One of the highlights of the early season for me is the first qualifying round weekend of the FA Vase, a wonderful competition that gives step 4 and 5 clubs the dream of ending their season with a Wembley appearance.
I was looking forward to my first visit to Kintbury and even a nightmare journey with trains cancelled, bus replacements, late running services and a tight squeeze journeying with hundreds of people heading to Newbury races couldn’t deter me. Not the best way to start the day!
Once I made it to Kintbury it was like arriving at a quiet haven of calm. A quick walk along the Kennet and Avon Canal in the sunshine cooled the morning’s frustrations before heading off to the Recreation Ground where I received a warm welcome. Entry was £7 (£4 for concessions), there was a printed programme for £2 and, for all the groundhoppers out there, they also have badges available.
The people behind the club have been working hard during the summer which included installation of a new small stand on the side of the pitch and a new covered standing area behind the goal at the clubhouse end. The clubhouse itself houses a nice bar with a good range of drinks available, two lovely friendly ladies behind the bar and something I love to see at clubs, two walls covered with team pictures from the clubs history.
I had a nice cooling pint of cider before heading outside to their kitchen which was cooking burgers and hot dogs on the outdoor grill. As you know I do like to try a burger or two at the football and a quarter pound cheeseburger with onions and chips were just £5 which was great value! Heading back towards the clubhouse I spotted their teams board on the wall which had the best and clearest writing I think I’ve ever seen at a game!
Today’s game was what was described to me by one of the Rangers officials, their biggest game in 25 years. Kintbury, a step six side from Division One of the Wessex League, had been drawn against Mangotsfield United, currently sitting at step five and playing in the Hellenic League Premier Division. The home side were trying to reach the second qualifying round of the FA Vase for the first time since the 1999/2000 season (their last win in a first qualifying tie coming in the 1996/97 season when they beat Portsmouth Royal Navy).
This would also be the first time in 20 years that I would have seen Mangotsfield, the last time being the 2004/5 season in the Southern League Division One West at Bracknell Town, the season Mangotsfield went on to win the title.
So, I took my place in the stand next to a FA official’s assessor as the players came out. The game started quickly with Rangers keen to make an early impression. They forced an early save from Ellis Parker in the Mangotsfield goal from an Archie Goode snapshot, and soon after a corner from Harry Way found the head of Josh Lucket but his header was too high.
The visitors came back, a Jack Mills throw on the left found Mohammed Djalo who twisted and turned to get space for a shot which was deflected and Max Holman in the home goal safely gathered. Next, on a quick break down the left, Harlee Vozza played a lovely diagonal ball across the box which Holman sliding out did well to get a foot to in front of the onrushing James Horrocks.
Fifteen minutes in, a nice passing move across the pitch from the home side ended with a lofted pass finding Goode in space inside the area. Mills, caught on the wrong side of the attacker, pushed him over from behind in the box with the official James Biddlecombe pointing to the spot. Mills was given his marching orders for denying a clear goalscoring chance and then proceeded to take the longest walk off the pitch I think I’ve ever seen. He showered and changed in less time than it took him to get off the pitch! All the time Goode was waiting to take the spot kick and when he did it was a weak effort too close to Parker who had guessed correctly and he made an easy save to his left.
Kintbury continued to push forward and a great Isaiah Williams run from one end to another where he found Sam Walsh, he flicked it wide to Goode who was again bundled over, this time on the edge of the area. Way tried a curler over the wall but Parker was well positioned to tip the ball over.
Mangotsfield regrouped after being reduced to ten men and were still looking dangerous on the break through the pace of Vozza, Djalo and Jemmett-Hutson and on 40 minutes they took the lead. A free kick on the halfway line taken by Parker was fired into the home penalty area. It was headed on towards goal and at the far post Jemmett-Hutson reacted quickest to head the ball in from close range. 0-1
The last five minutes plus added time in the half swung from end to end but without any clear chances being made so the ten men took a one goal lead into the half time break.
H-T: Kintbury Rangers 0 Mangotsfield United 1
The home side signalled their intentions at the start of the second half forcing three early corners, each defended well by the away side. Mangotsfield then made a chance of their own, another quick break with Vozza running into the box and shooting low to Holman’s left which the keeper did well to block with his feet.
The next fifteen minutes followed a similar pattern, Rangers throwing more men forward and the visitors being forced further back but with the home side struggling to find space to get a shot away against a packed defence. Rangers tried playing a longer pass to try to get behind the United defence but too many times it took a bounce on the hard pitch and ran away from the forward.
From a Way corner the home side thought they’d made the breakthrough. The set piece fell to Daniel Lachachz on the edge of the box and his shot took a deflection sending it goalwards. Parker was already diving the other way but managed to adjust quickly enough to get a hand on the ball to send it past the post.
A long clearance from defence set Djalo free at the other end, he outmuscled the defender and lifted it over Holman and into the net only for the goal to be ruled out by a flag from the assistant for offside.
Back came the home side and from another good delivery from a Way corner, Lucket met the ball well and sent his header goalwards only for Parker to again parry the ball out with a follow up effort going over the bar.
The frustration was growing for the home side and nothing showed that more than Way firing the ball into the stand as it ran away from him on the left side for which he received a yellow card (the assessor marked it down even if it doesn’t show on FWP!).
Still the waves of Rangers attacks kept coming with the visitors dropping deeper all the time. Way picked up a loose ball 30 yards out travelled to the edge of the area before trying a curler but full back Bogdan Mara managed to get a slight deflection on it and Parker was able to save comfortably. Moments later Goode had a half chance in the box which Parker managed to save with his feet.
Next Jamie Wallin was played in from a quick break but once more Parker was equal to his effort. Kintbury kept knocking on the door in the dying moments of the game but a fantastic ‘backs to the wall’ effort from the Mangotsfield defence, especially the two centre backs Stuart Tovey and Archie Morris, kept the home side at bay.
F-T: Kintbury Rangers 0 Mangotsfield 1 Att: 110
The home side threw everything at their opponents and were unfortunate not to get something out of the game but it was a superb effort from Mangotsfield to defend for 75 minutes with ten men on a very warm day. Congratulations to them on an excellent team effort and good luck in the next round at Eversley & California and for the rest of the season.
I thoroughly enjoyed my day out at Kintbury, the people there are amazing, the facilities are excellent and their hospitality is second to none. Needless to say, I will be making a return visit this season and hoping not to have any rail travel issues when I do! Thanks to everyone who took the time to have a chat about the club and the hopefully upward direction the club is heading towards. All the very best for the rest of the season and I look forward to seeing you soon.
Footnote: The journey home was just as painful as the journey there…