The Journey
Well even though I live in the same county as Saffron Walden it's not a short journey on public transport and I chose the two buses option to get there. Firstly getting the X30 bus from Southend all the way to Stansted Airport and then catching a local bus from there to Walden, which takes around 45 minutes. Total journey time with connections and the like took around 2-3 hours each way.
The Ground
Catons Lane is a fantastic old ground with masses of history and is also famous for its sloping pitch from one corner to the other. Here are some pictures of some of the facilties:-
As you can see it has a lovely bar and also a burger bar which serves just about anything you want and for a very good price too!!!! Certainly well worth a visit for sure.
The Match
Saffron Walden Town 2 Berkhamsted 3 - FA Vase 3rd Round Proper, Saturday 12th December 2015
Walden were without a home win in the league all season whilst their opponents were suffering from injuries and suspensions but a hard fought battle was still expected. The visitors had the first effort on goal after just four minutes when Tom Carter ran down the right hand side and then cut inside and whipped an effort inches wide of the far post.
Chances were at a premium though for the first fifteen minutes and the only other moment came at the other end when a 13th minute long throw into the Berko box was scrambled clear by the visitors. On 19 minutes another long throw caused Berko issues as it was flicked on into the six yard box but was hacked clear. But then after a fairly quiet opening twenty minutes came a breakthrough midway through the half and it came from the visiting side as a great curling effort from Steve Hawes from twenty yards out put the Spartan South Midlands side ahead.
Thereafter the visitors started to take control of the contest and with the wind with them were pressing the hosts further into the own half. On 27 minutes Berko saw a strike go just over the hosts bar as they threatened to go further ahead and ten minutes before half time they almost got that second when great skill by Aaron Nash-Barker saw him beat his man and strike an effort towards the near post which the keeper tipped onto the woodwork.
However with four minutes of the half to go the visitors won a penalty after a foul just inside the box and Adam Mead stepped up to convert and give the visitors a two goal cushion.
They easily saw out the rest of the half and went into the changing room in control of the tie. The hosts knew they would have to be much much better if they were to even threaten any sort of comeback in this one.
Half Time Saffron Walden Town 0 Berkhamsted 2
The hosts, now with the wind in their favour, came out with much more purpose and were back in the contest within two minutes of the restart when a long throw into the six yard box again caused problems and eventually saw the ball poked home by James Thomas to lift the homecrowd and give them life once more.
But the saying goes ‘Your at your most vulnerable when you’ve scored’ and this certainly applied to the hosts as no sooner had they got back into the tie they went two goals behind again two minutes later when Carter curled home a beauty into the top corner to give the visitors breathing space once again.
It had certainly been a mad start to the second half but the hosts were certainly asking the visitors more questions and on 57 minutes a corner from the hosts saw the keeper miss a cross and an effort subsequently cleared off the line and then moments later the Bloods broke down the right but the ball across goal was turned just wide of the far post.
However on the hour mark they were to convert one of their chances as another ball across goal found Jamie Solkhon unmarked at the back post and he duly slotted home and it was game on once again.
Lightning almost struck twice though as Berko almost restored their two goal lead immediately as Carter beat his man on the right and flashed a ball across goal which just invaded the man at the far post. Walden regathered and almost levelled on 66 minutes when a long range effort was brilliantly turned over the bar and then from the resulting corner saw the hosts head wide.
With twenty minutes to go another Walden long throw caused more issues inside the Berko box but again was scrambled clear and saw the visitors break but a poor pass ended that attack, an attack that gave the visiting defence brief rest bite from the hosts who were pouring forward in search of that leveller. On 76 minutes another ball into the Berko box was headed out poorly and saw a volley go just over and then moments later the hosts headed one just wide from another corner as they were giving the visiting side one hell of a battle as Berko were struggling to get out of their own half.
With seven minutes left the battered but non the worse visitors won themselves a free kick on the edge of the Bloods area and so nearly settled this tie once and for all when Mead curled a great effort into the post with the keeper nowhere near it. It certainly would of given the visitors some breathing space going into the final moments of the game.
The hosts though failed to really test the Berko goal too much thereafter and sadly the final moments saw rather unsavoury scenes as Berko’s Hawes saw red, his second booking, after a late challenge which saw both sets of players come together. Passions were running high of course in what was an important tie for both sides. After almost eight minutes of added on time one more ball was sent into the visiting area but saw a headed clearance signal full time and it was Berko who progress into the last 32 although they were pushed all the way by a spirited Saffron Walden side. A cracking cup tie it most certainly was.
Full Time Saffron Walden Town 2 Berkhamsted 3
So a fantastic cup tie was won by the visiting side meaning they went into the hat for the draw that pulled them out at home (AGAIN!!!) to Essex Senior League outfit Hullbridge Sports, a team I know well from my Essex Senior League roots of course. It's a fascinating match up and I'm thoroughly looking forward to it and fingers crossed the weather doesn't spoil my day to much!!!!
Right now here are all the results from the Third Round Proper of the Vase to date:-
Saturday 12th December
Alsager Town 0 AFC Wulfrunians 2
St Andrews 1 Leicester Nirvana 5
Walsall Wood 0 Alvechurch 3
Hereford 2 Brocton 0
Saffron Walden Town 2 Berkhamsted 3
Hullbridge Sports 2 Stanway Rovers 0
AFC Dunstable 4 Basildon United 0
Edgware Town 0 Ipswich Wanderers 3
Yaxley 3 Sleaford Town 4 (aet)
Hertford Town 0 FC Romania 2
Colliers Wood United 1 Hartley Wintney 3
Thame United 1 Kidlington 2
Ascot United 0 Camberley Town 0 (aet)
Lordswood 1 Ashford United 5
Eastbourne Town 2 Sutton Common Rovers 3
Tadley Calleva 2 Newport (IW) 2 (aet)
Canterbury City 1 Knaphill 3
Moneyfields 0 Brimscombe & Thrupp 0 (aet)
Buckland Athletic 1 Bradford Town 2
Highworth Town 1 Salisbury 5
Bristol Manor Farm 7 Hengrove Athletic 1
Tuesday 15th December
Sunderland RCA 4 Tadcaster Albion 0
Handsworth Parramore 1 Cleethorpes Town 2
Replay
Camberley Town 4 Ascot United 1
Wednesday 16th December
North Shields 1 Runcorn Town 1 (aet)
Uttoxeter Town 3 Coleshill Town 4
Thursday 17th December
Pinxton 3 Nuneaton Griff 4
Saturday 19th December
Replay
Newport (IW) 4 Tadley Calleva 2 (aet)
Tuesday 29th December
Replay
Brimscombe & Thrupp 0 Moneyfields 2
Monday 4th January
Replay
Runcorn Town 0 North Shields 1
There are some Third Round Ties still to be played this weekend due to postponements of previous dates due to waterlogged pitches and here are those matches:-
Saturday 9th January
Marske United Vs Team Northumbria (at Coach Lane, Team Northumbria FC)
Newton Aycliffe P-P Atherton Collieries (new date Tuesday Jan 12th)
South Shields Vs Morpeth Town (pitch inspection 10am Saturday)
Dunston UTS Vs Seaham Red Star (at Consett AFC)
FC Broxbourne Borough Vs Bowers & Pitsea
Welton Rovers Vs Bodmin Town
And here is the Fourth Round Proper fixtures to be played this weekend and next:-
Saturday 9th January
Cleethorpes Town Vs Alvechurch (pitch inspection Saturday morning)
Hereford Vs Leicester Nirvana
AFC Wulfrunians Vs Nuneaton Griff
Sunderland RCA P-P Sleaford Town (pitch inspection next Friday to see if they can play Sat 16th)
Kidlington Vs Knaphill
Newport (IW) Vs Ashford United (There was an “unofficial” inspection today at 12.15pm to asses the state of the playing surface, which was deemed “unplayable, with no immediate future prospects” and a further “official” pitch inspection on Saturday morning at 9am.)
Moneyfields Vs Bristol Manor Farm (pitch inspection 9am Saturday morning)
FC Romania Vs Camberley Town (pitch inspection at 9am Saturday morning)
Berkhamsted Vs Hullbridge Sports (if needed, there will be a pitch inspection at 10.30am Saturday morning)
Sunday 10th January
AFC Dunstable Vs Salisbury (if needed, there will be a pitch inspection at 9.30am Sunday morning)
Saturday 16th January
South Shields/Morpeth Vs North Shields
Coleshill Town Vs Dunston UTS/Seaham Red Star
Newton Aycliffe/Atherton Collieries Vs Marske United/Team Northumbria
FC Broxbourne Borough/Bowers & Pitsea Vs Sutton Common Rovers
Hartley Wintney Vs Bradford Town
Welton Rovers/Bodmin Town Vs Ipswich Wanderers
As you can see the weather has rather mixed up the FA Vase lately but hopefully all these games can be resolved before the Last 16 round takes place at the end of January, fingers crossed for that!!!
I'll be back with a review of my Last 32 tie at Berkhamsted Vs Hullbridge Sports at Broadwater as well as a results round up and next round fixtures on conclusion of the Fourth Round Proper, until then its cheerio and pray for no rain (or frost!!!).
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