2013-14 UCL REVIEW

FA VASE REVIEW: FENMEN REACH LAST EIGHT

League newcomers Wisbech Town were the competition’s best performers in the FA Vase, reaching the quarter finals before making their exit to eventual winners Sholing. AFC Rushden & Diamonds also had a good campaign on the national stage reaching the last 32 of the competition.

Nineteen of our clubs appeared in the draw for the First Qualifying Round, but Sileby progressed without kicking a ball as scheduled hosts AFC Biggleswade folded before the season started.

The draw threw up just two all-UCL ties and both ended in away victories. Peterborough Northern Star repeated their earlier FA Cup triumph at Yaxley as Nick Davey and Billy Smith gave them a 2-1 success, while Northampton Spencer ran out emphatic 4-0 winners at Rushden & Higham with a Paul Pickering brace and singles from Matt Long and Luke Stone. Harrowby were the only other Division One winners as a double strike from Martin Wormall took them through 2-1 at step 4 Cambridge Regional College. Lutterworth Athletic, Potton and Rothwell Corinthians all made their exits at the first hurdle. A Liam Nimmo hat trick allied to strikes from Nick Jackson, Lori Borbely and Jordan Nuttell saw Boston Town notch up the biggest win amongst our clubs as Downham were brushed aside 6-0 at Tattershall Road, while Newport Pagnell were also among the goals in a 5-1 success at Langford, Lee Jones scoring two with a goal apiece from Dan Silver, Danny Nicholls and Lukasz Filipiak.

There were single goal away successes for Desborough who progressed at Radford with a last minute Ben Williams decider and Wellingborough who saw off hosts Harefield with Chris Davies on the scoresheet.

Stewarts & Lloyds and Harborough both needed extra time to progress against East Midlands Counties League opponents. At Occupation Road the Foundrymen outgunned Bardon Hill 4-3 with Connor Kennedy, two goal Richard Moore and Kevin Byrne on the mark, while a hat trick from Cameron Starsmore saw the Bees go through 5-3 against Holbrook, Jack Burrows and Taras Petranyuk also on target in a memorable comeback.

Extra time proved less successful though for Cogenhoe and Long Buckby who bowed out in the additional half hour, while AFC Kempston also made a first hurdle departure from the competition.

AFC Rushden & Diamonds needed a replay to progress against AFC Dunstable, winning 3-1 at the second attempt despite going down to ten men. Russ Dunkley scored twice and Alfie Taylor once in the Dog & Duck victory. Second Qualifying Round action saw 21 clubs on the Wembley trail, six of them in direct opposition in inter- divisional encounters. Status prevailed at Stewarts & Lloyds where a single goal from Richard Moore saw off Thrapston and at Lincoln Road where Blackstones bowed out to Ollie Maltby and Luke Wilson goals for Boston Town. Harrowby claimed another higher grade scalp though, winning 3-1 at Peterborough Northern Star with Martin Wormall, Sam Kirton and Sam Hill sharing the goals. Oadby and Eynesbury also flew the Division One flag with distinction. The Poachers overwhelmed higher level Dunkirk 5-0 with two goals from Livo Dube and one apiece from Jon Stevenson, Courtney Meade and Joe French, while Rovers progressed 3-2 against Fakenham with Lee Bassett, Nick Henebery and Ben Wilks on the scoresheet. Division One casualties were plentiful though with exits for Buckingham, Bugbrooke, Irchester, and Whitworth on the road and Northampton Spencer on home soil. Premier clubs making their departures from the competition were Deeping and Sleaford who failed to make home advantage count against Swaffham and Thetford respectively, and Newport Pagnell and Wellingborough who bowed out at Hillingdon and Haringey respectively.

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