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LONG EATON UNITED 2-2 HANWORTH VILLA (5-3 ON PENALTIES)
BY ROB MCNEIL

Long Eaton United are through to the Quarter-Finals of the Buildbase FA Vase for the first time in the clubs’ history after a vital penalty shootout win against Hanworth Villa at Rectory Meadow on Saturday

James Shaw tucked away the first penalty for the Blues, whereas Sam Merson saw his penalty saved by the outstretched glove of Sam Wilson. Next, Jamie Walker, James Taylor and Danny Gordon scored, with the Villains finding the back of the net with their next three also. Brad Wilson then netted the Blues’ fifth and final penalty to deny the Villains a spot in the quarter-finals.

Ian Deakin made three changes to the starting 11 that beat Westfields on penalties last weekend. Sam Wilson replaced a slightly-ill Jake Askew, Jordan Wheatley replaced the suspended Tom Marshall and James Gale was handed his first competitive start as Shaw was dropped to the bench.

The visitors piled on the pressure in the opening 10 minutes – Merson thumped a strike from close range, after a succession of failed attempted clearances, which forced Sam Wilson into an early save. However, it was the Blues that opened the scoring in the 12th minute. Campbell was brought down inside the box after some exceptional footwork, and it was the dangerous forward that stepped up to take the penalty. Campbell struck the penalty and saw it saved by Terry Buss, but the forward was quick to chase down the rebound and strike over the diving keeper. The Villains inevitably equalised minutes later, after Brandon Barzey bombed down the right, drove a cross into the box and forced Romaine Graham into an unfortunate own goal. Hanworth found themselves back in front, with only 10 minutes left to play in the first half. Barzey looked dangerous once again as he drove forward, beat his man, rounded the committed Sam Wilson and struck comfortably down the centre of the goal. Long Eaton soon found themselves level, when Jamie Walker’s whipped cross forced Buss into an unconventional stop, but the rebound was once again tucked away by Campbell. The Villains hoped to be ahead 10 minutes into the second half, as Merson was awarded a penalty for a questionable foul inside the box. The forward stepped up to take the penalty but saw it saved incredibly by Sam Wilson. Soon after, Graham almost redeemed himself with a goal of his own, when a Keiran Walker long throw was controlled by Campbell and played to the captain to strike, however it was palmed over the bar by Buss. Long Eaton were dealt a heavy blow in the 85th minute, when goalscorer Campbell received a second booking for a reaction to a foul whilst the Blues were on the attack. Hanworth piled on the pressure in the final few minutes, with the man advantage, but they could not find a winner, and after 95 minutes of football, the match would once again be decided by a penalty shootout.

Shaw netted the first penalty, and Sam Wilson saved the Villains’ first, which meant he had now denied Merson from the penalty spot twice in the game. Jamie Walker, Taylor and Gordon slotted the next three Long Eaton penalties away, with the hosts matching and netting their next three. Brad Wilson stepped up to take the pivotal penalty and slotted the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal, which earned the Blues a place in the Buildbase FA Vase Quarter-Finals.Deakin has now faced three penalty shootouts as Blues boss and has won all three, this one, however, sends Long Eaton into the next round for the first time in the clubs’ history, where they will face Binfield at Grange Park.