Brave Roffey lose out in shootout on historic day

Roffey’s first ever FA Vase tie ended in cruel fashion on Saturday, going down 4-2 on penalties at Tunbridge Wells after the game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes.

Andy Lampard took his Roffey team to Tunbridge Wells without Callum Jardine, James Pearse, Ricardo Fernandes, Tiago Andrade, Jack Munday and top scorer Josh Neathey.

Roffey’s first ever Vase match, couldn’t have been much tougher with Wells fifth in the step above and seeking promotion to the Isthmian League

Both sides moved the ball quickly and, with the Wells right winger showing frightening speed, Roffey had to make several blocks and Correia had to field several attempts on goal.

At the other end the pace of Josh Maher and Kelvin Lucas

was causing uncomfortable moments for the home defence.

Lucas, on 27 minutes, beat his man down the right to put in a dangerous cross that was set back to Dan Pearse to drive into the bottom corner from 20 yards.

Roffey continued to keep the hosts at arms length whilst keeping good possession and half-time arrived at 0-1.

The opening to the second half was fairly even but the hosts gradually started to push Roffey back and it began to look like a rearguard action with Hayden Neathey, Harry Law, Brendan Milborrow and Jamie Robinson having to pull out all the stops to keep Wells out.

Then, on 64 minutes, Kyron Lightfoot whipped in a free kick which evaded a crowd of players and squeezed inside the far post to send the large home crowd into celebration.

Lampard tweaked his team, bringing Pearse more central and dropping Maher

in on the left, and Roffey managed to get back on the front foot.

Several attacks on the home goal in the last ten minutes could, with a bit of luck have made the difference.

At the same time Wells were always dangerous against a Roffey team who had given everything and it was probably a relief when the final whistle went.

Unfortunately with Wells’ ‘South Stand Choir’ as a back drop, after Pearse and Lucas had found the target Roffey were unable to finish the job.