I am a huge fan of The FA Vase, having followed the competition since its inception 41 years ago, and saw two cracking ties at the weekend.
Both involved taking the train from London to Dartford: Greenwich Borough v AFC St Austell on Saturday and Erith & Belvedere v Yaxley yesterday.
Greenwich reached the Fourth Round Qualifying of The FA Cup for the first time this season – I saw them lose narrowly at Worcester City in October – and another impressive run in The Vase had seen them chalk up wins against Newhaven, Molesey, Hailsham Town, Crawley Down Gatwick and Horley Town.
Goalmouth action at Greenwich Borough v AFC St Austell
For Saturday’s Fourth Round tie, played in brilliant sunshine, they welcomed AFC St Austell from the South West Peninsula League to the Princes Park ground they share with Dartford FC.
A crowd of 274, swelled by a coachload of boisterous fans travelling up from Cornwall, saw the visitors quickly on top.
They took the lead on the quarter-hour – a bullet of a shot into the far corner in front of their massed supporters – and then there was a burst of three goals in four minutes which made it 2-2 at half-time.
Borough’s cause wasn’t helped by having their centre-half sent off for two yellows ten minutes into the second period.
The AFC St Austell ‘Lilywhites’ won a typical Vase battle with a firm shot across the ‘keeper by the No.9 about ten minutes from time. At the end, fans and players were jumping up and down together like crazy people. They were three wins from Wembley!
AFC St Austell head back to Cornwall with victory in the bag
It was ‘The Deres’ against ‘The Cuckoos’ on Sunday.
Erith & Belvedere share Welling United FC’s ground in Park View Road and their best crowd for eight years (212) was present as the Southern Counties East League side won through to Fifth Round of The Vase for the first time.
There was a minute’s applause before the kick-off to mark the passing at the age of 98 of Bert Bennett, Erith & Belvedere’s left-half in The FA Amateur Cup Final of 1938.
They lost that Final to the only goal scored by Bromley before more than 33,000 at The Den.
I stood behind the goal at the end by the entrance yesterday, exactly where Dad used to watch Bexleyheath & Welling FC in the 1930s.
George Kamurasi saves from the spot for Erith
The Deres had a great start, their No.10 belting one in after four minutes, and it was a lead they managed to hold until the end.
Goalkeeper George Kamurasi was a Deres hero. He used nearly every part of his substantial frame to block shots from Yaxley players who were clean through and topped it off with a penalty save two minutes before the break.
It was so cold that I had lost all feeling in my extremities by the 90 minutes and was more than happy that it didn’t go to extra-time.
With Sunday morning’s game – The Baring 2 Holy Mount Zion 0 in Regent’s Park – I am now up to 106 this season and 6,766 altogether.
Twitter: @thebarberfan
