AFC Whyteleafe 3 Andover New Street 1 - Goals from Daniel Bennett, Gaspar Mico & Corey Holder hand AFC Whyteleafe two goal advantage over Andover New Street after first leg of their FA Vase semi final tie

Isuzu FA Vase Semi Final 1st Leg, Saturday March 29th

So, the FA Vase for 2024/25 had reached the final four stage, four sides whose dream of reaching Non League Finals Day at Wembley on May 11th, and four sides whose dream of winning this competition for the very first time remained alive, nerve jangling moments ahead in the two semi finals which were to be played over two legs.

 And for AFC Whyteleafe, Andover New Street, Hartpury University & Whitstable Town, this was all new territory as neither of these sides had been this far in the competitions history, so excitement and nerves no doubt as these two ties played out over the next two weekends, but for now let's concentrate on the first leg ties.

Southern Counties East Premier Division Whitstable Town were at home to Hellenic Premier Division Hartpury University at The Belmont in front of a sell out crowd, but I was back over at Church Road, home of AFC Whyteleafe, as the Combined Counties Premier Division South side were taking on Wessex Premier Division Andover New Street, who could take an advantage into next weekend's second leg tie?

It was soon apparent that the visitors from Hampshire would spend the majority of the opening forty five minutes on the back foot, the hosts were certainly putting all the pressure on their opponents and it was no surprise that just before the midway point of the first half they found the lead, skipper Daniel Bennett finding himself in on goal to round visiting keeper Jonathan Hill and slot home, and just four minutes later things got even better for the home side.

Gaspar Mico, scorer of the only goal in their quarter final win against Bourne Town, cut onto his left foot and fired an unstoppable effort past Hill from inside the box, and Leafe now had a comfortable 2-0 lead before the half hour mark, and you felt that the visitors needed to dig in and prevent this semi final from being over after the first leg, the hosts had been that dominant, almost men against boys at times.

Andover managed to get to the break only two behind, they had barely threatened in the opening forty five minutes and after the break Leafe continued to do most of the attacking, but could not find that third goal, they so nearly found it when a close range header was brilliantly stopped by Hill before the follow up struck the bar, but then from nowhere the visitors grabbed themselves a lifeline.

It came in the 66th minute, Andover mounting an attack which saw a decent stop from home keeper George Hill, but he could only parry to substitute Charlie Postance who buried the rebound, Leafe had been in total control for 65 minutes, but now it was back in the balance, and for the next five or ten minutes Andover threatened to level this tie, or certainly looked like they could do, they curled a terrific effort just wide on one occasion, and the hosts had to regroup.

Once the hosts settled though they began to threaten again, but Andover to be fair would have been delighted to take a one goal deficit back to Hampshire with them considering how dominant the hosts had been, but at the end of a big wadge of stoppage time, Leafe added a third goal which could be very important in the overall tie.

Ten minutes of added on time at the end of the game had elapsed when a close range effort was saved by Hill but he could only parry onto Corey Holder and see the ball bounce of him and back into the net, meaning Leafe would indeed take a two goal cushion to Hampshire for the second leg next weekend.

Andover then have it all to do next weekend, they were outclassed for the most in this one, and if they are to prevent Leafe from reaching the Final, they are going to have to drastically improve in the second leg for sure. Advantage AFC Whyteleafe for sure...

Full time AFC Whyteleafe 3 Andover New Street 1

How did the other Semi Final 1st Leg go? Let's find out...

Whitstable Town 2 Hartpury University 0

Southern Counties East Premier side Whitstable feel like they have one foot in the final in May after they will take a two goal lead back to Hartpury University for next weekends second leg. Nathan Jeche put the hosts ahead after eleven minutes and they added a second goal through Finn O'Mara with just over twenty minutes remaining to send home the near 3,000 crowd at The Belmont very happy indeed.

So, after the first legs it's advantage AFC Whyteleafe & Whitstable Town, they both take two goal leads into the second legs next weekend, ties are definitely not over yet but both Andover New Street & Hartpury University will need to put in some pretty special performances to turn these ties around you would say.....