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F.A. Cup Preliminary Round Wallingford pulled off an impressive giant-killing act with a win over Southern League Burnham in the F.A.Cup Preliminary Round.
Burnham, who had gone on an epic run in the competition last season, finally being knocked out in the First Round Proper, hit the woodwork on several occasions, but could not equalise Aaron Baker's 50th minute strike. The wind played a huge factor in this game, and Garry Clarke did well to tip over a swirling looping shot in the first minute. Burnham applied pressure from the word go, and with the wind behind them they had a lot of early corners. Jeffrey Brown probably should have scored the opener, heading over unmarked from a corner. Wallingford, playing a 4-5-1 formation, looked good on the counter attack with Aaron Baker always lively as the lone striker. After winning a free-kick for handball on the edge of the area, Baker curled in a free kick which looked destined for the net before Jamie Jackson somehow stretched to get his fingertips to the ball to deflect it onto the top of the crossbar. The home side defended brilliantly against their higher-league opponents with some excellent last ditch tackles from Ian Fenn and Ben Ingram amongst others denying strikers Leone Yarnie and Ben Swift. From yet another corner, Yarnie finally found space from close range, but hit the underside of the bar. Swift followed up but Clarke tipped his shot against the post. Wallingford then had a golden opportunity on the break. Abdouli Taha did brilliantly to win the ball off Lloyd Dennison, and curled in a perfect ball into the centre where Baker got fractionally clear of the Burnham defence, but got the ball caught under his feet at the vital moment and a defender dispossessed him. Five minutes after the restart and Wallingford took a sensational lead. Paul Massaquoi curled in a free-kick and Foday Touray brought the ball down in the area and found Andrew Styles in a crowded area. Styles squared the ball to Baker, who had found space on the right and drilled in a low right-footed shot which got a deflection of a defender and under Jackson’s dive. Minutes later it was almost 2-0 when Touray flicked on a long throw from Massaquoi and defender Dennison sliced the ball just wide of his own net. Burnham then piled on the pressure, using their class to retirn plenty of possession and attack Wallingford from the wings and in the air. Clarke made a brilliant full stretch save from an Andrew Lunn curling shot, and Yarnie hit the bar again after a brilliant pull-back from left-winger Davies. Burnham were causing all sorts of problems with some quality delivery from set-pieces. Paul Brett and Ryan Bird both hit the crossbar with headers from corners. However, the home side were also still dangerous on the break. Baker found Touray, who crossed to the far post to give Taha a great chance, but his volley was brilliantly saved at close range by Jackson. Taha then tried a shot from 45 yards which curled wide after he spotted the ‘keeper off the line, but the last 15 minutes was all Burnham pressure. From a free-kick on the left Brett rose highest again but his header was saved again by Clarke and in a frantic goalmouth scramble the ball was hooked off the line. Wallingford held on though for a superb result, and despite being saved by the woodwork on several occasions, their hard work and some moments of class have deservedly earned them a place in the 1st Qualifying Round, where they will travel to Wessex League Moneyfields on the 16th of September. AFC Wallingford: Clark, Parker (Z.Taha 73), Massaquoi, Ingram, Fenn, Tyler, Hoey (Fellows. 65), Touray, Baker, Styles, A.Taha. Subs not used: Shea, Fuller, Johnson |
