FA Vase Heartbreak for Chalfont St Peter

Apr 7 2009 by Tim Edwards

Glossop North End 2 Chalfont St Peter 2 (after extra time, Glossop win 6-5 on penalties. 1-1 after 90 minutes)

CHALFONT St Peter were cruelly deprived an FA Vase final appearance at Wembley after losing 6-5 on penalties to plucky Glossop North End at Surrey Street today on Saturday.

Just when it looked as if Charlie Strutton's goal ten minutes into the first period of extra time looked to have been enough for Danny Edwards's side Kelvin Lugsden's 127^th minute equaliser forced a penalty shoot out.

Rick Bailey converted the crucial spot kick after Glossop goalkeeper Ash Gotham, who was a liability over the course of open play, had saved Lee Togwell's effort.

John Carroll, Edward Chemial and Adam Louth converted Chalfont's first three penalties while Mark Ralfe, John Young and Tom Bailey did the same for the hosts.

It was advantage Glossop when Lewis Cumber put his kick over the bar but the pressure clearly got to Jamie Kay, whose kick was saved well by Mark Oliver.

Carl Tasker and Jerome Okimo nailed there kicks while Nick Allen and Jay Gorton did the same before Gotham turned from villian to hero before Bailey sent the capacity crowd into raptures.

The game had ended 1-1 after 90 minutes with Terrell Lewis's 30^th minute effort cancelling out Rick Bailey's strike after just 90 seconds.

It was the worst possible start for Chalfont, playing in red shirts and socks and green shorts. They invited the pressure on to themselves and were caught at sixes and sevens as Dave Hodges threaded a lovely pass through to Bailey who coolly slid the ball past Mark Oliver to give the hosts the lead with just 90 seconds on the clock.

That sent the Surrey Street faithful delirious and they could have been in dreamland had Bailey shown more composure after springing the offside trap minutes later.

Chalfont, with the swirling wind behind them, won the first corner of the match after 15 minutes but failed to make anything of it as the Glossop defence mopped up with ease.

However, after a cagey period the Saints slowly gained a foothold in proceedings and Lee Togwell tried his luck from distance, only to see his speculative shot easily gathered by Gotham.

Their pressure finally paid off after half an hour. Awarded a free kick 20 yards out on the right of the pitch after referee Stephen Bratt spotted a handball, Chalfont skipper John Carroll whipped the ball into the danger area and, after Gotham had got into a flap with his defence, the ball fell kindly to Lewis at the back post for an easy finish.

Gotham was almost as pink as his shirt minutes later as Chalfont piled the pressure on the Glossop stopper, who had clearly suffered a dent in confidence after his part in their equaliser. Trying to shepherd a long ball out of play he was robbed at the byline by Barry Bosnan, but the ball just creeped out to spare Gotham's blushes.

The second half continued at the same breakneck speed as the first with both sides spurning good early chances, Stack's free kick on the edge of the box caused chaos before the hosts cleared their lines.

Carl Tasker then replaced the injured Bosnan for Saints before Bailey wasted a great chance to restore Glossop's lead, shooting tamely at Oliver after being afforded plenty of time and space.

Mark Ralfe replaced Marin Parker for the hosts after 74 minutes as the game became nip and tuck with neither side giving an inch.

On the rare occasion space was afforded Chalfont defender Gareth Paxton blazed over from a long Stack throw at the far side.

The hosts then used up the remainder of their substitutes with Tom Bailey and Nick Allen replacing Darren Harrison and Dave Morris respectively.

A few half chances in the air were created by both sides as the game petered out with the wind continually disrupting the flow.

Lewis carved out the first clear cut chance of the added 30 minutes, cutting inside from the left before driving low into the grateful arms of Gotham.

Alan Hedley then should have done better at the far post with several of his team-mates ready to pounce, but the midfielder nodded the ball into Gotham's hands.

The Glossop got away with another howler minutes later as more hesitancy between him and his defence saw Tasker rob him on the edge of the 18 yard box, yet the Saints substitute's nervous strike was headed off the line by Danny Yates.

However, Gotham's luck finally ran out ten minutes into the first period. Stack's hopeful drive from 35 yards was spilled by Glossop's error prone number one and Strutton bundled the ball in from two yards.

Paxton then cleared Rick Bailey's goal-bound shot off the line as Glossop flew out of the traps at the start of the second period.

They kept on plugging away and forced penalties with the final action of a pulsating clash when Lugsden headed in after a bout of pinball in a congested Saints box to prompt a mass pitch invasion.

The fans were at it again 15 minutes later after that dramatic penalty shoot out.

Chalfont St Peter: Oliver, Cumber, Okimo, Paxton, Carroll (cpt), Hedley, Lewis, Togwell, Strutton, Bosnan, Stack.

Referee: Stephen Bratt (Walsall)

Attendance: 1,683.