24th August 2024 | The Isuzu FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round | Attendance: 55
Buckhurst Hill FC 3-1 Cockfosters
By Harry Biggs.
The Stags are through to the 2nd Qualifying Round of the Isuzu FA Vase after a 3-1 victory over Spartan Midlands side Cockfosters and it was indeed a very eventful game in the rain.
Mark chose a different side which faced Sawbridgeworth last time out with Toby Smith back between the sticks, Suley Zuhdu was also available to make the bench with Chandler Wray coming into the side to replace Tyreece Robertson who was on the bench. Youcef Tacine was selected to start after only coming off the bench to face Sawbridgeworth and Williams was back in the side for the second game in a row and captained the side to face Cockfosters.
Onto the action now and The Stags started well and after keeping possession for the first few minutes the ball was given away and the first cross was delivered by the visitors which was low and was claimed my Smith in goal for The Stags.
The visitors Cockfosters then went to build on their last chance as they dribbled through the Buckhurst Hill defence only then to go down and claim for a penalty which was waved away by the referee, who would play a vital role in the FA Vase contest.
A minute later The Stags was earned a corner which was brilliantly swung in by Tacine who’s cross was met twice but both effort were saved by the Cockfosters keeper. Tacine then went on to create another brilliant chance for The Stags with a low cross which was delivered just in front of George Thompson who failed to meet the delivery which ended in a goal kick for the visitors.
We then move to the 28th minute when there’s a bit of a tussle between Archie Hammond and two of the opposition players off the ball. The referee is keeping up with the game and is not able to see the incident but is called over by his linesman at the next stoppage, who explains the incident and gives the referee no choice but to send off Jay Lovell for the visitors for stamping on Hammond so the visitors are now down to ten. Also due to his reaction the visitors’ assistant manager is sent off so Cockfosters had to finish the game with 10 men and without one of their coaching staff.
Just before the break the visitors grabbed the first goal of the game as Ethan Rookard took The Stags defence on from the right side and shot from a tight angle to catch Smith out in The Stags net to make it 0-1 to Cockfosters in this cup tie.
The last chance of the half fell to Shaq Foyewa for The Stags as he took on the Cockfosters defence and his shot hit the side netting.
The second half now and The Stags started really well as Thompson’s effort was just wide of the post which troubled the visitors keeper. Mark made his first change of the afternoon just before the hour mark as Chandler Wray was replaced by Suley Zuhdu who made his second appearance of the season.
His first introduction was a free kick which hit the Cockfosters wall and was cleared away. Mark then went onto make two more changes as Hammond & Okuguni were replaced by Robertson & Pullen, who made his first appearance for The Stags.
Right after the changes Zuhdu’s effort went whiskers wide as Buckhurst Hill were creeping closer to an equaliser. Suley then finally got his moment when the referee pointed to the spot after a Stags free kick was delivered into the box and a clumsy push from the visitors gave the opportunity to Zuhdu to make an introduction. The penalty was brilliantly taken by Zuhdu sending the Cockfosters keeper the wrong way to grab Buckhurst Hill an equaliser on the 69th minute mark.
The Stags now controlled the game for the last 20 minutes with Cockfosters looking tired and looked to be definitely lacking their 11th man. With nine minutes to go The Stags were still looking for a winner and it nearly game when an in-swinging corner came in to the back post only to be headerd just wide by The Stags skipper Ollie Williams.
Two minutes later and the goal finally came as Zuhdu’s shot struck the visitors woodwork but the rebound was finished by Thompson who grabbed his second of the season. The visitors nearly grabbed a late equaliser and Smith pulled over a brilliant save to prevent Cockfosters getting back into this tie.
Buckhurst Hill then went on to look for a third as Zuhdu went past the visitors defence with ease only for his shot to be saved by the Cockfosters’ keeper. Then with the game slowly coming to an end Zuhdu rapped it up for The Stags as his shot was cooly placed into the bottom corner to confirm The Stags a spot in the 2nd qualifying round.
TEAM :
Smith (GK), Foyewa, Carolan, Okuguni, Ogunsanya, Frempong, Tacine, Williams (C), Thompson, Hammond, Wray
SUBS :
Robertson (65’ – Hammond), Pullen (64’ – Okuguni), Zuhdu (57’ – Wray), Willison, Jones.
Next Up For The Stags :
Saturday 31st August – ESL – Benfleet (A)
Next FA Vase Fixture
Saturday 21st September – 2nd Qualifying Round – Newbury Forest (H)
