Match Report Saturday 12th September
Sherborne Town FC 3 - 0 Blandford United
FA Vase
Sherborne Town 3 Blandford United 0
Following three defeats and two draws at the Nuova Italia Arena, this was a much-needed tonic on home soil. Five days earlier in their traditional stripes, the Zebras had laboured to a draw against a team in all blue. Now, decked out in brand spanking new bright yellow shirts, they were buzzing.
This FA Vase clash heralded a first meeting of these two clubs in 20 years, although the Royals were visitors to the terraces last October in a Dorset Premier League fixture against the reserves, for whom Ollie Crisp scored in a 1-3 defeat.
On a sunny afternoon, one might have expected more interest in an all-Dorset clash between teams from different divisions. The official attendance of 148 was disappointing, bearing in mind there was a bigger crowd (177) for the visit of Hamworthy Rec who hardly have any fans. Evidently the Marquess of Blandford had better things to do.
Zebras made two changes from the side that drew in midweek at Christchurch. Ollie Crisp was in for the suspended Jordon Matthews, while Ollie Hebbard started in place of Billy Mullins. For the Royals, there was a first start for Lee-Bradley Haensel, who played against us here only 10 days earlier for Downton.
The hosts got off to a dream start with a goal on four minutes. A cross drilled across the six-yard-box at pace can be tricky to defend against and, in trying to clear Hebbard's low fizzer, Royals' captain Ryan Horwood only succeeded into lashing the ball into his own net off the underside of the bar.
Blandford were unsettled. On eight minutes Alex Murphy chipped the ball into the middle from the right flank but it dropped just out of Hebbard's reach. Murphy was timing his runs to perfection, continually beating the Royals' offside trap. Two minutes later he was on the rampage again, but the ball seemed to get caught under his foot before he could release the trigger.
Murphy was proving a handful. In the 14th minute, with defenders vainly appealing for offside, he squared the ball to Dec Cornish, who in turn fed Hebbard, but the final shot was blocked.
At the Clubhouse end there was a scare for the Zebras when Elliot Manson nodded the ball over Rob Hullard, who had rushed off his line, but a covering defender was able to clear. Shortly after, a Blandford corner resulted in a scramble in the box until Hollard was able to dive on the ball.
The Royals operate from a level below their hosts and, for all their endeavour, the class gap did show at times. Many passes were either overhit or misdirected. Jake Kelly made a good break from midfield with a team-mate free on the right but his pass ended up dribbling out for a throw-in. Tom Oliver was then given a hospital ball which nearly let Murphy in for a run on goal. The defender ended up being trodden on for his pains.
The visitors were incandescent that the referee had turned down two penalty appeals which led to protests from the bench. Their mood darkened in the 35th minute when Zebras increased their lead. After Cornish had been pushed in the back, the same player swung over the free-kick into the heart of the penalty area. Nobody tracked Josh Williams who, seemingly without much effort, guided the ball off his head beyond the stranded keeper Lucas Goad and into the net. More offside appeals proved futile.
Royals responded with a menacing attack down the right wing, the danger snuffed out by a well-timed block from Aaron White. The resultant corner came to nothing.
Back came the Zebras in the 39th minute with Ollie Crisp finding Hebbard whose left-footed curling shot was pushed around the far post by Goad. From the corner Murphy's header pinged wide.
On 43 minutes Murphy skewed a shot from the right off target with the boys in blue once again screaming at the linesman for not flagging the striker offside. On the stroke of half-time there was time for more Zebras pressure after Callum Streamer had been booked for scything down Cornish. Williams' free-kick was headed into the danger area by Jake Graziano but Goad was able to gather.
Half-time 2-0.
At 2-0 Blandford were still in the contest, an early goal all that was required to give them a lift. However, the manner with which they trudged out of the dressing rooms for the second period hardly exuded enthusiasm.
There was no cavalier push for a third goal from Zebras, just a concerted effort from their players to keep hounding Blandford across the pitch. This they did tirelessly.
A free-kick deep in opposition territory offered the Royals a chance to get back into the game but the ball whipped in by Kelly was punched to safety by Hollard.
Then on 56 minutes Bobbie Redknapp squandered a half-chance, blazing an angled drive high over the cross-bar. That was his last contribution as the visitors began emptying the bench.
There was a controversial moment two minutes later when White and Reuben Stanley both went to ground simultaneously as they challenged for a ball just outside the penalty area. The Royals management team were of the view that White, being the last man, should have been given his marching orders. However, it looked like a case of six of one, half a dozen the other and the referee didn't even award a free-kick.
At the other end Marco Fowler lived up to his name and was cautioned for taking out Graziano.
Zebras put the tie beyond doubt on 65 minutes. A flick-on by Ollie Crisp caught Royals flat-footed and Murphy was able to advance to the byline before driving the ball across the goal-mouth. Substitute Ant Herrin slid in front of Haensel to force the ball over the line from a couple of yards.
Cue another change from the away bench, Horwood departing and the skipper's armband transferred to Kelly. Sherborne also freshened their side by overhauling the midfield. Every player had put in a solid shift.
On 71 minutes Herrin's clever over-head kick following a throw-in almost created a half-chance for Tommy Gaylard. A Blandford riposte was a free-kick fisted away by Hollard.
Five minutes from full time Joe Crisp was shown yellow, the only blot on a fine all-action performance very much in the mould of the retired Sam Farthing, who happened to be watching from the touchline.
The final flurry of activity involved Billy Mullins who launched a 20-yard effort over the bar.
A sterner test awaits in the next round, when it will be Andover New Street in bright yellow.
Team: Hollard, Graziano (C Calway 76), Watson, White, Williams, Bryce (Mullins 71), O Crisp (Gaylard 66), J Crisp, Murphy (Nardiello 69), Cornish, Hebbard (Herrin 56).
Goals: Og (4), Williams (35), Herrin (65).
Booked: J Crisp.
Attendance: 148.
Man-of-the-match: J Crisp.