VCD Athletic 0-1 Hartpury University - Last week we were bouncing after beating Faversham so it just brings you back down to earth with a bump, admits frustrated VCD Athletic joint-manager Danny Joy

VCD Athletic 0 – 1 Hartpury University
Location	Oakwood, Old Road, Crayford, Kent DA1 4DN
Kickoff	01/02/2025 15:00

VCD ATHLETIC  0-1 HARTPURY UNIVERSITY
The Isuzu FA Vase Fifth Round
Saturday 1 February 2025
Stephen McCartney reports from Oakwood

VCD ATHLETIC joint-manager Danny Joy admits his side have missed a massive opportunity after suffering an embarrassing FA Vase exit to an University team.

Hartpury University ran out deserved winners to reach the Quarter-Finals for the first time, courtesy of a last-gasp header from substitute central midfielder Renato Prifti.

VCD Athletic went into their third Fifth Round tie sitting in second-place in the Southern Counties East Football League Premier Division table, having picked up 48 points (14 wins, six draws and two defeats).

The Vickers’ stunned league leaders Faversham Town 4-1 here just seven days ago but their performance here today was chalk-and-cheese as VCD Athletic put in a lacklustre performance and failed to create a single goalscoring chance during this desperately poor encounter at Oakwood.

VCD Athletic have beaten Westside (4-1), Chipstead (3-0), Roffey (5-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw), Arundel (2-0), Windsor & Eton (3-0 after losing an abandoned home game 2-0) and Epsom & Ewell (1-0) to reach this stage but they froze and failed miserably to replicate their desire levels that saw them comfortably beat Faversham Town here.

Their Gloucestershire based opponents have reached the last eight in only their second campaign in this competition and have done so by scoring the only goal of the game against East Cowes Victoria, Wells City and Fareham Town.

Martin Longworth’s Gloucestershire based outfit are at the summit of the Hellenic League Premier Division table, having picked up 63 points (19 wins, six draws and two defeats) and arrived in Crayford sitting three points clear of Mangotsfield United and they pulled off a scalp in front of 240 fans by scoring from the only attempt on target.

“Gutted, absolutely gutted! After the Lord Mayor’s show, I think after last week.  Last week was so good, today we weren’t at it,” admitted Joy.

“I think first half we were very passive. I think we expected to just roll on from last week and we really didn’t get started.

“Losing Ollie Freeman was a massive blow, which became more and more apparent as the game went on but you’re going to miss people like that.

“I thought first half we were very passive and it’s unlike us. I don’t know why.  They came with a game-plan. They were physical, they were strong, they were direct and yes it took us a little while to adjust.

“I thought second half we was better but it was just one of those days today.”

Joy was asked how his side can put in a chalk-and-cheese performance in the space of seven days at home, especially with an unbeaten home League record.

“I just felt, especially the first half, I just felt we were flat. I don’t know if we expected to win based on last week’s result but teams ain’t going to come here and roll over and make it easy for us, so just a really, really frustrating day.”

Hartpury University started the game on the front foot and there was concern for VCD Athletic left-back Tom Carlse when he went down in the fourth minute and had difficulty breathing.

An ambulance was called and swiftly made its way to Old Road and after being expertly looked after by Emily Sawyer the 30-year-old recent arrival from Hythe Town got back up on to his feet and was helped off the pitch and taken to hospital and everyone wishes him a speedy recovery.

“We’ve had an update to say he’s stable. He’s still coughing up blood so there’s still an issue somewhere,” revealed Joy.

“It did unsettle us because Tom’s a big player for us. He’s a very calming influence. He’s experienced but it was the same for the other team.  I mean they sort of cracked on with it and it seemed to upset us, unsettled our rhythm a little bit.

“Obviously before anything, the welfare of the player is more important than anything else.”

Referee Jack Bloxham restarted play with 20:40 on the clock and dropped the ball for Vickers’ goalkeeper Andy Walker.

VCD Athletic players were dominant and won their personal battles against Tommy Warrilow’s side seven days ago – but they lacked the same intensity and desire against Hartpury University and put in a poor performance.

When asked whether his side underestimated their opponents, Joy replied: “No, not at all, no not at all! It wasn’t a case of underestimating them.

“Obviously we never knew loads about them. We don’t play them. We can only watch the Veo’s. We knew what they were going to bring, maybe we thought we had enough to beat them before we actually done the graft but it wasn’t a case of underestimating them.

“We told them (our players) it was going to be harder than what it was last Saturday, so they went out fully prepared for a tough 90 minutes.

“I thought they (Hatpury) were very lively. I thought they had runners off the ball and they rotated well in the middle of the park.  They had a big diagonal all day that caused us problems.

“I don’t think they cut us open – even the goal, they didn’t cut us open – but I think their diagonals was a threat because they are a big side, a big powerful side and they’re very lively and they obviously work off second balls.  I thought they were a good side. I thought they were well worth, there’s no hard feelings our end.”

The home side were without 17-goal striker Ollie Freeman, who like centre-half Michael Fenn was serving a suspension, having picked up their second yellow card in the FA Vase against Epsom & Ewell.

Freeman will hit the pillow tonight knowing he will retain the number nine jersey as his replacement, Reece Grant, was awful and proved just why he only made one appearance for Isthmian League Premier Division side Whitehawk on 13 January, before being released by the Brighton outfit.

VCD Athletic coach Martin McCarthy claimed Grant “was a yard onside” after the striker was flagged by assistant referee Nick Reece (34:05).

Charlie Heatley slipped a through ball along the deck and in behind Hartpury centre-half Joshua Roney to put in Grant, whose left-footed chip bounced into the empty goal – but the offside flag had been raised.

Joy said: “Apparently he (McCarthy) said ‘he was a yard onside.’  I mean we’ve got access to the Veo pretty much instantly. He did tell the fourth official who told us at half-time we weren’t even allowed to watch the Veo during the game. I don’t know why?

“It was a good run. It was a very good finish but we’ve got to look back at the replay but it’s irrelevant now.  I mean, if it goes in and it stands, lovely, we’ve got something to hold onto but it’s fine margines.”

VCD Athletic failed to create a single goalscoring chance during the whole game.

The home side were caught out playing out from the back and the ball was intercepted by 10-goal attacking midfielder Luke Salter, who evaded a tackle from Connor Dymond before hitting his right-footed drive over the crossbar from 22-yards (35:34).

Joy said: “It was one of those games. I’ll be honest with you, I think it was always going to be, not a mistake but lackadaisical defending or something that was going to create for either side. I don’t think either side was ever going to create much for themselves. It was just one of those games but as it was they nicked it at the end.”

The away side dominated the corner count by seven-to-one and Ben Baxter played a corner short to fellow winger Louis Manning, who played the ball back to Baxter, who cut inside and his left-footed angled drive from 25-yards took a nick and sailed across a flat-footed Walker and past the far post.

Fourth official Elliott Mayer raised the board for 18 minutes of stoppage time and the half-time whistle was blown with 63 minutes 18 seconds on the clock with the silent bored crowd hoping for better quality – or even a shot towards goal - after the break.

“I think that was pretty much for both teams, there weren’t really no chances in the game. I don’t remember Walks making a save. Their keeper never made one,” said Joy.

“I think second half we controlled the game more possession wise but we never really created nothing. It’s just not like us.  I mean, we’re free-flowing, we’re free-scoring.

“Ollie Freeman’s come out today, which was a big loss but we would expect to still create and it just didn’t happen today.”

When asked about Grant not making any impact on his first start, Joy replied: “He worked hard. It’s just the physicality for him. Reece ain’t played a lot of football, which he was more than honest with when he came in.

“We checked the stats at half-time. He done a lot of high intensity running and we didn’t want to put him into an area where he starts getting little niggles and pulls where he’s not played a lot of football.

“We wanted to put Babs (Babalola) in to play a little bit central.  To be fair Reece was doing too much work but yes it was more about protection more than anything else.”

It was no surprise when Grant was hooked at the interval – as he gave Hartpury centre-halves Owen Giles (who threw seven long throws into the VCD box) and Roney an easy afternoon.

Babalola – who was unplayable against Faversham Town last weekend – switched from left-wing to centre forward and Nathaniel Olawole came off the bench to operate down the right-wing.

The home side had plenty of the ball but did nothing with it in attack with Babalola often dropping deep to collect it and Hartpury University’s right-back Solomon Kent put in a man-of-the-match performance to keep Heatley and his 69^th minute replacement Richard Jimoh in his pocket.

The first goalscoring chance of the second half came in the 18^th minute following the away side’s final corner.

Baxter swung in a decent delivery with his left-foot from the right, the ball was headed away by Harry Lawrence at the near post and came out to Prifti, who was left unmarked within the D and his right-footed drive sailed over the crowd of players and over the crossbar and towards the tennis courts, which were being used in the chilly February sunshine.

Dymond whipped in a quality delivery with his right-foot from the right and centre-half Ben Fitchett came up from the back and his free header from 20-yards was heading past the far post and was comfortably caught in the midriff of untroubled goalkeeper Stephen Sarkodie in the 65^th minute.

VCD Athletic midfielder Lee Bird gave the ball away inside his half to Prifti, who drove forward before stroking a right-footed drive from 30-yards, which flashed across Walker and past the far post.

“We were chasing, we were trying to play quick.  The thing is we play aggressive passing football so every now and then you’re going to get one nicked off them,” said Joy.

“I thought Birdy was good again today. We always say for the players’ to be brave and play in tight areas and again it just got nicked off them. I don’t really think it caused too many problems for the keeper.”

Walker shouted out and told his team-mates ‘we need to lift it!’ as the men in green and white stripes looked like a team playing without confidence, heart and desire and were a shadow of themselves just seven days ago against the Lilywhites.

The introduction of seven-goal left-winger Richard Jimoh threatened some spark that the home side needed – but Kent often slammed the door shut or no home player had any desire to get into the Hartpury penalty area and create a goalscoring chance.

“Jimoh was a threat. I’ve got to tell you their right-back was excellent, quick, strong, big. I thought he dealt with Jimoh and in the first half he dealt with Charlie Heatley pretty well, a good player, really strong,” added Joy.

“We told Jimoh to try to go on the outside and cut in and let shots off because we knew he was a strong defender, so it just didn’t come off today.”

This dreadful game appeared to be heading to penalties and when the combative diminutive seven-goal striker Billy Osborn was hooked, his replacement, the five-goal Cheick Kone missed a glorious headed chance for the students with 42:16 on the clock.

Prifti was allowed to carry the ball from the centre into the Vickers’ penalty area and cut towards the by-line before clipping a cross towards the near post where the unmarked lone striker Kone steered his header over the top of the near post from three-yards.

“That was a good chance, a sort of a flash chance really. I’m surprised that he even got the cross in, in the first place but maybe we should’ve been a little bit stronger at the near post but we rode our luck but I think that was pretty much the only chance in the whole game,” added Joy, who was asked what was missing from his players today.

“I don’t know, just a spark? I don’t know.  They (Hartpury) were very, very fit, they were very organised, they pressed us hard. They went man-for-man and they didn’t allow us no space.

“Other Saturday’s we’ve been able to find pockets and find little spaces bit today they were just up for the game and they never really let us settle.

“I think we missed a little bit of spark today. We obviously missed Ollie. I keep going back to him, Ollie’s massive how we play.  Ollie came in (from Bearsted) and the first 3-4 weeks he was sort of hit and miss but Ollie’s got the system and Ollie knows where the net is, so we’ve missed Ollie today.

“I just think we missed a bit of creativity and little spark but maybe that’s credit to them.”

The fourth official raised the board for three additional minutes – the winning goal was scored with 49 minutes and 23 seconds on the clock and VCD had just one more touch of the ball from kick-off before the full-time whistle was blown at 50:10.

The home side though Kent was going to line up a long throw from the right but the resilient right-back threw it short to Giles, who was given acres of space to float in a cross towards a crowd of players and Prifti rose to guide his header sailing across Walker into the top far corner to score his third goal of the season to deliver the sucker-punch.

“From start to finish it was just soft,” admitted Joy, who had substituted right-back Lawrence for Connor Kelly with 48:21 on the clock.

“No one got out to the crosser. We felt we should’ve made it harder for the cross. We should’ve tried to stop the cross coming in.  The ball was in the air a long time so you would expect the two centre-halves (Ben Fitchett and Dexter Peter) and Harry Lawrence – I thought he was excellent in the air today - to either to come and win it or for Walks to come and claim it.

“But what can I say? It’s such fine margins. I mean if someone gets their head to that, which they have all afternoon, we’re going to penalties and who knows we’re maybe celebrating tonight.”

Not many people noticed the goal – they were fast asleep at the time!  Hartpury University’s players celebrated like they had won the FA Vase at Wembley and will be joined in the Quarter-Finals by AFC Whyteleafe, Andover New Street, Bourne Town, Erith & Belvedere, Heanor Town, Whitchurch Alport and Whitstable Town.

Jamie Coyle’s side beat Fleet Town 2-1 at Belmont Road, while Erith & Belvedere won their fourth FA Vase penalty shoot-out of the season after being held to a 2-2 draw at home to Daventry Town, before winning 4-2 from the spot.

The home dressing room was silent after the game and Joy and Ross Baker take their troops to Hextable on Wednesday night to take on Sutton Athletic in the Challenge Cup Quarter-Finals before welcoming Kevin Steven’s Bearsted to Oakwood in the League on Tuesday 11 February.

Joy said: “The boys are gutted, wouldn’t expect it any other way. Two or three of them have pulled each other out on things, which is good. That shows that they care but yes, it’s a very flat changing room but again that’s football because last weekend we were bouncing so it just brings you back down to earth with a bump!

“Missed opportunity? Massively, massively. I think we said last weekend anyone who gets to the last 16 really can win the competition. We had a home draw, it’s a massive opportunity we’ve missed.

“I don’t think either side done enough (to win the game). I think they maybe had one or two chances but I thought it was quite a dead game for such a big game.

“I think it was one of those games where people were more worried about making a mistake than trying to win the game but listen, full credit to them. No issue with them whatsoever, they’re nice people, they’ve come, they’ve been humble. It’s just one of those days.

“We’ve had an unbelievable start to the season. We’re midway through the second half of the season now and we would’ve taken this at the start. To get to the last 16 of a national competition, it’s big for the club. We’ve been on a massive ride but now we really need to knuckle down and get back to the league and try and get a result at Sutton on Wednesday night.”

Faversham Town bounced back with a 2-1 home win over Hollands & Blair at Salters Lane today and have picked up 56 points from their 24 (of 38) league games.

VCD Athletic remain in second-place in the table and Fisher remain in third with 47 points from 26 games and Punjab United (44 points from 25 games) and Larkfield & New Hythe (39 points from 26 games) remain in the play-off zone.

“It’s going to be a tough game. Sutton are going to be up for it, especially now on the back of us getting beaten today. They’ll think they can catch us on a down moment and probably go and get a result,” added Joy.

“But we’ve got to pick ourselves up. I’ve said to Ross and Macca, if we don’t go and win the League and we don’t win the Vase then there’s still a cup competition to go and win, so it’s probably become even more important now that we get a result on Wednesday.

“The idea was in an ideal world we’d get a result today, we chuck three or four in that need (game time) but now the boys are hurting so maybe giving them a night off may not be the best thing. Maybe we need to go strong because we need to get a result, just to get morale back up.

“Just want the fans’ to stick with us. It’s been a great ride. Listen, ideally we would’ve gone to Wembley. We would’ve given them the best day out of their lives.  The same as us (the management team), we said to the boys before the game ‘you’re living your dreams through us today.’  We never played at their level to potentially play at Wembley but it hurts. It hurts and we know the fans’ hurt.

“We know they’re going to be frustrated but you’ve got to remember the side that we’ve got, the way we play and where we are. It’s been a great ride so far.

“Faversham have gone and won today, which we totally expected but we’ve got to do our job. If it’s enough, it’s enough. If it’s not, then we need to make sure that we finish as high in the play-off's as we can.”

VCD Athletic: Andy Walker, Harry Lawrence (Connor Kelly 90), Tom Carlse (George Whitelock 20), Connor Dymond, Ben Fitchett, Dexter Peter, Charlie Heatley (Richard Jimoh 69), Lee Bird, Reece Grant (Nathaniel Olawole 46), Bethel Gboda, Francis Babalola.
Sub: Zak Byron

Booked: Charlie Heatley 45, Bethel Gboda 77

Hartpury University: Stephen Sarjodie, Solomon Kent, Drew Robinson (Leon MacHisa 90), Nathan Jenkins (Renato Prifti 45), Joshua Roney, Owen Giles, Ben Baxter, Jacob Towns, Billy Osborn (Cheick Kone 74), Luke Salter, Louis Manning (Harry MacKenzie 83).
Sub: Alexandar Kovacevic

Goal: Renato Prifti 90

Booked: Jacob Towns 80, Drew Robinson 90, Joshua Roney 90

Attendance: 240
Referee: Mr Jack Bloxham
Assistants: Mr James Barry & Mr Nick Reece
Fourth Official: Mr Elliott Mayer