Bedford United & Valerio 0-4 Basildon United
The FA Vase
First Round Qualifying
Saturday 17 September 2005

A home defeat to Concord Rangers in the Essex Senior League Cup at the end of August was our only reversal so far this season as we travelled to Bedford on Saturday morning.

Having given away commanding leads to draw our last three games were determined not to slip up again.

Much like in Dundee, where Dens Park and Tannadice Park are on the same street, Bedford United & Valerio's home ground is only separated from Bedford Town's stadium by a row of trees.  In fact, the changing rooms we used were closer to the Southern League side's pitch, situated behind one of their goals.

After the walk to the pitch we got our FA Vase campaign up and running and couldn't have asked for a better start. Danny Downer picked up Alan Wood's through pass into the box and took one touch before curling past their 'keeper with just a minute gone.

We should have really extended our lead a few times before number two arrived. Woodsy saw efforts hit the bar and the post, while our striker, Dean Allen, over-ran a one on one as he rounded the goalkeeper.

We did get a second before the break, though. Billy Thompson ran free on the left and from the bye-line squared across the six-yard box. Allen flicked goalwards but the final touch came from Anthony Church.

Bedford were restricted to few opportunities but did cause us a couple of problems with long-balls, but the game was pretty much beyond them in the first minute of the second-half when Downer got his second.

I was left disappointed ten minutes from time after Jamie Lewis sent in a cross after a free-kick was blocked.  It dropped nicely for me 12-yards out - despite a high bounce - and my volley was sweet, beating the goalkeeper with pace, but was ruled out by the linesman's flag.

Frank McArdle, a replacement for Downer, sealed Bedford's fate in the final minute shooting low into the corner rounding off a good day for The Bees.

We now welcome Buckingham Athletic to Gardiners Close in 2Q, but between now and then we've got two tough games; Waltham Abbey and Romford. So our Vase dream will have to go to the back of our minds until next week...

Team:
Dean Neil, Chris Tucker, Jamie Lewis, Alan Wood, Nick Dickson (Tim Cordell), Billy Thompson, Jamie Bradbury, Danny Downer (Frank McArdle), Dean Allen (c), Anthony Church, Adrian Smith.
Sub not used: Darren Mole, Aaron Avery.