HAREFIELD UNITED EXIT FA VASE IN PENALTY SHOOT-OUT
The last Middlesex team remaining in this season’s FA Vase, Harefield United entertained Peacehaven & Telscombe from Sussex, in the Fifth Round on Saturday last, 11th February. Your reporting team were part of the large crowd watching the match.
Both clubs entered the competition in the 1st Qualifying Round and each had achieved 6 victories to reach the 5th Round. Harefield United accounted for London Colney (4-1 at home), Windsor (2-0 away), Rising Ballers Kensington (5-0 away), Chessington & Hook United (3-0 away), North Greenford United (2-1 at home) and Clevedon Town (away in a penalty shoot-out after a 2-2 draw).
Peacehaven & Telscombe, who currently sit in mid table in the Macron Southern Combination Premier Division, with 44 points from 24 matches, had beaten AFC Uckfield Town (3-1 away), Welling Town (3-1 at home), Horley (4-0 at home), Bedfont and Feltham (3-1 at home), Holyport (away in a penalty shoot-out after a 0-0 draw) and Egham Town (2-0 away).
The Hares failed in their attempt to progress to the FA Vase Quarter Finals for what would have been the second time in their history. Their visitors achieved that very same milestone, as a result of their victory in this match.
As in the Hares’ previous tie, the result was decided by a penalty shoot-out. The preceding 90 minutes had seen an even, hard fought encounter with few clear-cut scoring chances and no goals. It was the visitors’ goalkeeper, Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke who was the shoot-out hero this time, saving three of the four kicks which he faced.
Harefield United had the better of the exchanges in the first half but were unable to gain an advantage. The dangerous Trey Pender-Brown, on the left, gave the visitors’ defence some anxious moments. He was fouled in the Hares’ first attack and the resulting free kick gave Sam Shaw a shooting opportunity. Trey then made several good runs into the opposition territory, none of which provided a breakthrough. He came the closest to scoring, in the 24th minute, when he burst through and hit a curling shot just past the post.
Trey provided another fright for the visitors, when his cross appeared to hit a defender’s arm. The referee waved aside the appeals for a penalty.
Skipper, Paul Underwood and Harry Bishop tried long range shots at the Peacehaven goal. Both attempts were comfortably held by custodian, Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke.
Peacehaven launched an assault, just before the interval and Jacob Ballheimer saved at point blank range from Ross Barclay.
Score at half time: Harefield United 0 Peacehaven & Telscombe 0
More chances were made by both sides in the second half but the match remained scoreless. Femi Ogunsola broke through the middle and was brought down. Sam Shaw’s resulting free kick was just off target. Callum Edwards made two promising runs for Peacehaven but on both occasions his final pass was blocked.
A mistake by Harry Bishop let Callum in and his cross found Robin Deen, who headed over the bar. At the other end, Trey Pender-Brown went close with a header.
Sam Shaw’s free kick, from just outside the area, was headed narrowly wide by Callum Neal, who had moved up out of defence.
Harry Bishop rescued Harefield with a great goal-line stop from Callum Hart’s shot, after Jacob Ballheimer had left his area and sliced a clearance to the Peacehaven striker.
Another free kick into the visitors’ box by Sam Shaw, was headed wide by Ano Mano.
Score after 90 minutes: Harefield United 0 Peacehaven & Telscombe 0
Peacehaven went first in the penalty shoot-out and Cameron Wilson netted. Then Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke saved, diving to his right, from Sam Shaw.
The second set of kicks brought saves from both keepers. Jacob Ballheimer dived to save from Max Hollobone and Nathan did the same from Harry Laflin.
Jacob pushed the 3rd Peacehaven kick, which was taken by Drew Mathews, onto his cross-bar and then Richard Pacquette netted, via the post to equalise at 1-1 for the Hares.
However, Robin Deen converted Peacehaven’s 4th kick and Nathan made his third save, this time from Ollie Wontner’s kick, leaving Tegan Freeman to score with his shot, to win the tie. Tegan did this in style, by hitting the ball high into the net.
Both keepers emerged with great credit from the penalty shoot-out, saving 5 of the 9 kicks taken between them. Jacob, it will be remembered, saved 3 times in the previous round.
Penalty shoot-out score: Peacehaven & Telscombe 3 Harefield United 1
TEAM LINE UPS:
Harefield United FC: Jacob Ballheimer, Harry Bishop (Lenny Farhall 90+2 mins), Steven Green, Paul Underwood (capt), Callum Neal (Harry Laflin 90+2), Scott Bonner, Femi Ogunsola (Ano Mano 68), Ollie Wontner, Richard Pacquette, Samuel Shaw and Trey Pender-Brown.
Unused substitutes: Luke Baldwin, Samir Shaffi, Hekmat Alizai and Dom Cassells (goalkeeper)
Manager: Jason Shaw Assistant Manager: Michael Molokwu Physio: Aishling O’Byrne
Peacehaven & Telscombe FC: Nathan Stroomberg-Clarke, Ross Barclay (capt) (Max Hollobone 91), Drew Matthews, Brandon Kilula, Jack Pettett (Callum Hart 72), Ryan Warwick, Callum Edwards, Emmanuel Osei-Asomah, Robin Deen, Tegan Freeman and Cameron Wiltshire.
Unused substitutes: Jake LeGrange, Curtis Ford, Mikey Lloyd, Scott Marshall and Ben Brown.
Manager: Mark Shutt Assistant Manager: Dan Norwood Sports Therapist: Brett Powell.
Referee: Michael Robertson-Tant Assistant Referees: Michael Hayden and Ross Cole Fourth Official: Fadi Mansour.
We thank Chris & Jim for joining the large crowd at Harefield United to cover this game, as ever the duo have selected their favourite shots from the match. Chris has also very kindly provided a full album of imagery.