PREVIEW: The Buildbase FA Vase 4th Round Proper
Fri 10th January 2020 | Match Previews | By Craig Kendall
Just two NWCFL sides remain in the 2019-20 Buildbase FA Vase and are just four wins away from a place at Wembley Stadium.
Lee Ashcroft's Longridge Town face Midland Football League side Newark Flowserve in their sixth game in the competition already. Having started with a 5-2 win over Newcastle University back in August, they have swept aside AFC Blackpool, Crook Town, Thornaby and fellow NWCFL Congleton Town in the last round after a replay.
Ashcroft is looking forward to the challenge, "It is another massive game this Saturday. Me, Key (Assistant) and the players are looking forward to the challenge against a team we have never played against.
"We have had some really big games at home over the last couple of seasons and I must admit in my eyes this is the biggest by far. Each team left in [the competition] will know there is an unbelievable prize at the end: to be able to play at Wembley. It's what dreams are made of.
"We have done brilliantly to reach this stage and let's hope we can put a performance in on Saturday that makes all our fans and the town proud."
Their opponents have had the same amount of games and have faced some tough opposition on their route to the fourth round, their furthest ever run in just their second year in the competition.
Newark joint manager Craig Roche is excited ahead of the tie but first reflected of their season so far and their promotion prospects, "I wouldn’t say we were overly confident at all, in any shape or form. We take every game as it comes and every game in our league – and I’m sure it’s the same for Longridge – is a battle.
"There’s no give; it’s a very tough division. We’re sitting in a decent place as it stands but it’s one of those leagues where you lose a couple and you drop towards halfway; you win a couple and you stay in there. It’s relentless, week in week out, in the League, picking up as many points as we can.
"It is very competitive. You see shock results every week. There were shocks at the start but it’s normal now. Everyone’s capable of beating anyone. We played Lye Town this Saturday gone, who are struggling down near the bottom and we just scraped through against them. The same against Gresley.
"There’s never much in it against anybody so we’ll certainly not go into it in a confident mood. We’ll know it will be a very tough game and we don’t know a lot about Longridge. Looking at the league table, they’re probably in a similar sort of position to what we are in their League, with a few games in hand and doing well at the top. It’s probably a typical Cup game where we’re both capable of beating each other and it’s whoever turns up on the day, I think.
"We’ve exceeded our expectations in the competition already. Saturday is a game we’d love to win and we’ll go to try and win, of course. It’s a day out now. There’s nothing lost if we’re not successful on the day. We’ll go out to enjoy the day and give it our best shot.
"I think most of the club and the town support us… and the players as well! They probably wouldn’t admit it to me but I’d say the Vase is very important to them. I and Steve Kirkham, as joint managers, the League is our bread and butter so, I’d take three League points over progression in the Vase but it’s a dream competition, isn’t it, with a prize at the end of it, with a chance to get to Wembley.
"We’ve got a game tonight [which they won 3-2] and we’ve gone and it’s always been there on the back burner since the tie’s been made. We’ve not focused on it at all until we get this League game out of the way tonight. We can then turn our attentions to it and give it everything we’ve got on Saturday."
Whilst 63 miles South, Vauxhall Motors will take on Northern League side Hebburn Town, and having faced a side from the Step 5 league in the previous three rounds, manager Mick McGraa will have some idea of what to expect. Vauxhall have a mixed history in the competition, having only reached the second round once since 2014-15, but twenty years ago, they reached the Semi-Final, eventually losing out to Chippenham Town 1-0 after a two-legged affair.
"We as a club are really excited about our 4th round tie against Hebburn" explained McGraa. "Getting through to this stage shows how far we have come as a club in a short space of time only joining Step 6 18 months ago.
"We have had them [Hebburn] watched and they are a top team who are really strong going forward they have scored a lot of goals but they have conceded a lot aswell we have a plan on how to compete and cause them problems it will be a great contest, I expect goals.
"We have rode our luck in the Vase this year and we have just done enough to get through the early rounds. We have gained momentum after each win and beat some really good sides mainly from up North and the fans have came out in force to support us."
And on their league campaign," We have had a really good year in our league. From January to January we have only lost three and drawn three and our aim this season was to get promoted and we're on course for that the league is really tough this year with a lot of teams fighting for top four.
"I'm a really proud manager to manage a top club like Vauxhall's. I have a really good backroom staff who prepare the players to perform at a good level."
Having just missed out on promotion to the Northern Premier League last season, Hebburn has started their season brightly and sit second in the standings. Having started this year's FA Vase run in the Second Round Proper with a win Sunderland Ryhope, then an impressive 5-1 win away at NWCFL side Lower Breck, Kevin Bolam's side will be full of confidence heading into the game.
Bolam's outfit are fourth favourites to win the Vase but their no pressure on him or his side, "There’s no pressure from inside the club or from our supporters. We’re just hoping to enjoy a good cup run."
The Northern League has a special history with the Vase and has had many winners over the last decade or so, and Bolam is hopeful to emulate, "That would be nice. I think there are still four of us left in the competition but we’ve all got difficult ties. When you get to this stage in the competition, every single tie is going to be difficult. Vauxhall Motors has already taken care of a very good Second Division side and two very well-established First Division sides so we realise how tough it’s going to be.
"I am expecting a very tough game! That’s all I can say because they’ve already taken care of Benfield and Ryhope, who are two well-established First Division sides up here in the Northern League. We expect nothing other than a very tough game.
"It would be something we’d like to try and emulate [last season's run to the Fifth Round] but we realise that when you get to the last thirty-two –the last sixteen for the winner of this one – no matter whom you get, you’ve got a very difficult task.
"Unfortunately, we’ve been drawn away again. We’re on our travels so we’re going to be sitting on a bus for the best part of four hours. It’s going to be a tough day but it’s one we’re looking forward to."
Good luck to both of our sides on Saturday.
PREVIEW: The Buildbase FA Vase 4th Round Proper
Fri 10th January 2020 | Match Previews
By Craig Kendall
Just two NWCFL sides remain in the 2019-20 Buildbase FA Vase and are just four wins away from a place at Wembley Stadium.
Lee Ashcroft's Longridge Town face Midland Football League side Newark Flowserve in their sixth game in the competition already. Having started with a 5-2 win over Newcastle University back in August, they have swept aside AFC Blackpool, Crook Town, Thornaby and fellow NWCFL Congleton Town in the last round after a replay.
Ashcroft is looking forward to the challenge, "It is another massive game this Saturday. Me, Key (Assistant) and the players are looking forward to the challenge against a team we have never played against.
"We have had some really big games at home over the last couple of seasons and I must admit in my eyes this is the biggest by far. Each team left in [the competition] will know there is an unbelievable prize at the end: to be able to play at Wembley. It's what dreams are made of.
"We have done brilliantly to reach this stage and let's hope we can put a performance in on Saturday that makes all our fans and the town proud."
Their opponents have had the same amount of games and have faced some tough opposition on their route to the fourth round, their furthest ever run in just their second year in the competition.
Newark joint manager Craig Roche is excited ahead of the tie but first reflected of their season so far and their promotion prospects, "I wouldn’t say we were overly confident at all, in any shape or form. We take every game as it comes and every game in our league – and I’m sure it’s the same for Longridge – is a battle.
"There’s no give; it’s a very tough division. We’re sitting in a decent place as it stands but it’s one of those leagues where you lose a couple and you drop towards halfway; you win a couple and you stay in there. It’s relentless, week in week out, in the League, picking up as many points as we can.
"It is very competitive. You see shock results every week. There were shocks at the start but it’s normal now. Everyone’s capable of beating anyone. We played Lye Town this Saturday gone, who are struggling down near the bottom and we just scraped through against them. The same against Gresley.
"There’s never much in it against anybody so we’ll certainly not go into it in a confident mood. We’ll know it will be a very tough game and we don’t know a lot about Longridge. Looking at the league table, they’re probably in a similar sort of position to what we are in their League, with a few games in hand and doing well at the top. It’s probably a typical Cup game where we’re both capable of beating each other and it’s whoever turns up on the day, I think.
"We’ve exceeded our expectations in the competition already. Saturday is a game we’d love to win and we’ll go to try and win, of course. It’s a day out now. There’s nothing lost if we’re not successful on the day. We’ll go out to enjoy the day and give it our best shot.
"I think most of the club and the town support us… and the players as well! They probably wouldn’t admit it to me but I’d say the Vase is very important to them. I and Steve Kirkham, as joint managers, the League is our bread and butter so, I’d take three League points over progression in the Vase but it’s a dream competition, isn’t it, with a prize at the end of it, with a chance to get to Wembley.
"We’ve got a game tonight [which they won 3-2] and we’ve gone and it’s always been there on the back burner since the tie’s been made. We’ve not focused on it at all until we get this League game out of the way tonight. We can then turn our attentions to it and give it everything we’ve got on Saturday."
Whilst 63 miles South, Vauxhall Motors will take on Northern League side Hebburn Town, and having faced a side from the Step 5 league in the previous three rounds, manager Mick McGraa will have some idea of what to expect. Vauxhall have a mixed history in the competition, having only reached the second round once since 2014-15, but twenty years ago, they reached the Semi-Final, eventually losing out to Chippenham Town 1-0 after a two-legged affair.
"We as a club are really excited about our 4th round tie against Hebburn" explained McGraa. "Getting through to this stage shows how far we have come as a club in a short space of time only joining Step 6 18 months ago.
"We have had them [Hebburn] watched and they are a top team who are really strong going forward they have scored a lot of goals but they have conceded a lot aswell we have a plan on how to compete and cause them problems it will be a great contest, I expect goals.
"We have rode our luck in the Vase this year and we have just done enough to get through the early rounds. We have gained momentum after each win and beat some really good sides mainly from up North and the fans have came out in force to support us."
And on their league campaign," We have had a really good year in our league. From January to January we have only lost three and drawn three and our aim this season was to get promoted and we're on course for that the league is really tough this year with a lot of teams fighting for top four.
"I'm a really proud manager to manage a top club like Vauxhall's. I have a really good backroom staff who prepare the players to perform at a good level."
Having just missed out on promotion to the Northern Premier League last season, Hebburn has started their season brightly and sit second in the standings. Having started this year's FA Vase run in the Second Round Proper with a win Sunderland Ryhope, then an impressive 5-1 win away at NWCFL side Lower Breck, Kevin Bolam's side will be full of confidence heading into the game.
Bolam's outfit are fourth favourites to win the Vase but their no pressure on him or his side, "There’s no pressure from inside the club or from our supporters. We’re just hoping to enjoy a good cup run."
The Northern League has a special history with the Vase and has had many winners over the last decade or so, and Bolam is hopeful to emulate, "That would be nice. I think there are still four of us left in the competition but we’ve all got difficult ties. When you get to this stage in the competition, every single tie is going to be difficult. Vauxhall Motors has already taken care of a very good Second Division side and two very well-established First Division sides so we realise how tough it’s going to be.
"I am expecting a very tough game! That’s all I can say because they’ve already taken care of Benfield and Ryhope, who are two well-established First Division sides up here in the Northern League. We expect nothing other than a very tough game.
"It would be something we’d like to try and emulate [last season's run to the Fifth Round] but we realise that when you get to the last thirty-two –the last sixteen for the winner of this one – no matter whom you get, you’ve got a very difficult task.
"Unfortunately, we’ve been drawn away again. We’re on our travels so we’re going to be sitting on a bus for the best part of four hours. It’s going to be a tough day but it’s one we’re looking forward to."
Good luck to both of our sides on Saturday.
