THE BUILDBASE FA VASE Round Four
Congelton Town 1 Malvern Town 0
An early goal was the difference as our Buildbase FA Vase dreams ended with a 1-0 reverse at Congleton Town. Despite having the first foray forward, we were caught out within the opening minute when a long ball forward set Arron Johns through and he opened the scoring.
As we started to settle into our stride, a free-kick fell out to George Hayes who fired well over then on the quarter-hour mark, Harry Clark’s teasing cross was scrambled clear. At the other end, Will Buckley tried his luck but his low strike went well wide of the target. We were seeing more of the ball as the opening period went on but unable to keep hold of it to make things happen as chances were few and far between at either end. A nice touch in the middle of the park from Joe Bullock saw him make room to find Clark but the ball just got away from him.
With half-time approaching, Keiron Blackburn saved well to thwart Buckley’s low drive, whilst at the other end, Lewis Platt linked up well with Clark whose cross was gathered by the ‘keeper. On 44 minutes the ball just wouldn’t fall for Joe Billingham in front of goal as we pushed for a leveller before the break.
The second half started with a raid down the left ending with the ball finding its way to George Hayes whose effort was blocked. A free-kick in a dangerous position out wide was flashed inches wide by Dan Cope for the home side. With an hour gone, Blackburn gathered comfortably from Cope’s strike before doing well to claim Chris Baker’s powerfully-driven cross. A series of corners saw Jay Sauntson fail to direct a header goalwards at the far post before Clark went close with a header of his own shortly afterwards Joe Billingham had the sting took out of a powerful drive by a deflection and as the ball looped up, the ‘keeper was able to claim, then as our pressure continued, Platt saw his inviting cross scrambled clear.
We were asking most of the questions as we searched for a leveller. Clark’s cross to the near post was cleared just ahead of Matt Turner as the home side got numbers back A chipped ball in from Buckley saw Blackburn alert to take the ball off the strikers’ head then the ‘keeper did well to keep out a stinging drive from the lively Buckley. As we pushed up, we were almost caught out as Max McCarthy went through only for Jay Sauntson to put in a timely recovery challenge.
Appeals for a penalty when Joe Bates went down were waved away as we entered stoppage time and it ended in disappointment with a 1-0 defeat.
THE HILLSIDERS: Blackburn, Hayes, Harris, A. Sauntson, J. Sauntson, Febery, Billingham (Bates 74), Bullock, Turner (Chowns Higgs 74), Clark, Platt. Subs not used: Wickett, Paddock, Smith, Fusco, Pinder.
