Arundel FC

Arundel missed out on a great opportunity to progress to the 4th round of the FA Vase as they crashed out in extra time to Plymouth Parkway.

The Mullets prepartations were not helped when a puncture halted their progress to Plymouth, holding them up an hour while they waited for it to be repaired.

Despite this they looked to have shrugged off any fatigue from the coach journey when they made a bright start to the game.  Matt Axell had a chance early to opportunity to open the scoring but his touch let him down from a Russ Hardwell throughball and the keeper was able to clear.

The positive start though was rewarded after 11 minutes when following a neat exchange of passes Russ Hardwell found himself clear of the defence and he made no mistake in his finish, slotting the ball home at the near post.

The home side began to get more and more into the game after this and eventually equilised.  The referee awarded the home side a dubious free kick, adjudging Dave Walker to have fouled the forward on the edge of the box although arguably it may have been given the other way for backing in.  None the less the free kick was dispatched superbly into the top corner giving Ben O’Connor no chance.

It was another great strike that gave the home side the lead minutes later.  The ball broke to the Parkway winger and he advanced towards goal before unleashing a shoot from 25 yards which again gave O’Connor in the Mullets goal little chance and give the hosts a 2-1 lead going into the break.

The Mullets domited the early stages of the second half against the wind managing to play the ball on the floor with more success than they enjoyed in the first half.

Despite this they were unable to create too many clear cut chances, failing to get on the end of a couple of very presentable crosses by Hardwell and in the end nearly fell further behind in the latter stages with the team tiring on an energy draining pitch.

That was until 15 minutes to play when a carbon copy of the move that bought the reds their first goal saw Hardwell score again with a cool finish when 1-on-1 with the hosts keeper.

The game went to extra time and the home side struck first with another wonder goal, this time the left back cutting inside and beating O’Connor from distance.

Howard Neighbour then missed two chances to bring the Mullets level once again.  Firstly set up by Matt Axell’s long ball his shot struck the post then after Rory Biggs slid him through his effort was smothered by the keeper.

The home side then effectively sealed the game in the opening minutes of the second half of extra time, when a slip by Tom Pickford saw the ball run to a Plymouth substitute who cooly chipped the ball over the onrushing O’Connor.

Team: O’Connor (capt); Sneller (Hall), Walker, Pickford, Carrigher; Hardwell, Grove (R.Biggs), Archibald, Axell; Tipper, Neighbour (Huckett).