Isuzu FA Vase - First Round
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19/10/24 - Wombwell Town vs Handsworth
A historic day for Wombwell Town as the faced higher opposition in Handsworth in the FA Vase First Round. To have reached this stage in their first appearance in the competition had already raised morale around the club after years of hard work, but the performance against the NCEL Premier Division club maybe stunned a few people. The Wellers started brightly with Jordan Kershaw breaking through within thirty seconds of the start, only to be denied by Handsworth keeper Dylan Parkin. A clean strike by Josh Nodder on ten minutes added to the early chances, with Parkin gathering the ball low at his right hand post. Struggling to get to grips with the game, Handsworth's Jonathan Williams picked up the first booking of the game on 23 minutes. It was in the perfect area for Owen Sykes to pick his spot and aim his free-kick into the bottom right corner of Parkin's goal, giving the keeper no chance. Home side now in front, it was time to press for a second goal and Nodder came close twice in quick succession with his initial effort blocked back to him and the follow-up hitting the wrong side of the side netting. Moments later though and Kershaw made his way with the ball across the penalty area to find space to unleash a low drive across goal to beat Parkin and double the Wellers lead. Handsworth upped the tempo in the final ten minutes of the half and a super save by Charlie Preston from a Mitchell Dunne effort was reminiscent of Gordan Banks against Pele all those years ago. Preston was beaten to give Handsworth hope a minute into added time as Scott Ruthven was given too much time and space to turn with the ball in the area and strike low past the keeper. WTFC 2, HFC 1. Three minutes into the second half and Preston made another big save as Dunne was put through into the area. Going away from goal the keeper dived at the forward's feet to steal the ball away and stop any chance of an effort at goal. Handsworth's pressure paid off just before the hour mark as a cross from Alfie Dodsworth on the right was poked home by Ollie Fearon in the centre of the goal, just yards in front of Preston. Another save from Preston on 63 minutes denied Sam Fewkes just moments after Dodsworth came close to giving the visitors the lead for the first time. The Wellers gradually came back into the game though and on 69 minutes a long throw by Sykes was directed towards goal by Rikki Paylor straight at Parkin, who then needed the defending Fearon to clear. With a quarter of an hour remaining Connor Hodgson won the ball in midfield and played in Nodder, whose long range drive was deflected just wide of the target. A frantic end to the game then ensued with both teams desperate to find the winning moment. What looked like a certain foul on Gav Allott at one end resulted in a leg save by Preston at the other from Dunne before Tom Cropper was also denied. With ten minutes remaining Nick Guest, gaining match fitness with the Wellers on a dual signing from Retford United, entered the game and played his part. With eight minutes remaining a shot from outside the area by substitute Eddie Agnew was deflected into the post, and with the Assistant Referee waving furiously, Allott got away from Handsworth captain Oscar Radford to shoot over. A discussion between the Assistant and Referee concluded in a penalty to Wombwell Town due to persistent holding of the Wellers forward. A furious Fearon then raced to complain to the officials and was sin binned for ten minutes. Dust settled, Guest stepped up three minutes later to coolly place the ball to the keeper's left and despite diving the correct way the ball found the back of the net. With a lead to protect and equaliser to find the game became more frantic for the final five minutes plus nine of added time and five minutes into the added time Handsworth thought they had made it 3-3. Ruthven put the ball in the net once more, but the offside flag was raised to deny him a second of the game. Two minutes later, Agnew was forced to take one for the team after losing possession. His foul to stop any potential attack at the half way line resulted in a second yellow. A minute later Handsworth were denied a penalty after desperate claims, but a corner saw keeper Parkin racing up the pitch, hoping to be a hero. Luckily for the home side a header over the bar by Fearon was the last action and the Wellers progress to the next round. Wombwell Town - 3 Owen Sykes 23 Jordan Kershaw 27 Nick Guest 85 Handsworth - 2 Scott Ruthven 45+1 Ollie Fearon 59 Attendance: 166.
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