A late late comeback form Fulwood Amateurs denied the Y&E a place in the 3^rd round of the FA Vase.  Two goals injury time took the game to penalties where the Fulwood came out on top winning 5-4.

It was another Sunday FA Vase tie, with landlords Billingham Town playing against Prudhoe YC in the league on Saturday, it meant a shift to the Sunday for our FA Vase game.  Arriving at the ground pre kick off, you wouldn’t have realised there had been a game the day before, with Guy Jones working wonders on the pitch Sunday morning to get it looking pristine for kick off.  There was a decent crowd in attendance including a good number of visiting supporters who had made the trip over from Lancashire.  We were also supported by TIBS Under 7s who were mascots for the day.

There was a few changes to the line up, with Callum Roberts unavailable, Ethan Lansdell was in goal in hist first start of the season.  Captain Cam Wild was carrying a slight injury, so was rested.  Midfielder Harry Stewart Titchner and forward Ste Roberts were both suspended following 2 booking in the earlier rounds.  We lined up with Ethan in goal, Joe Dalton and Sam Conway as wing backs, Jack Dalton, Ross Harrison and Dan Jones as the central back three.  In midfield, Charlie Fixter and Josh Marshall, with Harry Williams and Josh Larkin in behind Tom Atkinson up front.  On the bench we had Alex Dougall, Joe Scaiffe Wheatley, Joe Hillerby, Leo Cheesebrough and the returning Reece McMann making his first appearance of the season.

There was an impeccably observed minutes silence ahead of the game to remember servicemen and women from our armed forces as part of the remembrance Sunday commemorations.  The first half was relatively uneventful, with both teams largely cancelling each other out.  There was an early chance for Tom Atkinson, but his effort breaking free down the middle of the pitch was well saved by Jacob Barry in the Fulwood goal.  There was a couple of half chances for Tom and Harry Williams and a deflected shot wide from Fulwood but aside from the early save from Barry, neither keeper was called on to make any saves.  It was 0-0 at half time, and no doubt both managers would have been telling their players that the game was there for the taking.

The Y&E got out of the blocks the better of the two sides in the second half.  Harry Williams saw his long-distance effort go wide and Tom put in a dangerous cross early on.  Joe Dalton was getting involved down the right and on 54 minutes, he whipped a cracking cross over and Tom Atkinson was on hand to nod it home to give the Y&E the lead.    The player’s confidence was up and JL10 had an effort just wide.  On 58 mins we double our lead.  A Joe Dalton free kick from the right edge of the box fell to Tom and he made no mistake with a superb strike from about 16 yards.  Two gaols up with just over 30minutes to play.

On 67 mins Reece came on for JL10 slotting in at right wing back, with Dalts moving to midfield.  A joe Dalton header, saw Tom free of the offside trap but his effort went over.  He had another good effort on 72 minutes, an superb break down the left by Sam Conway, and his cross to the far post, where Tom couldn’t properly connect and his effort was saved.  Fulwood earned a dangerous free kick after we failed to clear fouled one of their players, thankfully it went wide.  Scaiffe came on for CF7 who picked up a knock.  There was a few more substitutions in the last 10 mins, with Leo and Dougs on for Harry Williams and Tom.   Fulwood had most of the ball, but we were defending well and trying to get them on the break.  In to 7 (seven) minutes of stoppage time, and it was a case of seeing the game out.  Fulwood had other ideas, winning the ball on the right had side and breaking forward, their top scorer Spencer Lucas finished past Ethan goal on 90+3.  That gave the visitors some added impetus and the somehow equalised a minute later, from what looked like a carbon copy of the first goal.  Ben Jackson this time with the finish.  The momentum had shifted and the we were in a state of shock and disbelief as the ref blew for full time.  We’d been in control of the game for 92 minutes and they had somehow managed to get two late late goals to take us to penalties.

Anyone who says they enjoy penalties is lying.  It was close throughout the shootout, both teams scoring their first (Hillers for Y&E) and the jeepers saving the second.  Marshy, Joe Dalton and Dan Jones all scored making it 4-4 after five penalties each.  Alex Dougall next up for the Y&E but his effort went just over the bar.  Up stepped the Fulwood player who scored, sending the away team and their support in to ecstasy and the Y&E in to agony.  A real sucker punch for us.

Congratulations to Fulwood.  They never gave up and kept plugging away.  They took their two chances well in stoppage time and the victory will have made the trip back to Lancashire a lot nor enjoyable than it would have been.  Their fans and committee travelled over in good numbers and were a credit to their club. We wish them all the best for the rest of the season.  Their reward for beating us is a trip to east Manchester to face Droylsden in the next round. 

As for the Y&E, how do you sum that one up?  I was gutted after that.  We were in control for most of the game and a mad couple of stoppage time minutes made all the difference.  At the start of the season if someone had offered us a mini FA Vase run to the second round we’d have taken it, but your expectations and targets change and it doesn’t make it any easier to stomach that one.  Now I know what West End must have felt 12months ago.   We dust ourselves down and look forward to plenty more games coming up.

Thanks to everyone who was at the game, it was really good atmosphere and good to see over 200 in attendance.  Special thanks to the Café Queens who were on fire (thankfully not literally) all afternoon. 

Win lose or draw. Proud to be Y&E