‘Shoot-Out’ Heartbreak as Fleet Town Exit the Vase

Fleet Town 3–3 Rusthall. Rusthall win 8–7 on penalties… We suffered FA Vase heartbreak on Saturday, losing 8–7 on penalties to Rusthall after a dramatic 3–3 draw at the Easy As HGV Stadium.

Having fought back brilliantly from 3–1 down at half-time and struck late to force a penalty shoot-out, we ultimately came out on the wrong side of a thrilling cup tie.

The start of the game was delayed by seven minutes following a minor error on our team sheet. Rusthall declined to allow the mistake to be corrected, meaning Ollie Burke had to be replaced by George Wallace before kick-off and we were left with only four substitutes available to use during the game.

Despite the disruption, we started brightly, but found ourselves behind after just three minutes. We lost possession around halfway and Rusthall took full advantage, with Josh Reid finishing well to give the visitors an early lead.

Our response was almost immediate. Just a minute later, Wallace delivered a beautifully flighted corner which went directly into the net to make it 1–1.

We then began to dominate possession and pushed hard for a second, although much of our threat was restricted to efforts from distance. With players committed forward, we remained vulnerable on the counter and Rusthall regained the lead when Yassin Fares won possession inside his own half, drove forward and finished an excellent individual run.

Things got worse ten minutes later when Thompson Adey was afforded too much space to turn inside our penalty area before beating Harry White to put Rusthall 3–1 ahead.

It was a frustrating scoreline after enjoying so much of the play, but we had plenty of work to do after the break.

We came out strongly in the second half and immediately put the visitors under sustained pressure. The breakthrough arrived on 54 minutes when Alex MacAllister produced a superb free-kick from just outside the penalty area to reduce the deficit to 3–2.

With more than half an hour remaining, the momentum was firmly with us.

We continued to pile on the pressure, but Rusthall goalkeeper Claudio Boakye was in inspired form. He was also helped by some determined defending – and more than a little fortune – as we struck the woodwork on four occasions without finding the equaliser.

As the clock ticked towards full-time, it looked as though we were somehow going to be denied.

Then, on 87 minutes, James Beauchamp chased a ball towards the corner and was brought down by Boakye. The challenge initially appeared to have taken place just outside the area, but after booking the goalkeeper and consulting with his assistant, the referee awarded us a penalty.

MacAllister stepped up and confidently converted for his second of the afternoon, completing our comeback and making it 3–3.

We continued to throw everything at the Rusthall goal in the closing stages but couldn’t find a winner, meaning the tie would be decided from the penalty spot.

Both sides produced an outstanding series of penalties, converting their opening seven kicks. Rusthall then scored their eighth before Beauchamp missed our eighth penalty, bringing a dramatic shoot-out – and our FA Vase campaign – to a painful end.

A hugely frustrating afternoon for the Blues, but a tremendous second-half fightback from 3–1 down that, on another day, could easily have produced a very different result.

Thanks to Martin Griffiths (words) and Matt Steele & Tracy (photos)