Biggleswade United 0 v 1 Yaxley

Saturday 21th October 2017
FA Vase 1st Round
Second Meadow, Biggleswade
Admission including Programme: £6.00
Attendance: 83
Match Rating: 2

I had planned to travel to south Wales today, to take in a game in the Welsh League. However, with Storm Brian threatening to strike South Wales during the day with heavy rain and gale force winds around 50mph forecast, I did not fancy risking a day reliant on a coach journey via the Severn Bridge and then local train services. With the weather forecast to be better to the north of London, at least in terms of rainfall, I chose to head into Bedfordshire to take in this game in the FA Vase.

The Second Meadow is about a 15 minute walk northwards from Biggleswade train station, via the town centre, and is accessed via a path alongside the clubhouse, and then a metal turnstile block behind one goal. In all honesty, there is not much in the way of character nor aesthetic beauty at this ground, but it is functional and neat and tidy. Along one length there is quite a long grey stand, offering three rows of seating as well as some standing area. On the opposite side, there is quite an attractive small brick stand covering mainly terrace steps for standing on, but also with some steeper steps more designed for sitting on. There is just hard standing around the rest of the ground, with grey metal fencing enclosing the ground throughout. A very good programme was included with admission, 24 pages with a glossy and attractive cover in colour, plenty of interesting articles to read about the club, the visitors and recent match reports, as well as the important stats and facts.

This promised to be a close encounter between two very evenly matched teams. Both were in ninth place in their respective parallel leagues, Biggleswade United in the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division, and Yaxley in the United Counties League Premier Division. Biggleswade United had won five and drawn one of their league games, and before a 3-0 defeat at Harpenden Town in midweek, they had won nine of their last eleven league and cup games since late August, with the two defeat on penalties. To reach this stage of the FA Vase, they have beaten Downham Town 2-0 and Thrapston Town by the same score. Yaxley, who were embarking on their FA Vase adventure today, have won seven and drawn three of their 13 league games.

On a dry but blustery afternoon, the visitors were gifted the lead, and what would prove to be the winner, on 11 minutes. On a counter attack, Dan Cotton ran from the half way line before eventually firing a tame low shot which was heading comfortably into the hands of the goalkeeper, only for home defender Matt Cooper to stick his foot out and the ball rolled into the empty net. Biggleswade had a good chance to equalise on 22 minutes, when a ball through the defence allowed a one-on-one chance for Charlie Black, but after having all the time in the world, his shot was parried by the keeper. They had a couple of penalty appeals just before the break, but after a half when both teams showed some attacking intent but lacked a cutting edge, the visitors held a slender lead.

The second half was a disappointing affair, which Biggleswade mostly dominated in terms of possession, but desperately lacked quality in the final third. They did have a few chances, but it just felt like it would be one of their days when they just wouldn't score. And so it proved, as Yaxley held on relatively comfortably to seal their progress to the next round.

Video highlights of this match can be viewed by clicking here.