Season 2014/15 - 5th Round Proper

So the Last eight of the FA Vase is almost known with one tie still outstanding the Quarter Finals of this seasons competition is almost set for two weeks time after the last two weekend’s have seen teams battle it out in eight last 16 ties. My tie was at Carters Park, Holbeach for Holbeach United v Erith & Belvedere.

The first tie was scheduled for 7th February but sadly this was postponed at 11.30am on the morning of the match due to a frozen goalmouth. Glady the pitch was fine a week later so the match took place on February 14th. Here is my day:-

The Journey

This was by far my longest journey of my trail so far although certainly not one of the longest I could of been given!!! My journey began at 8.26am on the train from Southend East to West Ham before catching the tube to Kings Cross Station in North London.

After an hour wait and a MacDonalds coffee later I got on the 10.44am service to Kings Lynn. This took around 90 minutes so I arrived into Norfolk around 12.20pm.

Then at 12.35pm I caught a bus from outside Kings Lynn station to Holbeach (about an hours journey) through some lovely parts of the UK it has to be said. I arrived into Holbeach around 1.30pm and made my way to Carters Park, which is about 10 minutes walk away. It must be said Holbeach is a lovely town.

The Ground

Carters Park is a nice little ground in lovely Linconshire surroundings. It has a small burger van next to the turnstile serving some nice food, I went for cheesy chips and this was £1.50 and very tasty I must say.

There is a small but very neat Main Stand housing 150 seats and next this this is a small covered standing area which is enclosed by the stand and the clubhouse. Both ends of the pitch have small covered areas to stand in and the opposite side is open but the ground is enclosed by a metallic fence. I took my place in the Main Stand and awaited the action to unfold.

The Match
Holbeach United 2 Erith & Belvedere 3 (aet) (FA Vase Fifth Round Proper, Saturday 14th February 2015)

The match started in frantic fashion and the first chance went to the visitors on 2 minutes when Johnson cut inside into the box but saw his left footed effort saved by Conroy. A minute later and the hosts had the lead. A long ball out from the back caught out a flat footed Deres defence and the pacey Dubi latched onto the ball and with keeper Kamurasi charging out of his goal to try and get the ball the Tigers frontman lobbed the ball past the keeper and the ball nestle into the corner of the net.

This didn’t deter Erith’s confidence however and on 7 minutes after a series of corners from the visitors Alfie May headed wide when he felt he probably should of done better. On 11 minutes Deres keeper Kamurasi’s poor kick out found Tigers midfielder Duffy but his effort at goal drifted wide thankfully for the visiting keeper.

Then on 13 minutes came the equaliser. Marsh’s ball over the defence found the pacey wingerWalker who latched onto the pass and lofted the ball past Conroy and into the corner for a well worked goal. Two minutes later and Holbeach’s Duffy ran onto a header down by Clark but Kamurasi was equal to the effort and saved well.

On 20 minutes chaos inside the Holbeach box somehow ended with Conroy getting the ball after several miskicks and the like. It was a big let off for the hosts but four minutes later they nearly grabbed the lead back when Dubi laid the ball back to Beeson whose curling dipping first time effort had Kamurasi beaten but the ball went just wide of the post.

It had been a frantic first 25 minutes and thoroughly enjoyable to watch. The game slowed a touch for the next few minutes but then on 34 minutes came a disaster for the hosts. Erith full back Matthews hopeful diagonal cross into the Holbeach box saw hosts centre back Miller head back towards goal where he thought his keeper Conroy was but sadly for him the keeper had come out to claim the ball and so he headed past his own keeper and the ball trickled over the line and the Kent side had the lead.

Five minutes before the half Holbeach’s Dubi let fly from thirty yards out but it went just wide with Kamurasi looking beaten again. So at the half the visiting team from Kent had a narrow advantage in a breathtaking first 45 minutes.

Half time: Holbeach United 1 Erith & Belvedere 2

The second half began in much quieter fashion than the first although it was far from boring. Ten minutes into the half came the first sight of goal when United’s Duffy found himself with a chance but his effort went well wide. It seemed he used the wrong foot to strike at goal.

On 63 minutes Erith forward Alfie May played in his fellow strike partner Marsh but keeper Conroy easily came out to smother the ball and snuff out any danger. Then on 68 minutes came a flashpoint when Deres forward Marsh went in late on Tigers sub Cartwright leaving the United player in a heap on the deck.

It was right in front of the main stand and the home crowd went up in arms and were demanding a red card for the visiting player and it upset the home side too and a lot of pushing and shoving resulted. After the referee had gained some sort of control he only booked Marsh, which didn’t go down to well with the home fans.

The seemed to actually fire up the hosts though and two minutes after this they levelled the tie when two Erith defenders fell over each other attempting to clear the ball allowing Duffy in behind to slot past Kamurasi and set up the final twenty minutes perfectly.

Shortly after the now spicy affair to this game flared up again, this time in the middle of park adding to the definite edge the game had now taken on. On 77 minutes United’s Duffy’s volley at goal was diverted just over the bar by Miller, who nearly atoned for his own goal earlier.

With ten minutes to go in this cracking cup tie the ball broke to Tigers forward Dubi on the edge of the box but he blazes high and wide and then down the other end four minutes later a fantastic effort from Alfie may from way out almost caught out Conroy who to to his credit got back to tip over well.

So into stoppage time and extra time looming. In the first minute of it Deres striker Marsh cut inside and forced Conroy into a decent save although the flag had gone up anyway. Then a minute later United’s Duffy let fly from range but the ball flew well over after Anton had totally miskicked his effort.

The final chance of the ninety came to the hosts when a cross into the box was knocked towards goal and the ball was headed from underneath the Deres bar and then scrambled clear only for the ball to come back into the box but the visitors managed to scrambled it clear again. So extra time it was.

Full time: Holbeach United 2 Erith & Belvedere 2

If I’m honest the extra half hour didn’t really live up to the match before hand as both teams were possibly tired on a heavy pitch but the one piece of good play in the whole half hour resulted in the winning goal from Erith & Belvedere.

In the 100th minute of this tie Deres sub Wilson got the ball down the left hand side and played a lovely low cross into the area where Marsh was waiting and he side footed past Conroy first time from about twelve yards out to send him and his teammates wild, even though they still had twenty or so minutes left.

There was another flashpoint a minute later inside the Deres box where this time as a defender was fouled, Tigers player Steadman squared up to the much much bigger Deres keeper Kamurasi and after this calmed down the striker was booked.

The hosts just could not create a clear cut chance and two minutes into stoppage time at the end of the game United sub Nolan was shown a straight red for a poor tackle by the corner flag. This proved to be the final piece of noteworthy action and Erith had made it through to the Quarter Finals and a home tie with North Shields in two weeks time.

Full time: aet Holbeach United 2 Erith & Belvedere 3

Holbeach Line Up – 1.Conroy, 2.Anton, 3.Parker, 4.Warfield, 5.Miller, 6.Spencer, 7.Beeson, 8.Duffy, 9.Steadman, 10.Clark, 11.Dubi
Holbeach Subs – 12.Cartwright, 14.Gibson, 15.Nolan, 16.King, 17.Pinner GK.Overton

Erith & Belvedere Line Up – 1.Kamurasi, 2.Matthews, 3.Craig, 4.Richmond, 5.Groombridge, 6.Johnson, 7.Hales, 8.L. May, 9.A. May, 10.Marsh, 11.Walker
Erith & Belvedere Subs – 12.Minter, 14.Wilson, 15.Springett, 16.Parkinson, 17.Jackson

Attendance – 265

Referee – Michael George (North Walsham, Norfolk)
Assistant Referees – Thomas Hancock (Ely, Cambs) & Nigel Phillips (Ely, Cambs)
Fourth Official – Jairo Marin (Cambridge, Cambs)

Here are some pics from Carters Park:-

Post Match and Journey Home
Due to the extra half hour and six minutes of stoppage time the referee added on I had to dash straight out of Carter’s Park to catch the 17.55 bus back to Kings Lynn. After a fairly brisk walk back to the bus stop It was naturally 15 minutes late.

I then endured the worst bus journey ever thanks to possibly the worst driver in history and didn’t seem to like driving in the dark through small Lincs/Norfolk villages!!! Thankfully after what seemed like an eternity we got back into Kings Lynn and after eventually finding my way back to the station caught the 19.35 back to Kings Cross.

Two hours later we were at Kings Cross where I caught a tube to West Ham and then a train home. Arrived home after 11pm, a 15 hour day and a tiring one yes, but it was well worth it for the cracking cup tie I had witnessed just hours earlier.

Fifth Round Proper Results
Saturday 7th February
Bradford Town 0 Highworth Town 2
AFC St Austell 2 Stanway Rovers 0
Ascot United 3 Norwich United 0
Shaw Lane Aquaforce 3 Flackwell Heath 2
Glossop North End P-P Dunston UTS
Holbeach United P-P Erith & Belvedere
North Shields 4 Phoenix Sports 1
AFC Mansfield 0 Tadcaster Albion 3

Saturday 14th February
Glossop North End 2 Dunston UTS 2 (aet)
Holbeach United 2 Erith & Belvedere 3 (aet)

Quarter Final draw (ties to take place on Saturday 28th February)
AFC St Austell Vs Ascot United
Erith & Belvedere Vs North Shields
Shaw Lane Aquaforce Vs Glossop North End/Dunston UTS
Highworth Town Vs Tadcaster Albion

The one remaining fifth round tie between Glossop North End and Dunston UTS takes place next Saturday, 21st February, at Dunston’s UTS Stadium in a replay following their 2-2 draw on Saturday.

So the Quarter Finals are in two weeks time, its getting towards the business end of the competiton now as eight teams (eventually) still dream of a Wembley final come May 9th.

I will be back at Park View Road, Welling, for my Quarter Final tie between Erith & Belvedere and North Shields. It proves to be an exciting day!!!