Buildbase FA Vase Fifth Round - Histon 1 Northwich Victoria 3 (after extra time)
Sat 2nd February 2019 | FA Challenge Vase | By Ian Templeman
Northwich Victoria's Wembley dream is still very much alive, after they came from behind to book a place in the quarter finals of the Buildbase FA Vase.
Vics needed extra time to seal their 3-1 win over Histon of the Eastern Counties League, with Daryll Mason scoring twice for the visitors before Jordan Darr wrapped up a memorable afternoon with a third goal seconds from time.
But it was a fine and ultimately well deserved victory that tested Vics battling qualities to the full, given that they were a goal down with 20 minutes remaining.
Manager Steve Wilkes was naturally full of praise for his players after the game.
"We defended fantastically well, and the reaction from the players at 1-0 down was immense", said Steve.
"We were confident before the game, we had watched them twice and knew what their strengths and weaknesses were.
"They were a bit like the old Wimbledon side, and we worked on that on Tuesday and Thursday in training.
"We knew they would be strong on corners and free kicks, with three central defenders at six foot two, six foot three and six foot five, and two lads up front at six foot four and six foot five.
"So you know what you are going to get, but if you put the preparation in, you get the reward and that's what we have done.
"I think when Histon scored, I think they thought they had won the game, but we knew we were fitter than them, and we knew the longer the game went on, they would tire.
"I knew we had a better bench than them, and you only need to look at the substitutions we made.
"Brian Matthews came on after 70 minutes, and ran his socks off, Dominic Craig went round the keeper twice and had shots blocked, and Jordan Darr came on, everyone knows how quick he is, and he took his goal brilliantly.
"I know they had a player sent off, but we were on the front foot by then, and I don't really think that made much difference to be honest.
"The game plan went brilliantly and we look forward to the draw on Monday now.
"It's a good feeling to be in the last eight and I just hope Irlam come and join us now, although I know they have got a tough game next Saturday.
"The bookies didn't give us a chance but it will be interesting to see where we are in the odds now.
"Whoever we get in the quarter finals, we know it's going to be very tough, but I think that no one will want to pick Northwich Victoria out of the hat.
"To go Newcastle Benfield and win 3-2, then to come to Histon - who have only lost twice all season - and win 3-1, these are great performances and great results.
"The fans were brilliant too, they came down in their numbers and made a three hour journey, and I'm sure they had a great journey back too".
Over the course of the game, there could be little doubt that Vics were worthy winners, although they only really began to take control after drawing level midway through the second half.
The first half was an even and keenly contested affair, with both sides largely cancelling one another out and few clear cut chances were created.
At the midway point in the half, Histon's first real effort on goal was a Danny Gould downward header, which Vics’ goalkeeper Danny Taberner gathered comfortably.
Three minutes later, the man who would later turn the game in Vics' favour, Darryl Mason, came close after gathering the ball on the left, cutting inside and then curling a shot just wide.
The half ended with neither side able to claim much in the way of an advantage, but the opening minutes after the break saw the two best chances of the game up to that point, both falling to Histon.
First, Matt Green came close with a well struck dipping shot from distance that beat the Vics keeper Danny Taberner and crept just went wide of the far post.
Then Dan Brown fluffed his lines when he burst through on goal but shot straight at Taberner, but on 64 minutes Brown did break the deadlock for Histon with a terrific finish.
The move began when a loose ball from a Vics throw in was punted forward from the half way line, and Brown was quick to react, stealing a yard on the Vics back line.
As he raced clear, the striker allowed the ball to bounce once before clipping a delightful lobbed shot over the head of Danny Taberner in the Vics goal from 30 yards.
The lead, however, lasted only seven minutes before the Vics revival began, with Histon caught napping after a short corner was played into the box and Daryll Mason's close range header levelled for Vics and sent the travelling support into raptures.
No further scoring in the regulation 90 minutes meant a further 30 minutes of extra time, but it didn't take long before the tie began to turn in Vics' favour.
Within minutes of the restart, Histon managed to scramble a shot off the line after keeper Roach was left stranded out of position, but moments later Daryll Mason grabbed his second of the afternoon, with a neat finish from a low driven cross from the right.
It was a devastating blow at a crucial point in the game and it soon got worse for Histon when they were reduced to ten men, with Matt Green being shown a straight red card for a challenge on Jack Fleming.
In the closing moments of the first period of extra time, Vics twice came close to increasing their lead, with a shot being blocked on the line before Mason hit the post with a well struck effort that beat the keeper and rebounded clear.
Towards the second period of extra time, there were chances at both ends, with Dominic Craig going close for Vics when he rounded the keeper and had a shot blocked on the line.
But Vics secured the win in the final minute, when substitute Jordan Darr collected a pass in space, outpaced the nearest defender and shot through Histon keeper Sam Roach's legs to clinch victory with a third goal.
The picture below shows some of the Vics supporters who travelled in good numbers to back their team.
Buildbase FA Vase Fifth Round - Histon 1 Northwich Victoria 3 (after extra time)
Sat 2nd February 2019 | FA Challenge Vase
By Ian Templeman
Northwich Victoria's Wembley dream is still very much alive, after they came from behind to book a place in the quarter finals of the Buildbase FA Vase.
Vics needed extra time to seal their 3-1 win over Histon of the Eastern Counties League, with Daryll Mason scoring twice for the visitors before Jordan Darr wrapped up a memorable afternoon with a third goal seconds from time.
But it was a fine and ultimately well deserved victory that tested Vics battling qualities to the full, given that they were a goal down with 20 minutes remaining.
Manager Steve Wilkes was naturally full of praise for his players after the game.
"We defended fantastically well, and the reaction from the players at 1-0 down was immense", said Steve.
"We were confident before the game, we had watched them twice and knew what their strengths and weaknesses were.
"They were a bit like the old Wimbledon side, and we worked on that on Tuesday and Thursday in training.
"We knew they would be strong on corners and free kicks, with three central defenders at six foot two, six foot three and six foot five, and two lads up front at six foot four and six foot five.
"So you know what you are going to get, but if you put the preparation in, you get the reward and that's what we have done.
"I think when Histon scored, I think they thought they had won the game, but we knew we were fitter than them, and we knew the longer the game went on, they would tire.
"I knew we had a better bench than them, and you only need to look at the substitutions we made.
"Brian Matthews came on after 70 minutes, and ran his socks off, Dominic Craig went round the keeper twice and had shots blocked, and Jordan Darr came on, everyone knows how quick he is, and he took his goal brilliantly.
"I know they had a player sent off, but we were on the front foot by then, and I don't really think that made much difference to be honest.
"The game plan went brilliantly and we look forward to the draw on Monday now.
"It's a good feeling to be in the last eight and I just hope Irlam come and join us now, although I know they have got a tough game next Saturday.
"The bookies didn't give us a chance but it will be interesting to see where we are in the odds now.
"Whoever we get in the quarter finals, we know it's going to be very tough, but I think that no one will want to pick Northwich Victoria out of the hat.
"To go Newcastle Benfield and win 3-2, then to come to Histon - who have only lost twice all season - and win 3-1, these are great performances and great results.
"The fans were brilliant too, they came down in their numbers and made a three hour journey, and I'm sure they had a great journey back too".
Over the course of the game, there could be little doubt that Vics were worthy winners, although they only really began to take control after drawing level midway through the second half.
The first half was an even and keenly contested affair, with both sides largely cancelling one another out and few clear cut chances were created.
At the midway point in the half, Histon's first real effort on goal was a Danny Gould downward header, which Vics’ goalkeeper Danny Taberner gathered comfortably.
Three minutes later, the man who would later turn the game in Vics' favour, Darryl Mason, came close after gathering the ball on the left, cutting inside and then curling a shot just wide.
The half ended with neither side able to claim much in the way of an advantage, but the opening minutes after the break saw the two best chances of the game up to that point, both falling to Histon.
First, Matt Green came close with a well struck dipping shot from distance that beat the Vics keeper Danny Taberner and crept just went wide of the far post.
Then Dan Brown fluffed his lines when he burst through on goal but shot straight at Taberner, but on 64 minutes Brown did break the deadlock for Histon with a terrific finish.
The move began when a loose ball from a Vics throw in was punted forward from the half way line, and Brown was quick to react, stealing a yard on the Vics back line.
As he raced clear, the striker allowed the ball to bounce once before clipping a delightful lobbed shot over the head of Danny Taberner in the Vics goal from 30 yards.
The lead, however, lasted only seven minutes before the Vics revival began, with Histon caught napping after a short corner was played into the box and Daryll Mason's close range header levelled for Vics and sent the travelling support into raptures.
No further scoring in the regulation 90 minutes meant a further 30 minutes of extra time, but it didn't take long before the tie began to turn in Vics' favour.
Within minutes of the restart, Histon managed to scramble a shot off the line after keeper Roach was left stranded out of position, but moments later Daryll Mason grabbed his second of the afternoon, with a neat finish from a low driven cross from the right.
It was a devastating blow at a crucial point in the game and it soon got worse for Histon when they were reduced to ten men, with Matt Green being shown a straight red card for a challenge on Jack Fleming.
In the closing moments of the first period of extra time, Vics twice came close to increasing their lead, with a shot being blocked on the line before Mason hit the post with a well struck effort that beat the keeper and rebounded clear.
Towards the second period of extra time, there were chances at both ends, with Dominic Craig going close for Vics when he rounded the keeper and had a shot blocked on the line.
But Vics secured the win in the final minute, when substitute Jordan Darr collected a pass in space, outpaced the nearest defender and shot through Histon keeper Sam Roach's legs to clinch victory with a third goal.
The picture below shows some of the Vics supporters who travelled in good numbers to back their team.
