FA VASE

Second Qualifying Round

Saturday 22nd September 2007

Stansted 1 v Daventry United 2

Daventry United: Roger Leeson, Jamie Moss, Alan Haynes, Duncan Harris (Ben Collins), Lee Roberts, Wayne Richardson, Richard Pannell (Michael Parkes), Rob Steele, Jamie Jollands, Tommy Waldock (Richard Price), Tony Burt.

After last weeks defeat at the hands of local rivals Daventry Town, United blasted back to form with a very hard earned draw against previous FA Vase winners Stansted. Not the most comfortable of journeys as the coach carrying the squad was held up for more than an hour on the M11 and they finally arrived at Stansted fifty minutes before kick off.

Not that arriving late affected the team as they started the match like a bullet from a gun! Within seven minutes Wayne Richardson marked his return to the starting line with a pinpoint cross for Tommy Waldock to head the visitors in front. United continued to pile on the pressure and for the first twenty minutes Roger Leeson never touched the ball.

Tommy Waldock was too much of a handful for the home defence as he twisted them inside and out, and in the 27th minute his hard work paid the dividends it deserved when he rounded the full back and pulled the ball back for Tony Burt to smash the ball home. Unfortunately for United, this was to be Waldock's last say in the match as he limped out of the game, Richard Price came on for his competitive 1st team debut for Waldock.

United lost their way a little after that but stood firm as Man of the Match Jamie Moss controlled the back line from right back and made a couple of crucial tackles to deny Stansted. Roger Leeson made an excellent save just before the half to deny Stansted, and United went in at half time 2-0.

Stansted came out for the second half with all guns blazing, but still could not break down the United rearguard, Roger Leeson denied them a goal from a long range effort diving low and to his right to turn the ball round the post.

Then disaster as Alan Haynes and Leeson found themselves falling over each over and gifted Stansted a goal to reduce the deficit, United then lost the services of Centre Back Duncan Harris when he was struck full on the side of his head and was struggling to hear anything. Ben Collins replaced Harris and had an immediate effect when combining with Leeson to deny Stansted an equaliser with a goal line clearance.

Stansted had no answer for United's all out protection of their slender lead and United hung in till the end. This was a much improved performance on the week before and hopefully they will continue this sort of form into the rest of the season.

MOM - Jamie Moss