to head home after a scramble inside the hosts box with 76 minutes on the clock, game back in the balance, and the visitors did hit the woodwork either before or after that goal (I can't remember sorry!!!) but it was certainly a hectic and dramatic ending in store.
The hosts were playing on the counter as Fleet searched for that leveller to take the tie to penalties, they weren't helped when substitute Kai Tanner, who had only come on the pitch in the 66th minute, was sent off for a challenge just outside his box, it meant the visitors would have to play the eight minutes of added on time a man light.
It was tense to say the least, and five minutes into stoppage time Whitstable had a golden chance to seal the deal when they went clean through on goal, but the effort was fired wide, meaning Fleet probably had one last chance to salvage the tie, and nine minutes into added on time a scramble inside the hosts box was not converted by the visitors meaning the hosts could clear and hear that sweet sweet sound of the final whistle, meaning the celebrations could begin.
Commiserations to Fleet Town, their record Vase run was over, fair play to them for getting back into this game and for the run they have had this season, but well done to Whitstable Town who reach the Quarters for the very first time, the club could not have been more hospitable towards me, looking after me and allowing me into the ground for free along with a programme, tea and cake in the boardroom, and a nice key ring with the club badge on it, I couldn't be more happier for them and show any more gratitude towards them for a lovely day.
They now await Monday's Quarter Final draw, the dream continues.....
Full time Whitstable Town 2 Fleet Town 1
