FA Vase round-up

FELIXSTOWE & Walton United surrendered a 3-0 half-time lead to lose 4-3 to Sleaford Town at Dellwood Avenue in the second qualifying round of the FA Vase on Saturday, while there were wins for Debenham LC, Diss Town, Leiston, Whitton United and Woodbridge Town.

FA VASE SECOND QUALIFYING ROUND

Felixstowe & Walton 3 Sleaford Town 4

FELIXSTOWE & Walton threw away a three-goal lead as they were dumped out of the FA Vase.

Keith Hetherington fired his side into a fourth-minute lead after being put clear by Edwards and he doubled his tally in the 29th minute after forcing his way past two defenders.

When Danny Phillips turned home Edwards' cross in the 37th minute the game looked over as a contest, but six minutes into the second half the game turned completely when Liam Scopes collected first a yellow and then a red for an off-the-ball incident to reduce the Seasiders to 10 men.

Sedlan headed in at the far post in the 56th minute to reduce the deficit and Stone headed home substitute Shaw's cross in the 69th minute.

The home side's tale of woe continued when Bell turned Jones downward header into his own net in the 69th minute to bring the sides level before Shaw and Jones combined for the latter to head home from close range to complete the dramatic turnaround.

Haverhill Rovers 2 Leiston 4

LEISTON came back from 2-0 down to seal their place in the next round of the FA Vase with four goals in the second half.

The hosts took the lead after 19 minutes, Mark Goldfinch only able to head the able into the roof of his own net following Adam Ben-Saud's header from Marc Abbott's corner.

Haverhill doubled their lead in the 52nd minute, substitute Paul Stokes touching the ball on and Richard Heller showing some good close control near two defenders before poking the ball past goalkeeper Gary Rose and into the bottom left corner.

Leiston's first goal came four minutes later, Lee McGlone outpacing the home defence before rounding keeper Arron Benstead and trickling the ball into the unguarded net.

The visitors' equaliser came after 65 minutes, Michael Brothers drilling a low shot from the left wing between Benstead and his near post.

Leiston took the lead for the first time after 70 minutes, McGlone heading in a cross from the right by Danny Stanley and goal number four arrived in the 88th minute after Brothers laid the ball back for Kelsey Trotter to put a hard shot past Benstead and into the net.

March Town United 1 Woodbridge Town 2

SUBSTITUTE Liam Hillyard's first senior goal gave Woodbridge a victory they barely deserved on the balance of play.

Ashley Brand missed two clear-cut openings inside the first 12 minutes of a disappointing first half, but redeemed himself when he broke clear to coolly finish past Marcus Garnham and put the Hares ahead in the 71st minute.

Talal Kamara struck the outside of a post four minutes later, but it was the visitors who then took the game by the scruff of the neck and created a flurry of chances in the closing stages.

Paul Hart, who had seen keeper Lee Brookes tip over the Woodpeckers best chance up to this point, pulled down a hanging left-wing cross from Paul Berry to bury the equaliser with nine minutes remaining.

With a replay on the cards Hillyard stretched to meet a Jamie Scales cross from the left and squeeze his shot beneath Brookes and just inside the far post in the 87th minute.

Debenham LC 2 Long Melford 1

DEBENHAM produced a display that will hardly have worried their up-and-coming FA Cup opponents AFC Wimbledon as they left it late to beat Long Melford.

The first half seemed destined to end goalless as a procession of over-hit passes and poor crosses made for poor viewing until Debenham struck just before the break.

Barnard's strength won the ball and Jopling played a ball quickly into the space behind the Melford back line for Gedny to race clear and finish with a precise shot off the inside of the post.

Buoyed by the goal Debenham started the second period with a greater freedom and both Jopling and Gedny had chances to settle the match.

However, at 1-0 the lead looked precarious and Melford's equaliser matched the untidiness of the game, G Pratt's clearance rebounding off French and beyond his own keeper Ellis.

French then redeemed himself however, climbing highest to head the winner past former Wigan Athletic keeper Floyd Croll as extra time approached.

The Hornets will now meet Leiston in the first round proper.

Eynesbury Rovers 1 Whitton United 4

WHITTON booked themselves into the first round of the FA Vase with an electrifying display against Eynesbury Rovers.

The home side looked shell-shocked as the Whitton players danced through their defence with ease and flair, Sam Banya opening the scoring after eight minutes and adding a second on 18 minutes.

Three minutes later captain Gavin Crane smashed home a volley to emphasise Whitton's dominance.

Banya was brought down for a penalty but Workman did well to keep Inglis's spot-kick out, before Rovers gained hope by converting their own penalty when Winston Ewers handled in their area and Collins converted it low into the corner.

Any chance of a comeback was killed off, however, when Kirk Kidd received a second yellow card for manhandling substitute Camillo Douglas to the ground.

Whitton completed the scoring when Darren Mills's shot flew into net after 84 minutes.

Diss Town 6 Fakenham Town 0

DISS eased through to the next round of the FA Vase with a comprehensive victory against Fakenham Town.

After a quiet opening Alan North put Diss ahead after 27 minutes, converting a pass from Josh Hull, before Mark Angel made it two from the spot in the 44th minute.

Ricky Cornish then added a third in first-half injury-time, side-footing home Angel's free-kick.

The second period followed a similar pattern. Hull got on the score sheet after 55 minutes after good play from North and then Angel drilled in his second of the afternoon following more incisive work from Hull after 72 minutes.

Stuart Jenkinson and Dale Vince both struck the woodwork for Diss before Angel completed his hat-trick two minutes from time with an emphatic volley.

Kirkley & Pakefield 0 St Ives 1

KIRKLEY and Pakefield slipped quietly out of the FA Vase in a stop-start game of aerial combat.

Chances at both ends were limited, the all-important goal coming after 57 minutes for St Ives when Liam Kennett snapped up a half chance from the edge of the box.

The hosts had three chances of their own but were thwarted by two reflex saves by the St Ives keeper Mackney, who denied youngsters Bodie Carter and new signing Chris Henderson respectively.

St Margaretsbury 1 Harwich & Parkeston 1 (aet)

HARWICH & Parkeston will have another shot at progressing in the FA Vase following an entertaining cup tie.

The coastal side have been in poor form of late and manager Robbie May made several changes to his starting line-up..

The game kicked off at a furious pace and after both sides had enjoyed chances, Harwich finally went ahead after 30 minutes when Calver smashing the ball into the net following a neat one-two with Townes.

St Margaretsbury put pressure on their opponents after the break and equalised when Steve Barker rose high above the Harwich defence to head home from a corner after 57 minutes.

From then on it was end-to-end football, but in the remaining minutes and ensuing extra time neither side could score again.

Leverstock Green 3 Halstead Town 0

TWO James Armstrong goals in the first 17 minutes saw Halstead dumped out of the FA Vase by a slick Leverstock Green of the Midland Spartan League.

The visitors fought back strongly but failed to break down the Pancake Lane outfit who wrapped it up with a third three minutes from time.

Leverstock went ahead after 11 minutes when the Halstead defence left Armstrong completely unmarked and he buried a firm header from Jowle's cross.

Six minutes later Armstrong was again on the spot to touch home a low corner with the aid of a deflection and leave Halstead with a mountain to climb.

With a two-goal lead Leverstock pushed the ball round confidently and Halstead were forced to chase the game.

For a spell the visitors looked as if they might mount a real challenge, but Leverstock comfortably dealt with all that came their way and eventually wrapped up the game through substitute Alan Arthur.