Damage in the Box!: BRIMSDOWN ROVERS (Brimsdown Sports & Social Club)

It turned out to be a journey into the unknown today as, to be honest, not even I had heard of this team! The original plan for today was a trip to Vale Farm for Wembley's home game against Hoddesdon Town, but this was postponed at 10.30am as we made our way past Birmingham on the M6, well past the point of no return! A quick scan of the non-league paper threw up this fixture, the only draw back being it was a one o' clock kick off. A quick call to confirm it was on, reserve the programmes and it was off to Enfield (where Brimsdown are based).

The game was the second round of the FA Vase and it was an all Spartan South Midlands League affair with Brimsdown from the Premier League against London Colney from the First Division. On paper it appeared to be a home banker and from the way Rovers started the game it suggested that prediction would comfortably be correct.

Brimsdown flew out of the blocks and created numerous chances in the opening stages of the game. When Rikki Burbridge found the net after ten minutes it felt like it was going to be a cricket score. However, an accidental clash of heads saw defender Jon Stevenson leave the field soon followed by striker Ricci Crace. These two changes disrupted Brimsdown flow and Colney slowly edged their way back into game. They equalised on 22 minutes when a free kick lofted into the box was headed home by Shaun Murphy, once again proving the old adage that if you don't take your chances when you are on top then you are always vulnerable. The game settled down into a more even contest but right on half time Burbridge bagged his second to give Brimsdown a lead their overall play probably merited.

The second half was pretty uninspiring with not a lot happening. Both teams had chances but failed to trouble the respective keepers. The game was eventually settled by the wonderfully monikered Jackson Gash when he curled home a great effort on 86 minutes. Murphy scrambled home his second on 90 minutes to reduce the arrears and make for a nervy few minutes of stoppage time, but the result was never in doubt. This equals Brimsdowns best ever run in the Vase, but I wouldn't go putting your mortgage on them going all the way to Wembley!