BIG-GAME BEN IS AT IT AGAIN
WEMBLEY winner Ben Shepherd’s volley just about crossed the tipping point to send holders Newport Pagnell through to the last eight of the FA Vase.
Midfielder Shepherd, who notched twice under the arch as the Swans beat Littlehampton Town to lift the Vase last season, saw his dipping half-volley cannon off the underside of the bar and bounce over the line 16 minutes into this tight clash.
The best the Combined Counties League Bulls could offer came in the last 10 minutes of the first half with Sammy Henia-Kamau’s rising lash parried away by Martin Conway at the near post before Luke Watson planted a header straight at the home stopper from a swirling Jay Giles free-kick.
Newport Pagnell striker Jake Watkinson sprung the offside trap within a minute of the restart but ballooned over having cut inside and Jersey’s backline was turned towards its own goal more frequently in the second half, albeit without chances following.
Nerves jangled when Watkinson was sin-binned for the United Counties League high-fliers with 12 minutes to go with Bulls sub Fraser Barlow misdirecting a stooping header from close range.
The late push for an equaliser was stifled when Jersey midfielder Adam Trotter was sin-binned two minutes from time and despite dropping deeper, Newport Pagnell rarely looked like buckling with Shepherd at the heart of a gritty display.
“I think both teams could have played better offensively,” admitted winning boss Gary Flinn, whose side are looking to become the first team to defend the Vase since Whitley Bay in 2010.
“Defensively, our shape and organisation was really good and theirs was as well. It was a good, balanced game and a case of getting ourselves on the right end of the result.
“It was another one with his left foot for Ben. He got one at Wembley and I think that was his only other goal with his left – maybe it is a good omen but we are not getting carried away.”
Bulls boss Gary Freeman rued being on the wrong end of fine margins.
“We didn’t find a flow but you have to credit Newport,” he said.
“We expected them to make the spaces quite tight. We struggled to get our game going but we had three or four very good chances in the first half, without taking one unfortunately.
“Their lad hit a cracking goal from outside the box but there were things we could have done to stop the ball from getting to him. They were very good at keeping the ball alive and winning second balls and they did that a couple of times in the build up to the goal.
“The disappointing bit for us was not creating quite enough as the game went on.” ★★★★★