Hendon 2 Bath City 1
It was First Round Proper day in the Buildbase FA Trophy, the Final 64, and I was at Silver Jubilee Park in North West London as Bostick Premier Hendon hosted Vanarama South Bath City.
Hendon had seen off Slough Town over two games and a penalty shoot out, whilst Bath City also needed penalties to squeeze past Margate to reach this stage, and with Hendon and Margate 7th and 8th in the Bostick Premier, the 12th placed Vanarama South Roman’s knew another tough test awaited them.
And also Hendon, like Margate, played on 3G, so their were a lot of similarities heading into this one. And with the recent poor weather, it was probably a good thing!
The opening quarter saw both sides feeling each other out but the first opening didn’t arrive until the 18th minute, and it was the visitors who had it, as a lucky ricochet fell to them, but the resulting effort was rifled across goal.
Moments later the visitors sent a free header straight at the keeper, before Bath went close again as after they had asked for a penalty, a poor Hendon clearance found the visitors, who fired an effort just over the bar.
Eight minutes before the break Hendon had their first real opening as a ball across saw a deflected effort go just to far in front of a fellow teammate and he could only get his studs on it and see it drift harmlessly wide.
But with six minutes of the half remaining Hendon got their noses in front as a nod down from a set piece found centre half Arthur Lee in the six yard box who converted first time past the visitors backline on the goal line, and it meant the Bostick Premier side led at the half.
Half Time Hendon 1 Bath City 0
The players returned to the field with the rain now coming down, and whatever was said in the visitors dressing room at the break worked, as just two minutes into the second period Tom Smith ghosted in to finish from close range and bring the Romans level.
Bath had their tails up now and should of gone when the visitors pounced on a defensive error but saw the keeper make a comfortable save, before down the other end Hendon saw a deflected effort go into the keeper’s hands.
Just past the hour mark the visitors created a great opening as a great turn saw them in on goal but a poor finish meant an easy save for the hosts keeper, before in the 68th minute the hosts attacked and saw a cross shot deflected into the side netting. Some thought it had gone in, and the rain was now pouring down, it was a proper cup tie for sure.
The Romans passed up another decent opportunity when they saw a snap shot go straight at the keeper, before the hosts retook the lead in the 74th minute when substitute Keagan Cole converted a cut back with his first touch and gave Hendon around twenty minutes to hang onto the lead.
But moments later they should of lost that lead when the visitors fizzed two balls across the box, but somehow Hendon survived, and with ten minutes remaining the hosts broke but only a brilliant last ditch tackle thwarted them after cutting back onto right foot.
With three minutes left Hendon sent a dangerous ball into the visitors box which was just about cleared, before Bath attacked themselves in search of an equaliser to possibly force a Tuesday night replay at Twerton Park.
However in the first minute of stoppage time Hendon should of sealed it when another break from a Bath attack saw them bearing down on goal, but the visiting keeper denied them, meaning Bath had three minutes of stoppage to salvage something.
But Hendon held firm and saw off the Vanarama South outfit to make it through to the Last 32 of the competition.
Full Time Hendon 2 Bath City 1
Here are some photos of the day:-
So Hendon shock Vanarama South Bath City to reach the Last 32 of the Trophy, and they now travel to face high flying Vanarama National side Sutton United at Gander Green Lane on Saturday 13th January. Gonna be tough for the Bostick Premier side although depends what sort of team the hosts field, so we shall wait and see.
Here are the First Round Proper results in full
Saturday 16th December
Solihull Moors A - A Tranmere Rovers (Match Abandoned due to floodlight failure)
Kidderminster Harriers 2 York City 1
Chorley 1 Marine 3
Chester 2 AFC Fylde 2 (AET, Chester won 5-4 on penalties)
Wrexham 0 Harrogate Town 2
Leamington 0 Stourbridge 1
Lancaster City 1 Stockport County 3
Warrington Town 0 Altrincham 0
Nuneaton Town 0 Barrow 1
Workington 1 Hartlepool United 0
Haringey Borough 1 Leyton Orient 2
Dover Athletic 3 Eastbourne Borough 0
Wealdstone 1 Wingate & Finchley 0
Billericay Town 3 Havant & Waterlooville 1
Sutton United 1 Truro City 0
Woking 0 Maidenhead United 2
Whitehawk 1 St Albans City 2
East Thurrock United 4 Aldershot Town 0
Hendon 2 Bath City 1
Ebbsfleet United 2 Eastleigh 1
Torquay United 0 Maidstone United 4
Hartley Wintney 0 Bromley 2
Braintree Town 0 Brackley Town 0
Taunton Town 1 Bognor Regis Town 4
Hampton & Richmond Borough 1 Heybridge Swifts 1
Dartford 1 Boreham Wood 1
Sunday 17th December
Hereford 3 Dagenham & Redbridge 2
Monday 18th December
Solihull Moors 2 Tranmere Rovers 0
Tuesday 19th December
Blyth Spartans 1 AFC Telford United 0
Chesham United 0 Weston Super Mare 2
Replays
Altrincham 1 Warrington Town 2
Brackley Town 2 Braintree Town 0
Heybridge Swifts 3 Hampton & Richmond Borough 2
Boreham Wood 2 Dartford 2 (AET, Boreham Wood won 3-1 on penalties)
Wednesday 20th December
Gateshead 2 Guiseley 1 (AET)
Tuesday 9th January
FC Halifax Town 1 Macclesfield Town 0
Spennymoor Town 4 Gainsborough Trinity 4 (AET, Spennymoor Town won 5-3 on penalties)
Notable results see the holders York City crash out at Kidderminster Harriers whilst last years runners up Macclesfield Town are also out, losing to FC Halifax Town. This means there will be a different name on this years Trophy and two different teams competing at Wembley on Non League Finals Day too.
Here are the Second Round Proper fixtures taking place this weekend
Saturday 13th January
Ebbsfleet United VS Warrington Town
Kidderminster Harriers VS Stockport County
East Thurrock United VS Chester
Bognor Regis Town VS Leyton Orient (extra time & penalties agreed, no replay)
Brackley Town VS Barrow AFC
Weston Super Mare VS Workington AFC
Billericay Town VS Stourbridge
FC Halifax Town VS Maidenhead United
Maidstone United VS Heybridge Swifts
Dover Athletic VS Marine
Gateshead VS Boreham Wood
Wealdstone VS Hereford
Sutton United VS Hendon
Blyth Spartans AFC VS Bromley
Spennymoor Town VS Solihull Moors (extra time & penalties agreed, no replay)
St Albans City VS Harrogate Town
I'll be at Gander Green Lane for Sutton United vs Hendon, only my second visit to that ground and I am looking forward to it. I'll be back with a blog on the Last 32 once the round is completed sometime next week or week after.
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