2018 FA Vase Final
The 2018 FA Vase Final was the 44th final of the Football Association's cup competition for teams at levels 9–11 of the English football league system. The match was contested between Stockton Town, of the Northern League Division One, and Thatcham Town, of the Hellenic League Premier Division. This was the first time both teams had reached the final and the first visit to Wembley Stadium for both sides. The final of the FA Trophy was played on the same day at the same venue for the third year running, as part of the FA's Non-League Finals Day.[1] Both matches were televised in the UK on BT Sport.
Wembley Stadium hosted the final | |||||||
Event | 2017–18 FA Vase | ||||||
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Date | 20 May 2018 | ||||||
Venue | Wembley Stadium, Wembley, London | ||||||
Referee | John Brooks | ||||||
Attendance | 31,430 | ||||||
Weather | Sunny | ||||||
Stockton Town began their campaign in the second qualifying round, with a victory over Consett. They proceeded to defeat Whickham, Bootle, City of Liverpool, West Auckland Town, Stourport Swifts, Windsor and Marske United en route to the final.
Thatcham Town started in the first round of the competition, where they defeated Horsham YMCA. Victories over Broadbridge Heath, Sevenoaks Town, Biggleswade, Bromsgrove Sporting, Melksham Town and 1874 Northwich saw them reach the final.
Background
The final will be the first appearance for both sides in a national cup final.
Stockton Town play their league football in the Northern League Division One, following promotion from the second division in the previous season. The 2017–18 season was their first season at level nine of the pyramid and only their third season playing in the FA Vase since their first appearance in the 1982–83 season. Their best run in the competition was reaching the second round in the 2016–17 season.[2]
Thatcham Town play in the Hellenic League Premier Division. Thatcham won the league prior to the final on goal difference, finishing on 98 points, to earn promotion to the Southern Football League. They won thirty-one of their thirty-eight league matches, drawing five and losing just two. They embarked on a forty match unbeaten run, in all competitions, before the final - ending with a 2–1 defeat against Binfield two games before to the final.[3][4] Their previous best run in the competition was a quarter-final appearance in the 1988–89 season, where they were defeated by Berkshire rivals Hungerford Town.[5]
Route to the final
Stockton Town
23 November 2017 Second Round Qualifying | Stockton Town | 4–3 (a.e.t.) | Consett | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 212 |
21 October 2017 First Round | Whickham | 0–2 | Stockton Town | Whickham |
15:00 | Stadium: The Glebe Sports Ground Attendance: 84 |
11 November 2017 Second Round | Stockton Town | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | Bootle | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 360 |
2 December 2017 Third Round | Stockton Town | 1–0 | City of Liverpool | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 527 |
6 January 2018 Forth Round | Stockton Town | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | West Auckland Town | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 537 |
3 February 2018 Fifth Round | Stockton Town | 3-0 | Stourport Swifts | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 663 |
24 February 2018 Quarter-final | Stockton Town | 2–0 | Windsor | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 1,213 |
17 March 2018 Semi-final First Leg | Marske United | 0–2 | Stockton Town | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Rowbotham Woodhouse |
Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 1,502 | ||
Note: Match played at Bishopton Road West, Stockton due to Marske United's ground being waterlogged. |
24 March 2018 Semi-final Second Leg | Stockton Town | 1–2 (3–2 agg.) | Marske United | Stockton-On-Tees |
15:00 | Mulligan |
O’Sullivan Fairley |
Stadium: Bishopton Road West Attendance: 1,800 | |
Note: Stockton Town won 3–2 on aggregate |
Thatcham Town
21 October 2017 First Round | Thatcham Town | 2–1 | Horsham YMCA | Thatcham |
15:00 | White Johnson |
Report | Schaaf |
Stadium: Waterside Park Attendance: 96 |
11 November 2017 Second Round | Thatcham Town | 8–2 | Broadbridge Heath | Thatcham |
15:00 | Cooper-Clark Grant Helmore Miller Browne |
Report | Campbell Frankland |
Stadium: Waterside Park Attendance: 120 |
2 December 2017 Third Round | Thatcham Town | 3–1 | Sevenoaks Town | Thatcham |
15:00 | Cooper-Clark Elliott |
Report | Carnegie |
Stadium: Waterside Park Attendance: 145 |
6 January 2018 Forth Round | Thatcham Town | 2–1 | Biggleswade | Thatcham |
15:00 | Grant Jarra |
Report | George |
Stadium: Waterside Park Attendance: 216 |
3 February 2018 Fifth Round | Thatcham Town | 2–1 | Bromsgrove Sporting | Thatcham |
15:00 | Elliott |
Report | Gregory |
Stadium: Waterside Park Attendance: 701 |
24 February 2018 Quarter-final | Melksham Town | 0–1 | Thatcham Town | Melksham |
15:00 | Report | Elliott |
Stadium: Oakfield Stadium Attendance: 2,208 |
17 March 2018 Semi-final First Leg | Thatcham Town | 1–0 | 1874 Northwich | Thatcham |
15:00 | Cook |
Report | Stadium: Waterside Park Attendance: 1,134 |
Match
Details
Stockton Town | 0–1 | Thatcham Town |
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Report | Cooper-Clark |
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Man of the match: Baboucarr Jarra Match officials
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Match rules
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References
- "Non-League Finals Day". wembleystadium.com. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 2 April 2018.
- "Stockton Town". fchd.info. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- "Kingfishers maintain unbeaten run but are made to wait on outcome of title challenge". Thatcham Town F.C. 26 April 2018. Archived from the original on 30 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
- "Unbeaten streak interrupted by Binfield". Thatcham Town F.C. 30 April 2018. Retrieved 12 May 2018.
- "Thatcham Town". fchd.info. Retrieved 29 April 2018.