FA Vase defeat for Badgers

Saturday 18th October

 

Isuzu FA Vase Round 1

 

Brocton 1 Aylestone Park 2

 

A rotated Brocton side hosted fellow step 5 outfit Aylestone Park in the first-round proper of the FA Vase. The home team suffered a 1-0 defeat to Wednesfield in the JW Hunt Cup in midweek, whilst the Leicester based team lost 4-3 to Newport Pagnell in their last fixture. However, they still sit second in the United Counties Premier South.

 

The game started in end-to-end fashion with both teams having chances within the first five minutes. Jude King headed narrowly wide after two minutes for Brocton, and Aylestone Park tested the home keeper, Jack Sandel, early, with both of their wingers cutting inside and seeing their shots saved well. It was Brocton who broke the deadlock first, as the captain, Connor Haddaway, jinked cleverly past the Aylestone midfield before carefully placing his shot off the post and into the bottom left corner. However, it only took two minutes for the away side to reply. Rodrigo Goncalves managed to beat Cooper Marsh and get to the byline. He cut the ball back into the six-yard box, where Tayo Tucker was on hand to find the equaliser. Both teams began to approach the game with more caution, and the game became more condensed in the middle rather than the basketball match that the first ten minutes resembled. Neither team looked likely to score, however Aylestone managed to take the lead, as Brocton failed to clear a corner, which enabled Louis Samuels to slam the ball home on the half volley. The frustration for Brocton showed, and it came to a head when Tom Vaughan saw yellow for dissent, resulting in a ten-minute sin bin for the Brocton defender.

 

Half-Time: Brocton 1 Aylestone Park 2

 

Brocton began the second half as the brighter of the teams but failed to create any clear-cut opportunities. Marsh and Morgan Payne both saw half chances just miss the target for Brocton; however, this was as close as the hosts came. The game ebbed and flowed, with both teams going forward but neither testing the other team’s number one, and increasing frustration at the referee all round. Tempers flared in the 80th minute, as an off the ball incident between Charlie King and Nigel Julien resulted in a heated confrontation, with players and coaching staff from both teams getting involved. With Julien in the process of being substituted when the incident began, the visiting coaching staff attempted to smuggle their midfielder to the changing room. It was to no avail, as the referee brandished a straight red to Julien and a yellow card to Charlie King. It came as a major surprise when no further cards were brandished, definitely lucky for some! In the fourth minute of time added on, Corey Armeni hit a shot from the half way line which just cleared Sandel’s bar. Brocton had one more chance to send the game to penalties when twelve minutes into stoppage time, Jude King’s cross was plucked off the foot of Reg Smith by Liam Castle.

 

Full-Time: Brocton 1 Aylestone Park 2 Attendance:139

 

Brocton: Jack Sandel, Cooper Marsh (Levi Reid 90+1), Josh Simcox (Jake Danan 90+1), Kenny Devoir, Tom Vaughan, Charlie King, Ben Haddaway (Christian Blanchette 60), Jake Thomas, Morgan Payne (Reg Smith 60), Connor Haddaway, Jude King. Subs (Not Used) Jake Triggs

 

Aylestone Park: Liam Castle, Charley Kilburn, Matt Dawson, Sam Preston, Justin Peace, Jake Wormleighton, Corey Armeni, Nigel Julien, Tayo Tucker (Joe Ball 63), Louis Samuels, Rodrigo Goncalves (Evan Kane 90+1). Subs (Not Used) Cole Turner, Najeem Oriola, Lee Barratt

 

Yellow Cards: Simcox, Devoir, C King (Brocton); Kilburn, Samuels, Kane (Aylestone Park)

 

Sin Bin: Vaughan (Brocton)

 

Red Card: Julien (Aylestone Park)

Report by Matthew Bottomley