CHEESE AND CHOCOLATE IN THE VASE

My old chum Lew was travelling from the far South-west yesterday to follow the Lillywhites, AFC St Austell who play in the  South-west Peninsular League Premier. Founded in 1890 the Cornish club met Chertsey Town from the Combined Counties League who are based Surrey, in the FA Vase on Saturday.

Lew might have been torn between meeting up with me at the Old Suttonians FC ground in Cheam, where the Old Carthusians were playing in a "Non-League" Old Boys Cup semi-final.
Small fry they may be, but the two teams served up a dish of committed football, good and honest, with barely an issue for the good old ref to deal with (no obvious linesmen present!). The OCs were stronger in the end and won 4-0. So they have a Final to look forward to-quite early in the year for Finals to be decided.

In the mean time Barnet have beaten Sheffield United in the FA Cup, Fulham have lost to Oldham 1-2 and there were a few upsets yesterday too. It's great isn't it. The FA Vase offers just as many fascinating ties.

St Austell play at Poltair Park and were members of the South-west League in 1951. They eventually were elected into the South-west Peninsular Division One west (Level 10-11) in 1951, promoted to the Premier in 2009 and were champions in 2015. So quite a rise in success, including a visit to the semi-final of the Vase where they lost to the very impressive Glossop North End 1-2.

This season to reach the 4th Round Proper of the Vase (16 ties) they have beaten:
First Qualifying Rd Ilfracombe Town 3-1  (my parents honeymooned here) 218 ties played in this round.
In the Second Qual-Wells City away 2-3; 187 ties in this round.
In the First Rd Proper they beat Plymouth Parkway from the Toolstation Western League Premier 6-1 (up a tier from St Austell) 105 ties
In the 2nd Rd Proper Cheddar 2-1 away 64 ties
In the 3rd proper Cadbury Heath 8-4 away 32 ties

Yesterday they were knocked out by Chertsey Town from the Combined Counties League 5-0.
Is this result a reflection on the regional "sorting out" and the comparison between the South-west and South-east regions of football?

Chertsey Town FC were founded in 1890 and play on land donated to them by Sir Edward Stern, for the use of the premier club in the parish! oh and some cricket.
They have played en route to St Austell:
1st Q v Woodley United 4-2 £550
2nd Q v Tadley Calleva 1-0 £725
1st Proper v Flackwell Heath 6-1 £825
2nd Proper v Horndean 2-0 £900
3rd Proper v Redbridge won 5-0 £1125
4th Proper v St Austell 5-0 £1875 and the losers pick up £625

Note both clubs founded in 1890