FA Vase: Ringwood see off Fawley with 91st-minute winner
FA Vase First Qualifying Round
Fawley AFC 3Ringwood Town FC 4
RINGWOOD Town took the lead three times against Fawley AFC before Ryan Hamm put the game to bed with a 91st-minute winner to seal progression to the next round of the FA Vase.
Ringwood took the lead when captain Ryan Osman converted from the penalty spot before Fawley’s Declan Hartigan levelled the match twice either side of a Callum Williams goal. Sam Brown scored Ringwood’s third before Tom Rafferty restored parity for the last time. With penalties looming, Hamm tapped in from close range to rapturous celebrations from the Ringwood contingent.
Ringwood started brightly, and they soon had a penalty when Adam Riley was fouled in the box after a great run down the wing. Osman took a long run-up before smashing it low and hard to his right to give his side the lead.
Fawley levelled from a corner when the ball was lofted in and headed on from the edge of the area. Hartigan out-jumped his marker to nod home. Fawley began to grow into the game but Ringwood made it 2-1 when Williams headed in from a well-worked corner after running in from deep.
With half-time looming, Hartigan completed his brace before Brown converted, displaying some lovely footwork to make it 3-2.
Ringwood were the better team in the second-half and Fawley rarely troubled their goal. The visitors had a goal disallowed for offside and Bruce did well to tip over a free-kick. With eight minutes left, Rafferty scored against the run of play for Fawley.
With penalties looking likely, Riley beat a man on the right before driving into the box. He coolly played the ball into Hamm who slid it past the keeper to send his side through.
After the match, Ringwood Town manager Richard Morse said: "This was a great win for the boys after a disappointing display last week against Follands. We knew this game would be important for us as a team and a club.
"We made some forced changes due to player availability, but the lads who came in really stepped up. It was gutting when Fawley equalised with eight minutes left, but we showed our class to pull through and get the win."
Ringwood will play Romsey Town in the next round of the FA Vase following their 4-0 victory over Selsey FC.
Fawley AFC: Bruce, Bailey, MacLeod, Lawrence, Sayce, Rafferty, Bradley, Bradley, Hartigan, Fay, Roche. Subs used: Connor, Munday, Southwick.
Ringwood Town: Harris, Evans, Butterworth, Clarke, Williams, Osman, Taylor, Cole, Hamm, Riley, Brown. Subs used: Petty, Ransom.
