For the fifth FA Vase tie in succession The Hillmen were forced into the extra half hour, and yet again their fitness proved key as they out-lasted their visitors to progress into the semi-finals of the FA Vase. Chris Willcock’s team are just 180 minute from a Wembley final, with a home and away tie vs St Austell between them and the showpiece event. Not that that tie will be any easier than this one.
Glossop North End 3, Shaw Lane Aquaforce 1 . After Extra Time
FA Vase 6th Round Replay
Saturday 7th March 2015
Match Report – Jonathan Haggart
Photographer – Jim Lockwood
Tension and a strong wind hampered the two teams for much of the game. It was scrappy and direct for the most part, and the first half had very few chances. It wasn’t completely bereft though. Lee Blackshaw’s low drive from the corner of the box forced Shaw Lane keeper Ben Gathercole into a terrific low save at his near post whilst for the visitors Luke O’Brien appeared to have fashioned an opening only to miskick and Joe Thornton latched onto a short back-header and flashed a curled shot past the far post.
However the chance of the half fell to Chris Denham, who really ought to have secured the lead for North End when a good switched move from right to left put him in on the angle, at the corner of the 6 yard box. Unfortunately, with only the keeper to beat, Denham hit the side netting.
The second half started with a succession of GNE corners, Martin Parker getting his head to one and forcing another fine save from Gathercole, tipping it over the bar. However, Shaw Lane continued to threaten once that spell was broken, and Shane Kelsey should have done better than blasting over the bar from Thornton’s dangerous turn and cross.
Kelsey nearly made amends on 57 minutes when volleying a shot from the corner of the box that Greg Hall did well to get down low and push wide. This was part of a spell of Shaw Lane pressure, both sides having a few minutes in the ascendancy.
Aquaforce grabbed a scoreline advantage in the 77th minute. Andrew Fox picked up the ball on the edge of the area and passed left to Thornton, who had drifted away from his marker. Thornton controlled the ball and lashed it past Hall, silencing the noisy home crowd of 1010 for a moment.
GNE tried to hit back immediately, and from a corner Parker hit the post with a header, then in the scramble that followed Tom Bailey’s shot hit the other post!
Time was ticking away, but in the 87th minute North End drew level…and it was a beauty. Blackshaw received the ball on halfway, and delivered a first time ‘round the corner’ ball that set substitute Sam Hind away on the right. With the angle narrowing with every stride Hind unleashed an unstoppable drive past Gathercole to spark wild celebrations. Extra time.
In the extra period, Hind’s shot was saved by Gathercole’s legs and Bowler drove a shot over the top, whilst Dave Young’s timely interception broke up Chris White’s run towards goal. Then North End took the lead.
There were 102 minutes on the watch when a ball was lofted over the full back towards Jason Carey at the corner of the 6 yard box. There was only a moment’s hesitation from the defence, but that was all Carey needed as he chested the ball down and poked a shot past the keeper. 2-1.
Carey nearly added another when he took advantage of an injured Shaw Lane player near his own box by pushing forward into what otherwise might be an ‘offside’ position behind the back line. Bailey was in support and Carey seemed torn as to whether to pass or shoot, and in the end he kind of did both, his slow clip heading towards Bailey and the net. However, as Bailey caught the ball and looked to finish it off, Gathercole made another terrific save, diving in front of the Glossop forward.
No matter though, as from the short corner Carey, expected to hold the ball and run down the clock, found a gap in the coverage and took the ball past two men, into the box, and shot across the keeper into the far corner, making it 3-1.
Shaw Lane were devastated, and out on their feet. There was no way back from there, and The Hillmen ran down the clock to celebrate lustily on the final whistle. Their never-say-die attitude had won out again, and their reward is a trip to Cornwall and a dream of playing at the National Stadium getting closer to a reality.