A VASE HALF FULL OR HALF EMPTY

I shall be in Flitwick tomorrow evening enlightening a gathering of locals on the History of Football. It is a huge topic, which I believe is due to be delivered after "dinner" in a pub, where no doubt there will be a few bevvies in tow. How long dare I speak?

The nearest Pyramid Club is Ampthill Town FC who are a Step 6 side and they play in the Spartan South Midlands league with local teams from Bedford and Hatfield and the like. On Saturday they met their match in the FA Vase First Round Qualifying  against Northampton Sileby Rangers from Step 5, who just beat them 2-3. Sounds like a good cup tie though.

194 Vase fixtures took place over the weekend with some fantastic results including a 13-0 demolition of Ellstown and Ibstock United  by Bromsgrove Sporting FC. The FA website suggested that penalties were involved but I couldn't work that one out unless the ref decided to do the best out of 25? Bromsgrove should be decent having emerged from the ashes of Bromsgrove Rovers who folded with debts and all the rest. The Rouslers, as Sporting are known, were formed in 2009 and play in the Midlands Football League. Good on them and good on Sean Brain who scored FOUR including 3 penalties....see previous blogs.


Other cracking scorelines include Brandon Utd 0-7 Chester le Street, Newcastle Benfield 8-1 Alnwick Town and Rothwell Corinthians 8 Burton Park Wanderers 0. Loads of history there then.

As the name suggests, Bemerton Heath Harlequins is formed from three clubs in 1989, whereas Downton FC from Wiltshire (it must be the local team from the village of the drama) was founded at the suggestion of the Reverend Phillips (I don't remember him in the cast list) in 1905. No doubt to keep the estate workers out of the local inn. It worked because they play in the Wessex League, however the team of 3 clubs won 7-0 and their chairman's son notched a hat trick. Look on the bright side chaps you could get a part as an extra.


A culture shock for Meridian FC from Charlton (yes South London) was too much for the lads when they faced Shoreham town in the shadow of Lancing College Chapel and the local airport. They must have been gazing in awe and seeing too many images as they got mullered 8-0.

And the final big one was Desborough Town from the United Counties League popping ten past Woodford United who could only manage nought in reply.

The prize fund is worth around £600 for a first round win.