Saturday 18th October, 2025 | AFC Welwyn 3-1 Buckhurst Hill | Isuzu FA Vase First Round Proper | Attendance : 86
By Harry Biggs
Buckhurst Hill FC were knocked out of the Isuzu FA Vase in the First Round Proper after a 3-1 defeat to high flying step 5 side AFC Welwyn, with The Stags going down to 10 ten after just 14 minutes but put up a real fight against a strong side at Hemel Hempstead’s Focus Community Arena.
Team news now and manager Mark Williams made three changes to the side that broke the Burroughs Park curse last time out with an away win against White Ensign. Archie Hammond dropped to the bench and was replaced by Jack Brocklebank in the midfield alongside Banfield and Captain Ollie Williams, who both kept their places from the trip to Ensign. Callum Maltese was unavailable for selection against AFC Welwyn, which was unfortunate after he scored a crucial goal against White Ensign, he was replaced by Carter Ford on the wing who returned to the side. The final change saw loanee, Ollie Fernandez make his first full start for the club after coming in for Ted Buchanan, who was named on the substitutes bench. The bench saw the return of the two names to the squad, Alfie Harris and Jack Ferris who returned from a short spell with May & Baker. Harris and Ferris sat alongside the mentioned Hammond, Buchanan and also Dimitri Nicolaou.
Onto the action now and it was The Stags who had the better start to the game with the hosts starting unexpectedly on the back foot. It took just three minutes for Buckhurst Hill to trouble Welwyn in front of goal after the inform Tyler Dolan had his shot blocked right in front of goal. In the same phase of play, The Stags earnt themselves a corner in which another chance was created with a shot from Ollie Williams flying just over the bar after Josh Banfield’s cross was cleared to the awaiting ‘captain fantastic’ on the edge of the box.
The hosts had their first chance of the game just before we reached the end of the first quarter after a one on one skied with only Stags keeper Christian North to beat.
The most crucial of the game came just a minute later when disaster struck for Buckhurst Hill. The ball was crossed to the edge of the box and AFC Welwyn’s striker scored Wilson was able to spin Preston Knight before the defender brought down the attacker on the edge of the penalty and the referee blew for a free kick in a dangerous position. That wasn’t the worst of the situation and after a few moments of thinking time, the referee reached into his back pocket to brandish a red card to Preston Knight and put Buckhurst Hill down to ten men. With the young defender distraught and the referee not changing his mind, The Stags would have to play the remainder of the game with ten men. Luckily the resulting free kick was sent into the wall and cleared away from danger.
The hosts were able to take advantage of The Stags being down to ten men and after just nine minutes after the red card, AFC Welwyn were into the lead after Kade Bagge put the ball past North and into the net to give the hosts an unexpected lead.
Despite being a man and a goal down now, The Stags weren’t done fighting and were still controlling the game over the favourites in the tie. Carter Ford was the next man to create a chance when he delivered a great cross into the box but there was unfortunately no one there to meet the brilliant pass. Liam Foster also had a wild effort put just wide of the post as we approached the break.
Buckhurst Hill had everyone in the ground in shock with one minute of normal time left to play in the first half when Harry Lusher should’ve put The Stags level. Dolan crossed the ball to the back post and found the run of Lusher, who hit the ball towards the far post in front of goal but somehow the hosts keeper Broome – Alexander was able to palm the effort to safety for a few seconds as he was falling and there was no one the to take on the rebound, so the ball was cleared to definite safety.
The hard work eventually paid off two minutes later when Tyler Dolan ran the length of the pitch to equalise the scoring. A corner from AFC Welwyn was headered to safety and with a heavy touch from Dolan, he was through on goal with Banfield to his left. Tyler decided to go alone though and after he entered the penalty area, he hit the ball low and hard, into the bottom corner and past the hosts keeper who would’ve had to have pulled off something special to stop that effort.
Onto the second half now and with the score level, it was The Stags again who came out the better of the two sides but would it last for long ?
AFC Welwyn picked up the first yellow card of the game inside the first ten minutes of the first half when half time substitute Asimeng was booked for a challenge on Lusher.
Tyler Dolan showed his threat in front of goal yet again but wasn’t able to pull off that crucial shot when he was intercepted of the ball just in front of goal.
Controversy struck again just before we reached the hour mark after Josh Banfield found himself racing through on goal with the ball on the wing and was taken out in front of the away dugout and looked to be in true discomfort after what looked to have been a poor challenge, although the referee decided not to award a free kick to the away benches shock horror and after a break in play, a yellow card was shown to someone in the dugout due to the reaction.
The hosts started to build on what had been a poor first half performance for them and Welwyn were nearly able to put themselves into the lead if it wasn’t for Josh Banfield after he denied the hosts of a certain goal when he ran the full length of the pitch to get back and intercept the ball just before Welwyn’s Coree Wilson was about to pull the trigger.
Welwyn did put themselves in front though just two minutes later when this time, Coree Wilson was able to put an effort away after he was able to head the ball unchallenged into the back of the net, into the top corner.
The Stags made their first substitution of the game after the goal when Carter Ford was taken off for Alfie Harris, who made his return after missing the last few games.
Again like the first half it was noted that The Stags still dominated the game despite being a man and a goal down but still they would go on searching for that equaliser.
Another substitution was made less than ten minutes after the last one with this time a midfield switch with Captain Ollie Williams replaced by Archie Hammond, before a minute later when player assistant manager Ted Buchanan came on for Liam Foster at the back.
Tyler Dolan had a shot from the box go inches wide of the post with fourteen minutes left of normal time to play with The Stags still pushing for an equaliser.
Another substitution was made with eight minutes to go as Buckhurst Hill looked for more fire power off of the bench. Harry Lusher was replaced by Jack Ferris, who returned to the side.
Christian North was called into action with four minutes left on the clock after he made a great save to deny the hosts a certain goal.
Unfortunately the hosts did finish the tie up in the nineteenth minute when Courtney Massay scored late on to secure the hosts a victory and a place in the next round.
For The Stags, it was defeat and exit from the Isuzu FA Vase but against a strong side with ten men, they put up a strong performance and a game to look back on as the season goes on which shows we can really compete against the top teams and push for the play offs !
TEAM :
North 🧤, Foster, Fernandez, Williams ©, Knight 🟥, Brown, Ford, Banfield, Lusher, Brocklebank, Dolan ⚽️
SUBS NOT USED :
Hammond (72’ – Williams), Harris (66’ – Ford), Nicolaou, Buchanan (74’ – Foster), Ferris (82’ – Lushed)
NEXT UP
Saturday 25th October, 2025 – Hackney Wick (A) – KO 3pm – Essex Senior League Premier