FA Vase 2nd Round - Alnwick Town 4 St Helens Town 5
Sun 23rd November 2014 | FA Challenge Vase | By Ian Templeman
The long journey to Alnwick Town on Saturday ultimately proved successful for St. Helens Town, who won through to the Third Round of the FA Carlsberg Vase after a thrilling 5-4 extra-time victory.
The last time Town won by the same score in extra-time in the Vase was back in 1986, when they beat Colne Dynamoes in the Preliminary Round, the first step on their way to a famous Wembley success. An omen, perhaps?
With both sides having leaky defences this season, a goalfest was always on the cards and so it turned out, but St. Helens were never behind to their Ebac Northern League Division Two hosts.
The tie was ultimately settled by a scrambled Gaz Grant toe poke in the crowded Alnwick penalty area seven minutes before the end of extra-time, although they still had to look to Rory Crowther to pull off a miraculous save in the dying moments – one of several heroic efforts by the 17 year old St. Helens keeper – to deny Alnwick a Brocstedes Park replay.
Prolific forward Brad McClelland served early notice of the home side’s goal threat when he hit the bar after 8 minutes, but St. Helens took the lead four minutes later when Chad Whyte stole into the home box to poke home a poor defensive header.
Alnwick levelled just two minutes afterwards, McClelland striding through a gap between two defenders before finishing emphatically. Kris Bell latched on to a Whyte header on the half hour but his shot went just wide of the left post, however, the visitors did not have long to wait to regain the lead and it was that man Whyte again, who met a cross from Bell to put St. Helens 2-1 up on 35 minutes.
The visitors appeared well in control when Andy Gillespie deflected a Bell shot into the home net in the 39th minute, but they let Alnwick back into the contest right on half-time, McClelland rising high above the St. Helens defence to head home and the sides went in with the NWCFL outfit 3-2 up.
Five minutes into the second period, Whyte shot just wide of the left post, however Alnwick stepped up their game but found Crowther in great form between the visitors’ sticks, tipping shots from Keith Douglas, then McClelland, round the post.
He then pulled off another great save from a Jon Colley header, but could not prevent Tony Brown’s equaliser, after the midfielder intercepted a suicidal back pass after 63 minutes.
Four minutes later, Bell lashed home a powerful shot from the side of the penalty area to restore the visitors’ lead at 4-3, then the same player nearly broke the home crossbar with a terrific strike. Back roared Alnwick and St. Helens had Crowther to thank again for a full-stretch save from Keith Douglas, but the scores were level again at 4-4 when Brown latched on to a Crowther save and tapped home with five minutes remaining.
St. Helens might have won the game in the closing moments, when they were awarded a penalty, after home stopper Sean Straker hauled down Gillespie in the box.
Referee Shane Sugden reached for his red card to dismiss Straker, but following protests from the home defenders, the referee consulted his assistant – who had not flagged for offside – and upon asking him if the striker was offside, the linesman nodded, the penalty award was cancelled and the sides remained locked together at 4-4 as the 90 minutes expired.
Two tired sides set out on the extra 30 minutes but, as time wore on St. Helens appeared to take control of proceedings and it came as no surprise when they regained the lead, Gareth Grant making 5-4 with seven minutes remaining, but they still had man-of-the-match Crowther to thank to secure the win.
Glyn Jones
FA Vase 2nd Round - Alnwick Town 4 St Helens Town 5
Sun 23rd November 2014 | FA Challenge Vase
By Ian Templeman
The long journey to Alnwick Town on Saturday ultimately proved successful for St. Helens Town, who won through to the Third Round of the FA Carlsberg Vase after a thrilling 5-4 extra-time victory.
The last time Town won by the same score in extra-time in the Vase was back in 1986, when they beat Colne Dynamoes in the Preliminary Round, the first step on their way to a famous Wembley success. An omen, perhaps?
With both sides having leaky defences this season, a goalfest was always on the cards and so it turned out, but St. Helens were never behind to their Ebac Northern League Division Two hosts.
The tie was ultimately settled by a scrambled Gaz Grant toe poke in the crowded Alnwick penalty area seven minutes before the end of extra-time, although they still had to look to Rory Crowther to pull off a miraculous save in the dying moments – one of several heroic efforts by the 17 year old St. Helens keeper – to deny Alnwick a Brocstedes Park replay.
Prolific forward Brad McClelland served early notice of the home side’s goal threat when he hit the bar after 8 minutes, but St. Helens took the lead four minutes later when Chad Whyte stole into the home box to poke home a poor defensive header.
Alnwick levelled just two minutes afterwards, McClelland striding through a gap between two defenders before finishing emphatically. Kris Bell latched on to a Whyte header on the half hour but his shot went just wide of the left post, however, the visitors did not have long to wait to regain the lead and it was that man Whyte again, who met a cross from Bell to put St. Helens 2-1 up on 35 minutes.
The visitors appeared well in control when Andy Gillespie deflected a Bell shot into the home net in the 39th minute, but they let Alnwick back into the contest right on half-time, McClelland rising high above the St. Helens defence to head home and the sides went in with the NWCFL outfit 3-2 up.
Five minutes into the second period, Whyte shot just wide of the left post, however Alnwick stepped up their game but found Crowther in great form between the visitors’ sticks, tipping shots from Keith Douglas, then McClelland, round the post.
He then pulled off another great save from a Jon Colley header, but could not prevent Tony Brown’s equaliser, after the midfielder intercepted a suicidal back pass after 63 minutes.
Four minutes later, Bell lashed home a powerful shot from the side of the penalty area to restore the visitors’ lead at 4-3, then the same player nearly broke the home crossbar with a terrific strike. Back roared Alnwick and St. Helens had Crowther to thank again for a full-stretch save from Keith Douglas, but the scores were level again at 4-4 when Brown latched on to a Crowther save and tapped home with five minutes remaining.
St. Helens might have won the game in the closing moments, when they were awarded a penalty, after home stopper Sean Straker hauled down Gillespie in the box.
Referee Shane Sugden reached for his red card to dismiss Straker, but following protests from the home defenders, the referee consulted his assistant – who had not flagged for offside – and upon asking him if the striker was offside, the linesman nodded, the penalty award was cancelled and the sides remained locked together at 4-4 as the 90 minutes expired.
Two tired sides set out on the extra 30 minutes but, as time wore on St. Helens appeared to take control of proceedings and it came as no surprise when they regained the lead, Gareth Grant making 5-4 with seven minutes remaining, but they still had man-of-the-match Crowther to thank to secure the win.
Glyn Jones
