Stansfeld made it a hat trick of shootout victories for the season with victory in the FA Vase over Combined Counties side AFC Hayes.

The SCEFL 1 side had fallen behind to a 7th minute strike from Shaun Wheeler. A lofted ball was put over the home defence for Movrad Jarraz to chase after, Stansfeld keeper Charlie Cottrell came a long way and got there in front of the Hayes forward but could only chest the ball as far as the on rushing Wheeler who simply lofted it into an empty net from 40 yards.

Stansfeld seemed undeterred by this early setback and skipper Sam Ryan swivelled and poked just wide after getting on the end of a long throw from high up the pitch.

They were level with a quarter of an hour gone, an excellent defence splitting through ball found Macey Malyon who’d sprung the offside trap. He was left with the simple task of passing the ball into the bottom corner past Hayes stopper Tom Clark.

Malyon doubled his tally for the afternoon and put his side into the lead 3 minutes later. Ollie Milton surged down the right hand side and sent in an inch perfect cross to pick out the centre forward for an easy headed finish at the far post. The game had been turned on its head with only 18 minutes played.  

Stansfeld then had a strong appeal for a penalty waved away by referee Robert Arnold. A long ball over the top found Joe Minter in on goal with only the keeper to beat, a strong shoulder barge sent him to the ground to a bevvy of protests from the home side to no avail. AFC Hayes quickly countered into a move which ended with Trey Pender-Brown having a shot smothered by the keeper – after some clever footwork had bought him space to shoot.

Joe Minter again went close, his free kick from just inside the AFC Hayes half going over everybody and nearly catching out Tom Clark in goal, he had to backpedal and tip his effort over the bar.

AFC Hayes pressed for an equaliser throughout the rest of the half with Shaun Wheeler the main source of danger – for the visitors from South-West London. Firstly, a clever turn bought him a yard and enough space to turn and fire just over. He then forced a great two-handed stop from Cottrell with the last kick of the half.

HT 2-1

The second half began slowly, the home side had the first real chance of the half on 61 minutes, Ross Morley arriving unmarked on to a cross at the back post. He took a good touch and fired into the side netting to a chorus of cheers as half of the ground thought he’d scored.

The visitors were level soon after, a classy passing move eventually found substitute Sean Inkpen who opened up his body and fired a magnificent shot into the top right hand corner of the net to restore parity. It was probably no less than the visitors deserved in truth as they’d begun to ask questions of the home defence.

At this point the game really opened up with both sides having excellent chances to retake the lead. Firstly, Ollie Milton rattled the crossbar from 10 yards but nobody could get a foot on the ball and take advantage of the loose ball before it was scooped clear.

At the other end Mourad Jarraz found himself free and in on goal from the left hand side but his shot was tame and straight at Charlie Cottrell in goal.

AFC Hayes then conceded a penalty. Trying to play out from the back they got themselves into a mess and skipper Charlie Howes bought down Macey Malyon for a definite spot kick and received a caution for his trouble. Sam Ryan stepped up and forced a good save out of Tom Clark, he then went for the rebound and Clark adjusted himself fantastically and produced an even better save to smother any lingering danger before the ball was hammered clear.

There was one more chance of note in the 90 minutes with a long ball finding Jarraz who stepped round the keeper only to find a Stansfeld body on the line to deny him and AFC Hayes the winner.

Greg Summersby smothered one last promising AFC Hayes attack and took one for the team on the edge of the area when he found himself as the last man. There weren’t any arguments as the referee produced the red card. The resulting free kick was fired into the wall and the referee blew up for full time

FT 2-2 with penalties to follow

Sam Ryan & Billy Parkinson missed the home side’s first two spot kicks to leave them 1-0 down in the shootout. However, goalscorer Shaun Wheeler was denied by the crossbar at this point, before Stansfeld keeper Charlie Cottrell denied Bruno Manuel when all he had to do was score to win the tie. He then saved again in sudden death to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat and set up a tie with Hellenic League side Flackwell Heath.

Stansfeld ❌❌✅✅✅✅
AFC Hayes ✅❌✅✅❌❌

Stansfeld: Cottrell, Parkinson, Beale, Ryan (C), Cray, Summersby, Milton (Oborne 86), Minter (Holland 46), Malyon, Morley, Hughes (Walker 56)

Not Used: Borland, Jolley

Goalscorers: Malyon (15, 18)

Bookings: Ryan (49)

Sent Off: Summersby (90+3)

AFC Hayes: Clark, Kettle, Manviel, Quinnell, Howes (C), Day, Sinclair (Montes 76), Mukasa (Inkpen 63), Jarraz, Wheeler, Pender-Brown (McDonnell 69)

Not Used: Yorke, Smith, Bishop, McFarland

Goalscorers: Wheeler (7) Inkpen (66)

Bookings: Howes (74)

Referee: Robert Arnold