Shoot-out specialists

There will be at least one Wessex League club in the last 16 of the FA Vase as Christchurch yesterday booked a fourth round trip to US Portsmouth.

The Dorset outfit defeated lower tier Falmouth 6-5 on penalties after a 1-1 draw at Hurn Bridge.

Goalkeeper Lewis Gunstone-Gray was again the hero as Priory won a penalty shoot-out for the third time in 2020/21.

Gunstone-Gray saved two spotkicks after Falmouth had taken an early lead in the shoot-out.

The keeper had previously saved a penalty to help Priory beat three divisions higher Gloucester City in an FA Cup qualifying tie in October.

Prior to that, Christchurch had also beaten Ascot United on spotkicks in the FA Cup - though on that occasion Ascot’s crucial miss was a shot that hit the bar.

Priory will be the fourth side from the Premier Division of the Wessex League that US have faced in the Vase this season.

They have beaten AFC

Portchester, Bournemouth Poppies - who won 2-0 in a league game against Christchurch in October - and Brockenhurst.

The two sides last met in the Vase in 2017/18 with US losing a first round tie 3-0 in Dorset. The only players still at the club from their starting XI that day are skipper

Tom Jeffes and Callum Glen, though Brodie Spencer and Elliott Turnbull were on the bench.

Fareham’s tie at Plymouth Parkway, due to be played yesterday, was postponed after the visitors were placed in a tier 4 region on Boxing Day. There is no new date for the third round tie which was initially rained off on December 19.

Fourth round ties are supposed to be played on January 9, but with many clubs in the last 32 in tier 4 areas that will almost certainly not be the case.

FA Vase 4th round draw: Shildon v Warrington Rylands, North Ferriby or Seaham Red Star v West Auckland Town, Hebburn

Town v Liversedge, Stourport Swifts v Walsall Wood, Congleton Town v Malvern Town, Long Eaton United v Westfields, Anstey Nomads v Wellingborough Town, Mulbarton Wanderers v Hanworth Villa, Leighton Town v Guildford City or Walton & Hersham, Lancing v Flackwell Heath, Fakenham Town v Deal Town or Binfield, Stowmarket Town v Cobham, Sutton Common Rovers v Hadley, Plymouth Parkway or Fareham v Clevedon Town, US Portsmouth v Christchurch, Bridgwater Town v Tavistock.