FOLLOWING THE SALTMEN

FA Vase Qualifying.

21 Sept, 2024.

An entertaining local derby ended with the Saltmen progressing to the First Round Proper of this year’s competition.

Nestling on the bank of the River Severn, Ribbesford Meadow must be one of the most idyllic settings for a game of football in the country. What it may lack in state of the art facilities is more than mitigated by its surroundings. It’s so rural I half expected to see Bilbo Baggins or one of his Hobbit mates propping up the very welcoming clubhouse bar.

Unfortunately for the Riversiders, today they could have used a visit from Gandalf and an industrial strength spell book. While the Spa side is still missing some key personnel, those who returned today possessed more than enough strength to brush Bewdley aside. Of course, the host’s task was not helped by losing a player to a straight red card with an hour still to play.

Droitwich opened the scoring with a tidy goal from the league’s leading goal scorer, Alex Dugmore who received the ball with his back to the goal. He turned and drilled an unstoppable shot from a tightish angle past the Town keeper. Parity was soon restored when an error from the Spa back four allowed Town’s top scorer Elliot Lees to deftly beat Rogerson in the Spa goal and open his account for the afternoon. On 28 minutes, Town were down to ten men as the referee gave Sumnall the opportunity for first use of the soap in the Town changing room after creating two holes in one of Charlie Tilleys shin pad!!

As might be expected, Spa made the numerical advantage count scoring with great strikes from Perry Moss and, for the second consecutive game, Lucas Edmonds. However, more loose defending from Spa resulted in ten man Bewdley cutting the deficit to 3-2 right on the stroke of half time. Lees again taking advantage of uncertainty in the visiting defence.

If the first half was evenly contested, the second half was dominated by the visitors. Further goals from Matt Fusco, Dugmore and a neatly dispatched Moss penalty underlined Spa’s superiority on the day. Town recorded theirs and Lees’ third of the afternoon from the penalty spot. Spa ‘keeper Dom Rogerson had a largely untroubled second half but was still able to make a terrific save, diving full stretch to repel a strong drive from Town.

Spa will be disappointed in the manner the goals were conceded but, ultimately, had too much fire power to ever be in serious danger of losing this cup tie.

Thanks to all at Bewdley Town for a very warm and friendly welcome and good luck for the rest of the season.

Thanks for reading.

Cheers

Steve