FA Vase 2nd Round

WEST AUCKLAND TOWN v SHAW LANE AQUAFORCE – 22 November 2014

As last season’s runners-up West Auckland have been exempt so far, so this second round tie marks their entry to the competition, to face Shaw Lane Aquaforce, from Barnsley, who as a rapidly rising club in the Northern Counties East League should not be taken lightly.

There is fog elsewhere in the Tees Valley, but here, over the hill, it is bright and sunny, and colourful with the visitors in tie-dyed blue and pink shirts. Underfoot it looks a bit sticky after recent rain.

From the start West Auckland get onto the front foot and threaten a couple of times without getting anything on target. Shaw Lane struggle to get out of their half for the first ten minutes.

Then the visitors are awarded a free kick about forty yards from goal, and while an altercation erupts between Anton Foster of Aquaforce and Brian Close of West (during which the latter gets a slap in the face from the former), Shane Kelsey takes the kick and lofts it over keeper Lowson, who is on his way out of goal to add his two-penn’orth to the developing ruckus in midfield. One bounce and the ball is in the unguarded net and silence descends as spectators, players and officials try to work out what has happened. The referee, getting a shrug of the shoulders from his assistant, awards the goal.

Debate continues in the centre circle, delaying the restart with West doubly aggrieved, finding themselves a goal down instead of a player up, as Foster evades any punishment for his assault. Their frustration shows in their play that descends to ineffective scrappiness for the rest of the half, with both teams more concerned with disrespecting the referee and assistants than playing the game.

After the break West seem a little calmer and more concentrated on retrieving the match, but Aquaforce have the lead and their back four are winning every challenge, in the air and on the ground, to the extent that their keeper is totally untroubled.

Lowson on the other hand has to make a good one handed tip over the bar, as Shaw Lane begin to look more likely to add to their lead than surrender it.

As, in desperation, West throw men forward they lack cover at the back and on ninety minutes a Shaw Lane break sees Kelsey race through and score to settle the tie. Three minutes later the trick is repeated, this time Joe Thornton is given free rein to run on goal and slot in a third and final nail in the West Auckland coffin.

The home team having got to Wembley last season have failed to get out of West Auckland this year, such is football. Although their complaints over the first, and decisive, goal had some validity, they failed to get a single shot on target in the whole game.

Shaw Lane Aquaforce showed they are indeed a force to be reckoned with – an impressive back four, competitive midfield and forwards who can hit the target – and it is them who progress to round three with a valuable scalp.

ELSEWHERE

With three other teams having home advantage hopes were high of progress, but Bishop Auckland also lost by three goals, 1-4 to 1874 Northwich; however Shildon (2-0 v Runcorn Town) and Marske United (4-1 v Barton Town Old Boys) did go through. Guisborough Town’s visit to Dunston UTS ended in defeat by the odd goal in three.

FA Vase state of play: 2 through, 11 out.