A week later than planned, but Tadley Calleva got their FA Vase First Round tie completed and moved into the Second Round with a comprehensive victory over Ivybridge Town at Barlows Park.
Your correspondent was a tad late to the proceedings – missing kick-off but it made an interesting visual on the start of the game which was dominated by the Devon side to the point you wondered if Calleva were in for a hiding.
It turned out the visitors had scored after just three minutes but Tadley were very much on the ropes.
Post-match on Saturday I posted out on Twitter: ‘Tadley to Wembley? Maybe..’
A touch flippant in the afterglow of a rousing win. But Joe Lawler’s men showed resilience, togetherness and no little flair from the boot of Alex Miller who scored twice before the break to send Calleva in 2-1 – all things required on the well-trodden route to the home of football.
Tadley had seen several chances go begging in the first half including a wild moment where three shots on target were brilliantly blocked by a stretched defence, but Miller had left-back Curtis Legrice on toast – it was a matter of time in the second half before the game was put to bed.
That Ivybridge stayed in it until the 88th minute when Sheldon Wright made it 3-1 is credit to the visitors who made this an enthralling encounter – and had they capitalised on early dominance could easily have been out of sight in the opening 20 minutes.
In the FA Trophy First Round, Louis McGrory and Jacob Bancroft had put Hungerford Town 2-1 up at home to Yate Town but late goals from the visitors ended the Crusaders campaign at Bulpit Lane. Slough Town are due to enter the draw at the Second Round stage which is due to be announced on Monday lunchtime.
2024/25 FA Vase Second Round draw for Berkshire
The FA Vase Second Round draw was made on the afternoon of Monday 21st October with three Berkshire sides in the hat.
Both Hilltop and Tadley’s opponents Bridgwater United are in the draw for the first time this season after reaching the Fourth Round in 2023/24.
- Burnham vs Cobham
- Tadley Calleva vs Bridgwater United
- Windsor & Eton vs Hilltop
FA Vase Second Round ties are due to be played on the weekend of Saturday 9th November 2024.
