New Milton through to third round with FA Vase upset
FA Vase Second Round
New Milton Town FC 2Longlevens AFC 0
NEW Milton Town sealed an FA Vase Third Round tie for the first time in 12 years after a 2-0 home win over Longlevens at the JMC Stadium on Saturday.
Despite facing a side playing a step higher in the football pyramid, New Milton came into the game full of confidence, and second-half goals from Conor Jevon and a debut strike from Luke Stone sealed the win.
New Milton attacked from the start, and Tyrell Sampson put a decent early chance just over the crossbar. After lovely build-up play and attacking football, New Milton had a goal disallowed when Jevon strayed offside in the build-up.
Longlevens’ only chance of note in the first half came from a powerful Brad Martin header, forcing keeper Luke Dennison to tip the ball over the crossbar.
New Milton’s best chance of the half fell to Charlie Turner after Sampson put a dangerous cross into the box, but the midfielder blasted his shot over.
The match burst into life in the second half, with New Milton dominating possession.
The breakthrough came in the 65th minute when striker Jevon got on the end of a superb free-kick from Joe Kimber. The linesman initially signalled for offside, but after a conversation, referee Paul Barber allowed the goal – it was no more than the hard-working number nine deserved.
Seconds later, captain Aaron Scott was given his marching orders for a second yellow after kicking the ball away. He will now miss the third-round tie through suspension.
New Milton had been in firm control for most of the match, but keeper Dennison produced a sensational one-handed save in the 93rd minute to maintain the lead.
Referee Barber then reduced Longlevens to 10 men after Charlie Turner was scythed down on the edge of the area while clean through on goal. After winning a corner from the resulting free-kick, Sampson beat a defender before squaring it to debutante Luke Stone, who had the simplest of tap-ins to send the 143 fans into rapturous celebrations.
New Milton travel to Somerset to take on Clevedon Town, who play a step higher in the Western League Premier, away on Saturday.
New Milton Town: L. Dennison, E. Eavis, J. Kimber, L. MacArthur, C. Parnell, A. Scott, T. Sampson, C. Turner, C. Jevon, B. Cooper, C. Long Subs: L. Stone, M. Turner, E. Jones, G. Richardson, M. Gane.
