Sidley win FA Vase thriller

The five goals were only half the story as Gullivers played host to an encounter that gripped from the moment Nick Whiteman headed the Blues in front in the only second minute right to the seemingly endless period of injury time.

The tie had pretty much everything including three strong penalty appeals, a succession of chances and a huge goalmouth melee in the closing seconds.

"In the end it could have been 4-3, 5-2, anything. If you were a neutral, you must have thought what a great game of football because there was a lot of action," said Sidley joint manager Andy Laskey.

Sidley, who were without the services of first choice goalkeeper Peter Newstead (hamstring) and defender Paul Henty, who suffered a broken toe playing for the English Fire Service team the previous Wednesday, set off like a train and opened the scoring when Whiteman headed home a Peter Baker corner.

Steve Morris then forced a smart save from goalkeeper Steve Colbourne before Baker flashed an opportunity across goal.

Arundel came more into the game and only a great save by Newstead's replacement, Jon Saunders, prevented Matt Huckett from equalising. The young goalkeeper also touched a Simon Clayton effort onto the crossbar.

Early in the second half Morris wasted a free header and, at the other end, Michael O'Callaghan cleared off the line to deny Stuart Hack. Arundel deservedly levelled on 58 minutes when Clayton dinked a lovely finish beyond the onrushing Saunders.

Soon after Arundel should have been awarded a penalty when Saunders slid in on Huckett who had to hurdle the challenge to avoid being clattered. Bizarrely, Huckett was booked for a supposed dive.

Just to rub in the sense of injustice, Sidley retook the lead through what is becoming a trademark Baker wonder strike, curling home a delightful free kick into the top corner from the edge of the D.

Sidley also thought they should have had a penalty when Jordan Wood was brought down in the box, but again nothing was given. At the other end, Saunders parried a ferocious drive from the dangerous Huckett.

The home side, who will visit Croydon in round two, looked to have settled the contest on 77 minutes through Steve Morris' cool placement only for Dave Walker to set up a grandstand finish by blasting home five minutes from the end of normal time.

During the closing stages, Darren Witham hit the crossbar from 30 yards, Arundel had another penalty appeal - this time for handball - waved away, Saunders pulled off a brave save to prevent two forwards from tapping home and then there was that spot of handbags to round things off.

"Over 90 minutes I wouldn't say we played particularly well, but in patches we played very well," said a drained Laskey.

Sidley: Saunders, Witham, Ball, Whiteman, L. Wood, Brown (J. Wood), Willard, Weedon (Ward), O'Callaghan, Baker, S. Morris. Subs not used: Johnson, Temple, Lusted.

Pictured: United defender Nick Whiteman clears while goalkeeper Jon Saunders looks on.