Two-goal Brad Gale blows away Stoneham as Blackfield & Langley progress in Vase

FA Vase Second Qualifying Round

AFC Stoneham 2
Blackfield & Langley FC 3

IN a stark representation of the cliched 'game of two halves', Blackfield ran out 3-2 winners over AFC Stoneham after racing into a three-goal half-time lead at Stoneham Lane.

The visitors tore into Stoneham from the off, and they thoroughly deserved their healthy lead after goals from on-loan Rafa Ramos and Brad Gale. However, a dogged Stoneham dug in, had a goal disallowed and spurned multiple chances before Blackfield's Amadeusz Skrzyniarz produced a superb penalty save.

It took Sholing striker Ramos only three minutes to find the back of the net and maintain his goal-a-game record with a tidy finish past Tom Parker-Trott.

Blackfield doubled their advantage in the 19th minute when Gale finished a rapid counter-attack with a controlled side-footed finish past an on-rushing keeper.

Nine minutes later, Gale scored his second of the match with a sublime lob from outside the area to punish the keeper for straying too far off his line.

A rejuvenated Stoneham dominated the early exchanges after the break, and they won a penalty in the 60th minute. However, Skrzyniarz saved well, low to his left, to deny Duarte Martins.

Eight minutes later, Stoneham found the back of the net when Matt Stupple won the ball high up the field before finding Martins, who played a quick one-two before finishing from 20 yards.

With two minutes left, Scott Hills made it 3-2, but the visitors held on to clinch a spot in the next round.