A MEMORABLE VASE VICTORY FOR THE ROBINS AT WELWYN GARDEN CITY

BEFORE KICK OFF BOTH SETS OF PLAYERS, FANS AND MANAGEMENT OBSERVED A MINUTE'S SILENCE IN MEMORY OF THE VICTIMS OF THE PLANE CRASH IN COLUMBIA - FORZA CHAPECOENSE!

Ely City went into Saturday's Buildbase FA Vase Third Round game against Welwyn Garden City as clear underdogs - The Robins are currently in nineteenth place of the Thurlow Nunn Premier Division with The Citizens starting the day in third place of the Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division. In league form Ely had won just four of their seventeen games played compared to WGC's ten in seventeen. In the build up to the game Ely's manager Brady Stone had said he had no intention to "park the bus" and that he wanted his player's to go out and enjoy the game and how they did that in a highly entertaining ninety minutes of cup football. The result looks even better for The Robins as they had five players missing from their squad and had Dean Grogan starting in goal who is actually a centre-back/defender and usually turns out for their reserve side. 

The away side put in a tremendously hard working team performance especially at the back where so many blocks and tackles going in over the course of the game. The difference between the two teams was Ely City winger Kelvin Enaro who switched from left to right numerous times and showed some brilliant control and pace taking people on with the Welwyn player's struggling to deal with his skill and trickery - I think one of their back four shouting 'Go on Kelv....show us some more magic' when he had the ball at his feet in the second half summed up how good he was yesterday. Kelvin has played for Newmarket Town, Cottenham United and Mildenhall Town and on this showing Ely have a very good player on their books.     

Welwyn had showed some good play up front but didn't work Grogan as much as they would of liked in the first half. Ely took the lead on forty minutes when Enaro dribbled the ball in from the left hand side and squared the ball across the edge of the box for George Darling to confidently hit the back of the net. It was 1-1 by half time when Welwyn were given a penalty - Grogan had made an excellent save from a close range shot only for the ball to land at the feet of Josh Bronti who was tackled from behind right in front goal. Bronti dusted himself down and scored from the spot to make things all square. 

On 52 minutes Ely made it 1-2 when Craig Neal scored a great goal from the edge of the box which the on-looking ex England goalkeeper David James described as 'bent in like Beckham'. It got better for Ely just three minutes later when after a Citizen's corner they broke down field and after an interchange of passes that man Enaro was able to score a third from close range. 

Welwyn really put the pressure on Ely from then on and scored a second when defender John McGrandles headed home a free kick into the box on 58 minutes. Shortly after they had a header rattle the top of the crossbar but it was a highly committed performance from then on especially at the back by Stone's side who saw out a famous win for their club to the absolute delight of their travelling fans. A special mention goes out to the fans of Welwyn Garden City who, despite a disappointing result and their road to Wembley ending, stayed and clapped the away team off the field wishing them all the best which was fantastic to see and demonstrates what a great football club they are. 

SOUTHALL ARE THE COLD END'S LOCAL TEAM OF THE WEEK 

The win for Ely City very nearly crowned them The Cold End's local team of the week (it was a very close call!) but I have to give it to Spartan South Midlands League Division One side Southall where they are currently in ninth place in their league table. They went to Knaphill who are in fifth place of the Combined Counties League Premier Division and thanks to goals from Jack Bennett and Wayne Harvey they recorded a memorable 1-2 victory at a team who plays one step higher in the pyramid for them. The last time Southall got to the Fourth Round stage was back in 1985/86 when they famously got right the way to the final losing to Halesowen Town at Wembley. 

MATCH HIGHLIGHTS 
look out for Ely City's number 7 Kelvin Enaro who put in a man-of-the-match performance




BUILDBASE FA VASE THIRD ROUND RESULTS 

SATURDAY 
North Shields 1-2 Shildon 
Newton Aycliffe 2-3 Morpeth Town 
Cleethorpes Town 2-1 Bootle 
South Shields 3-0 Staveley MW 
Penrith 0-3 Atherton Colleries 
Dunston UTS 1-3 Sunderland RCA 
Bottesford Town 1-2 Billingham Town 
Hucknall Town 1-2 AFC Mansfield 
Nuneaton Griff 0-2 Bromsgrove Sporting 
Sporting Khalsa 5-5 Sleaford Town 
Coleshill Town 4-1 Westfields 
Hinckley AFC 2-1 Quorn AET 
Long Eaton United 2-4 Shepshed Dynamo AET 
Wembley 0-4 Peterborough Sports
FC Romania 1-1 Tring Athletic 
Newport Pagnell Town FC 3-1 London Colney 
Gorleston A - A Basildon United 
* tie abandoned after 89 mins due to serious incident - new date TBC
St Margaretsbury 1-3 Berkhamsted 
Sun Sports 3-1 Hoddesdon Town 
Welwyn Garden City 2-3 Ely City 
Abbey Rangers FC 1-2 Eastbourne Town 
Crowborough Athletic 2-2 Bedfont Sports 
Croydon 3-2 Glebe 
Knaphill 1-2 Southall 
Newhaven 1-3 Chichester City 
Horsham YMCA 0-3 Buckland Athletic 
Bemerton Heath Harlequins 2-3 Melksham Town 
Team Solent 1-0 Bodmin Town 
Bradford Town 2-0 Torpoint Athletic
Bristol Manor Farm 4-1 Thatcham Town 
Exmouth Town 5-0 Blackfield & Langley 
SUNDAY 
Sutton Common Rovers 1 Corinthian 4 

The draw for the Fourth Round of the competition takes place tomorrow. 

IT WAS A PARTY ATMOSPHERE ON THE BUS BACK HOME TO ELY ON SATURDAY - courtesy of @ElyCityFC