FA Vase 1st Round
Mayesbrook Park, Becontree
Admission: £5.00
Programme: Online
Attendance: TBC
So, tonight was the last evening before "lockdown 2", and in my desire to get in as much as football before the at least month-long drought, there was no doubt I was going to take in my fifth game in five days tonight. I originally planned to visit Welling Town, but after that was postponed due to Covid, my attention turned to this game in the FA Vase. Originally scheduled for last Saturday at Newbury Forest's usual home ground at Redbridge's Oakside Stadium, that fixture was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch, as was the rearranged fixture on Tuesday, and in the desire to get the game played before Lockdown, it was switched again to this evening, with the apparent certainty that the plastic pitch at Mayesbrook Park, home of Isthmian League outfit Barking, would provide. There would still be some uncertainty as to exactly when the game would kick-off, due to a prior booking of the pitch for a training session, but eventually an 8pm kick-off was confirmed for this game.
Mayesbrook Park is quite easily accessed by car, via the A13 and then following the straight Lodge Road northbounds to the ground. Although there is a car park between the road and the ground, a Covid testing unit is currently in place there. Entrance to the ground is gained behind one end, with the turnstile located at the start of a covered walkway, with astroturf to walk on, and the small clubhouse to one side, with the changing rooms inside portakabins to the other, behind a mesh fence. Behind this end, there are three steps of mostly uncovered terracing, with a section behind the goal covered by a spacious stand. Along one length, a stand stretches for about two thirds of the distance from one corner flag, half of which has individual plastic seats inside, the other half covering flat standing area. The remainder of the ground is just hard standing, behind one goal there is recently installed smart grey coloured fencing, whilst the remaining length is spacious and lined with trees. The 14 page programme was available for download online, and it is decent enough, with a welcome message from the captain, club history, some brain teasers, questions and answers with a player, fixtures and results list, league table, squad stats, and a squad list for the home side.
This game, very much a local derby, with May & Baker's spiritual home being in Dagenham although they currently play their home fixtures at Aveley's home ground Parkside, would be between two clubs plying their trade in the Eastern Senior League. Newbury Forest have had a very decent start to their season, winning five and drawing one of their seven league games so far, and were only three points behind the top two, and with games on hand on all clubs above them. May & Baker were bottom of the table, but that may be something of a false position, with their season disrupted due to Covid related postponements. They have only played four games so far, winning one and drawing one, and have at least three games in hand on all teams above them. To reach this stage of the FA Vase, Newbury Forest had beaten Frenford 2-4 away and then Burnham Ramblers on penalties at home after a 2-2 draw. while May & Baker won 1-3 at Redbridge, and then Little Oakley on penalties at home after a 2-2 draw.
On another clear, moonlit evening, this was a very entertaining game to watch, particularly the first half, and in a fast start, the visitors had an early shot blocked for a corner, but after that, Newbury Forest looked very dangerous, doing plenty of attacking and getting in a few shots on goal, but were unable to find the opening goal. On 24 minutes, May & Baker had a decent chance, with the ball being played to the outer corner of the penalty area, with the forward just beating the keeper to the ball, and the ball was struck goalwards, but was cleared by a defender. But within a minute, the visitors were awarded a penalty for a trip, and Carl Patten struck the ball into the bottom left of the goal, sending the keeper the wrong way. The game continued with a good intensity, and on 43 minutes, May & Baker doubled their lead, after an initial shot was blocked, Patten curled a terrific shot from outside the area beyond the keeper's dive.
So, a decent lead for the visitors at the break, but the tie looked far from over with Newbury Forest always looking lively going forward. But in truth, the hosts struggled to create much during the second half and May & Baker looked pretty comfortable with their lead, and looked even more so on 81 minutes when they were awarded another penalty, again for a trip in the box, and again Patten stepped up, this time shooting into the top right to seal his hat-trick, and May & Baker's progress to the next round. But they added some extra gloss to the scoreline with their fourth on 84 minutes, the ball was played to the left of goal for Eddie Cooper to run onto, drawing the keeper out by the byline, but Cooper showed excellent composure and footwork to take the ball to a better position before rifling the ball inside the near post. It was a rather harsh final scoreline on Newbury Forest, but May & Baker deserved to progress to the next round, where they will visit Norwich CBS, of the Eastern Counties League Division One North in the next round, on a date to be confirmed.
And so, this would be my final action for at least four weeks, thanks to the rather half-hearted "Lockdown 2", but at least my last action was entertaining, indeed as have all of the games I have watched during the last five days have been. In these depressing times, it is a shame on so many levels that non-league football, a source of such enjoyment and fulfilment for so many, must once again be paused. But I, like many others I am sure, just look forward to making up for lost time as soon as I am able to!
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