FA Vase Semi Finals second leg – 30 March 2013

SHILDON V TUNBRIDGE WELLS
&
SPENNYMOOR TOWN V GUERNSEY

The dilemma of which game to choose is solved with staggered kick-offs due to a live broadcast to Guernsey.

The plan is Dean Street for the 3 o’clock kick-off to see if Shildon can claw back the 2-0 deficit from the first leg; then a thirty minute dash to Brewery Field to watch Spennymoor try to finish off the tie having secured a 3-1 lead in the Channel Islands. The only fly in the ointment would be extra time at Shildon.

Dean Street is bathed in a watery sunshine as a good crowd gathers, including many who have travelled up from Kent. There is slightly less brown to the pitch than in the previous round, but despite in being Easter Saturday the grass is still reluctant to grow and green up the still bobbly-looking playing surface.

Although at home Shildon have chosen to wear their away kit of grey with a navy V, allowing Tunbridge to turn out in all red.

The game is open from the start with on-target shots at each end to give both keepers and early feel of the ball. After just ten minutes Shildon’s Garvie turns well on the edge of the penalty area, and when his shot is blocked the deflection goes straight to teammate Owens who forces a shot into the corner of the net. Now only one goal adrift, Shildon continue to press and Tunbridge are restricted to long goalkeeper clearances aimed at the tall centre forward, Irvine, who is proving a handful for centre halves Flynn and McCabe.

For Shildon it’s Garvie who is troubling the Tunbridge defence. He crosses well to Owens whose shot is well saved by keeper Oladogba at the expense of a corner. The corner is taken to Richmond, unmarked at the corner of the box, who curls a cross to the far post where McCabe rises to beat defenders and goalkeeper and nod the ball into the goal. Twenty minutes gone and now the two goal deficit is wiped out.

With the changed dynamic, Shildon lose some freedom of expression, and Tunbridge start to play rather than sit on a lead. A succession of free kicks and corners are won by the visitors and from one the skilful Cornell shoots just over. Shildon are hanging on for half time, and get a final scare when Irvine heads narrowly wide.

After their half time breather Shildon start the second half well, but in a rare break from Tunbridge, Pilbeam drives forward into the Shildon box and though his cross shot is heading wide it finds Irvine lurking at the far post. He taps it over the line but the offside flag is up to contrasting opinions from the home and visiting fans.

Although it is no goal it does give Tunbridge a boost and triggers a good spell for them. However an attempted through ball is blocked by Shildon and the ricochet over the Tunbridge defence gives Garvie a chance to show his speed and composure in racing forward and slotting the ball past the exposed Oladogba. At three nil Shildon are ahead in the tie for the first time and, with 25 minutes to go, Wembley beckons.

Both managers make changes. For Shildon, the hard working Owens is replaced by Greulich-Smith back from the injury sustained in the last round. For Tunbridge the diminutive but tricky left winger is withdrawn in favour of another six-footer to partner Irvine up front.

Soon Irvine receives the ball with his back to goal on the edge of the box. Despite having a turning circle of a small tanker, he is allowed to manoeuvre himself around and unleash a dipping shot that clears Finch (not the tallest of goalkeepers), clips the underside of the bar and drops over the line. Three – one means it’s back to all square!

Shildon regroup and with ten minutes to go a Greulich-Smith header is saved at full stretch by Oladogba; the resulting corner is headed just over. The last five minutes is frantic; Greulich-Smith goes even closer with a header against the bar, and McCabe’s header from a corner is brilliantly tipped wide by the busy Oladogba. There is danger at the other end when a late free kick and corner threatens; but the final action sees the unlucky Greulich-Smith again miss narrowly, this time with a volley.

At the final whistle it remains 3-1 to Shildon, 3-3 on aggregate so it is extra time and the fly is definitely in the ointment as regards the double-header.

On the basis of giving equal time to both ties I decide to cut and run to Spennymoor. Back in the car for 5pm, park in Spennymoor at quarter past, walk to the ground, queue, and still get in the ground as the teams file out. Spennymoor stick to their black and white stripes while Guernsey are in green shirts with white sleeves.

Brewery Field is well populated including a sizeable and vocal contingent from the Channel Island, but with the home team playing downhill it is their fans who get to cheer on some early attacks. But it’s too competitive in midfield to produce the usual free flowing football. Guernsey’s number 10, Allen, has their best effort with a shot just wide. For Spennymoor, centre forward Davison comes closest with a well hit volley over the bar that thumps resoundingly off the stand roof.

Nil-nil at half time and the news through from Dean Street is that Tunbridge have won through with a Spackman header late in extra time, so northeast pride rests with Spennymoor in the second half. The two goal lead remains, but as ever in such circumstances the next goal is everything – it either kills the game or changes the momentum.

The second half continues in cagey fashion and it’s a quarter of an hour before either goal is put under threat, when Allen has another flashing shot wide. With time ebbing away Guernsey make a change, bringing on an extra forward and going three at the back.

It’s a risk that has to be taken but it gives Spennymoor’s Cogden more room to operate in and he twice gets through on goal only to first shoot straight at keeper Tardiff and then take an air shot, his error compounded by teammate Stephenson who then side-foots wide from close range. Another chance goes begging as Davison heads over.

With 15 minutes left Spennymoor make changes, withdrawing Cogden and Walton, and five minutes later it is substitute Stephenson who finds space and is able to advance into the penalty area and coolly shoot past Tardiff for the killer goal.

Despite the hopeless situation Guernsey, to their credit, press on regardless, seeking a goal for their fans who remain defiantly vocal in defeat. This produces a lively finish with efforts at both ends but no more goals.

Super semi-final Saturday has produced two tense encounters, seven miles apart, that ended probably how most expected, with the first leg leads proving decisive. It is Spennymoor Town and Tunbridge Wells whose cup runs will end one way or another at Wembley in May.