VCD Athletic 0-2 Needham Market (aet) - The quality was missing, admits Foley - EXCLUSIVE

VCD ATHLETIC 0-2 NEEDHAM MARKET (AFTER EXTRA TIME)
FA Carlsberg Vase Fourth Round
Saturday 25^th January 2008
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakwood

KENT LEAGUE leaders VCD Athletic failed in their bid to join their local rivals Greenwich Borough in the last sixteen of the FA Carlsberg Vase - having suffered late heartbreak in front of their largest crowd of the season today.

Suffolk side Needham Market, leading the Rigeons League table courtesy of only one defeat, sealed a trip to Cambridgeshire in two weeks time to play St Ives Town, courtesy of two breakaway goals that ensured that they reached the fifth round for the very first time in their history.

But the crowd of 306 had to wait until the 112^th minute for Needham Market to break the deadlock and they netted a flattering second six minutes later to settle a very boring game.

Seven days ago Greenwich Borough needed seven minutes of stoppage time to defeat Harefield United by two goals to one at Harrow Meadow, and their management team of Phil Miles, Terry Malin and Ray Bagnell were in the Crayford crowd today.

Borough are now the sole Kent League representatives in the last sixteen and travel to Hellenic League side Hungerford Town in fourteen days time.

VCD Athletic going into this game on an eight-match unbeaten run, however, failed to live up to expectations, and having knocked out last season’s runners-up AFC Totton - and Ampthill Town - in the earlier rounds, were dumped out by a poor side.

Vickers squandered two excellent chances to break the deadlock during a very dull first half.

A ball launched up field by VCD skipper Gary Cook after 20 minutes was hooked across the pitch by Needham Market’s full-back Lewis Pemberton.

This was picked up by Vickers striker Leroy Huggins, who slipped the ball to Paul Abbott, but the right-sided midfielder’s shot was blocked by the advancing Liam Jones at the near post.

Vickers fans had to wait until first half stoppage time for their next chance.

A clearance from goalkeeper James Tedder was flicked on by central midfielder Gary Ward, who impressed during the 71 minutes that he was on the pitch.

Ward passed to Sinden, who sent Abbott on a surging run down the right-flank and his cross was met by Huggins’ towering header from ten-yards, which was tipped over the bar by Jones.

Needham Market also had a couple of half chances during the half, with Rhys Barber’s back header dropping over the crossbar following a free-kick into the box.

And Danny Thrower’s left-footed half volley sailed over Tedder’s crossbar before Huggins’ header.

We hoped that the second half would spark into life - unfortunately it didn’t!

Both sides created half chances inside the first fifteen minutes of the second half, without troubling either goalkeeper.

But Needham Market went closest in the 72^nd minute when Danny Thrower swept the ball over Tedder’s crossbar from six-yards out following another cross from James Evans on the right.

And the Suffolk side almost grabbed victory earlier than they did, striking the woodwork with seven minutes of normal time remaining.

Once again a cross from Evans was met by Thrower, whose looping header bounced off the angle of right-post and crossbar with giant keeper Tedder rooted to the spot.

This was a let-off for the Crayford side, and at this stage no-one deserved to win such a depressing game.

But Huggins, whose played for the likes of Bromley, Tonbridge Angels and Maidstone United, almost grabbed victory for the Kent League leaders.

He latched onto a through ball from substitute Ben Mitchell and the much-travelled striker only had Jones to beat - but his shot was blocked by the advancing goalkeeper and with it, Vickers' Wembley hopes.

So fans had to endure an extra 30 minutes and the first period of extra time was just like the 90 minutes that proceeded it - shockingly poor!

But Vickers had three chances early in the second period - but were made to pay for Mitchell and Kane Rice (twice) failing to hit the target.

Mitchell had cracked a shot with the outside of his right boot, following Rice’s cross from the right, but the ball looped agonisingly over the top of the far-post.

And Rice, who didn’t make the grade at Maidstone United, was off target from two efforts from outside the box.

But it was to be a mistake that assisted Needham Market winning the game.

Substitute Kevin Spriggs gifted substitute Nathan Szyszlyk and when faced with only Tedder to beat, the striker clinically slotted the ball past him into the bottom right-hand corner with 112 minutes on the clock - to the relief of the travelling supporters.

However, a flattering second soon followed, when two substitutes combined six minutes later to add insult to injury for the Kent side.

Ben Cranfield latched onto Glenn Snell’s pass and with only Tedder to beat, found the same corner as his team-mate.

Having reached the last sixteen for the last two seasons, Vickers manager Paul Foley was a disappointed figure afterwards.

“Disappointing yes. I wouldn’t say it was heartbreaking, there’s worse things in the world but there you go,” he said EXCLUSIVLEY to www.kentishfootball.co.uk.

“I don’t think there was a lot in it. A mistake that turned the game really, as I think it was always going to be a mistake.

“But they’re ok, they’re not a bad side, not the greatest we’ve played but they’ve beaten us so you can’t really say too much more than that.

“The second goal, it doesn’t matter if you lose two-nil or three-nil in extra-time. It’s not so important.

“It wasn’t a great deal of quality. The effort and the commitment from both sides was spot on - it was a Cup tie.

“There was a few tackles flying in and plenty of commitment and willing.”

Foley, however, rued the couple of chances that Huggins didn’t put away.

He said: “Leroy had a header straight at the keeper really and the one right at the death, which we all thought he would score, but he hit it at a nice height for the keeper.

“But there wasn’t much more than that but there you go.”

Revealing the players’ mood afterwards, Foley added: “They’re obviously a bit dejected but the good thing about where we are is were not counting on the Vase.

"Were in other things so there’s plenty of football left and I’ve told the lads that and I think everyone of them takes that, deals with it. It’s gone now.”

VCD Athletic: James Tedder, Kevin Winchcombe, Ashley Probets, Gary Ward (Kevin Spriggs 71), Gary Cook, David Hunt, Stuart Abbott (Darren Thomson 74), Steve Hogg, Leroy Huggins, Richard Sinden (Ben Mitchell 71), Kane Rice.
Subs: Chris Whitehouse, Marc Merridan.

Booked: Gary Ward 42, Ben Mitchell 116, Kevin Spriggs 119, Gary Hunt 120

Needham Market: Liam Jones, Lewis Pemberton, Ben Wake, Mark Bailey, Richard Butler, Rhys Barber, James Evans (Glenn Snell 101), Jay Denniss, Tom Smith (Ben Cranfield 57), Craig Parker, Darren Thrower (Nathan Szyszlyk 87).
Subs: Matt Buckle, Jonathan Thorogood.

Goals: Nathan Szyszlyk 112, Ben Cranfield 118

Booked: Ben Wake 67, James Evans 97, Rhys Barber 103

Attendance: 306
Referee: Mr Tony Power (Harrow Weald, Middlesex)
Assistants: Mr A Crawford (Letchworth, Hertfordshire) & Mr M Barnes (London)
Fourth Official: Mr I Hogg (Basildon, Essex)