MATCH REPORT | BURNHAM FC V AFC CROYDON ATHLETIC – FA VASE, 21.10.2023

Burnham 3 –   AFC Croydon Athletic 2 –  21st October 2023 – Dean Butler

The Blues go into the hat for the second round proper draw of the FA Vase after last minute drama at The 1878 stadium.

Burnham started the game on the front foot and adapted to the conditions well the already quick surface was made quicker with the constant rainfall this suited the home sides passing game and on the sixth minute this lead to Blues winning  a free kick 20 yards out, Leo Decabo stepped up and his excellent free kick curled around the wall and landed perfectly in the bottom right hand corner of the goal leaving the keeper no chance.  The blues were on top for the majority of the first half with the visitors growing into the game but rarely threating keeper Carl Denninson in the Burnham goal. On the 45th minute of the half Burnham failed to clear the ball from inside their own 18 yard box the incident that followed lead to the visitors winning a penalty after their striker was tripped inside the area when winning back possession and despite the best efforts of the keeper the visitors took the game into the break all square.

HT   Burnham 1 –   AFC Croydon 1

The hosts quickly built up a head of steam in the second half with a couple of early opportunities to retake the lead rattling the post in the process, on the 55^th minute an in swinging corner was met by Samad Kazi his thumping header restored the lead for Burnham.  The match was end to end with both sides playing their part in a great cup tie, it took until the 80^th minute for the match to swing again and again it was the hosts who failed to clear their lines and conceded another penalty in the process , the Burnham keeper Carl Dennison again got a good hand to the ball but couldn’t stop the visitors levelling the score.

With the match seemingly heading to penalties, very deep into additional time Jabir Laraba was fouled in the box and the referee did not hesitate to point to the spot.  Leo Decabo stepped up to take the decisive spot kick and with virtually the last kick of the match he made no mistake and won the match for Burnham and taking them through to the next round of the cup.

Late drama at The 1878 stadium and this week Burnham took advantage of a last minute winner , a fairly dominant display and on balance the correct result the road to Wembley continues.

FT  Burnham 3 –   AFC Croydon 2

Goal scorers – Leo Decabo (2), Samad Kazi

(photos by Gary House, copyright – full gallery HERE)

A busy week of football ahead with two away fixtures starting with a Berks bucks county cup fixture against Holyport following by league action away to Virginia Water FC on Saturday 28th (TBC, awaiting instructions from the league as this match need to be re-scheduled)