FA Vase Fourth Round 18 January 2014

SPENNYMOOR TOWN V CAUSEWAY UNITED

The FA Vase, after a long lay-off, is back in town, Spennymoor Town to be precise, with the holders at home to Causeway United of the Midland Alliance, who got the draw nobody wanted.

The day is not bad for January, cold-ish but still, under a cloud cover that alternates light drizzle with heavier showers. The pitch is still green with traces of sand here and there but the surface will be soft and slick.

Spennymoor come out in their home kit of black and white and Causeway are in all blue with short white sleeves, which look odd over the blue under-armour worn by seven of the outfield players. Spennymoor show more northern grit with only right back Griffiths taking the soft sartorial option.

Causeway look to have won the toss and, having seen the slope of the pitch, decided to play up-hill in the first half. Spennymoor kick off but get to work slowly in a cagey opening ten minutes. Right wing Walton does get an opportunity for a speculative volley from well out as he spots Causeway keeper Turner off his line, but the effort goes just wide.

Spennymoor gain the upper hand and press Causeway back to their final third.  A Peacock miskick fortuitously puts centre forward Henderson one on one with Turner who stands firm to block well; when the ball comes back to Cogden he blazes it over the bar. Henderson’s next chance is a header from close range, but it is directed straight at Turner who takes it calmly.

When Causeway do push forward they open themselves up to the Spennymoor counter and twice Cogden uses his pace to outstrip defenders to a through ball. The first, and better chance, is foiled by Turner rushing from his line and closing down Cogden’s shooting angles; for the second the keeper forces the striker wide who then chooses the wrong option of an attempted chip when a pass to better placed teammates may have paid dividends.

Undeterred, Cogden then chases a lost cause to the corner flag, retrieves the ball, beats a man, charges along the dead ball line and shoots from the narrowest of angles; again Turner is equal to the task and concedes no worse than a corner.

Spennymoor’s approach play down the left with Capper, Graydon and Peacock is outstanding, particularly in the sticky conditions underfoot. Their dominance continues right up to the half time when, just as left back Capper makes a surge into the penalty area with a clear sight on goal, the referee rather unconventionally whistles, puncturing the crowd’s anticipation like a pooper at a party.

Causeway have done well to survive the first half onslaught, they have been on the ropes but Spennymoor can’t land the knock-out punch. The visitors may be expecting an easier second half going downhill, but my experience is that the home team use the uphill terrain to good effect to hold up those through balls for the speedy Cogden and Walton.

Second half reality dawns early for Causeway who are immediately clamped back in their own penalty area. Henderson and Turner compete for a high ball and the keeper comes off worse, spilling the ball for Henderson to gather and fire home, but the referee decides it’s a foul.

When Spennymoor get a decision the free kick is central and 35 yards out; full back Griffiths takes a lengthy run and rifles a shot past the wall towards the bottom corner of the goal, only to see the increasingly impressive Turner at full length tipping it past the foot of the post. The resultant corner is met by Henderson’s head but the ball flies just over the bar.

Spennymoor’s frustration is growing and the supporters are beginning to recognise one of those games where a team has all the play, can’t score, and then lets in a soft goal to lose. With 20 minutes to go the manager replaces the excellent Peacock with the more attacking Phillips who quickly gets his step-overs going down the left.

Causeway’s defenders and midfield have closed down and tackled well but are tiring and Henderson draws a foul to give Spennymoor another free kick, again central and this time maybe 30 yards out. Griffiths tees it up again as Turner tries to position his wall against raucous interference from the home fans behind his goal who are randomly calling ‘left’ and ‘right’ to confuse matters. Griffiths is a bluff this time and instead Graydon steps up to curl an exquisite strike into the top corner of the net. It has taken something special to beat the Causeway keeper, but will it be enough with 15 minutes to go or will it open the floodgates?

The visitors make a few substitutions to give more support their centre forward (and captain) Lloyd, who has looked good but outnumbered, and then place their hope in long kicks from the keeper. An immediate opportunity arises for Chilvock whose shot from the edge of the box is deflected but is still on target when Jeffries, called into action in the Spennymoor goal for the first time, goes full length to push it round the post.

Causeway’s attacking changes give Spennymoor more chances but Turner continues to shine with saves from Cogden, who if he drops the soap in the shower will probably find Turner catching it before it can hit the tiles.

Eventually Spennymoor settle for the one nil win and retreat repeatedly to the corner flag, a tactic that creates frustration in the visitors and results in Pearlman taking a wild hack at Walton and, amid a session of handbags, he is sent off in the dying seconds.

It’s a narrow but deserved win for Spennymoor who have played worse in other games and won by a handful, but that is cup football and they will be happy just to progress. Causeway have put up a good fight and though out, have given the holders a nervous afternoon.