Ollerton Town 0 - Sleaford Town 6

The Greens were thoroughly dominant throughout the contest and could well have won by an even larger margin had they not found home keeper Dylan Hough in stunning form. But despite his heroics, the Greens were always a class above their step six opponents on the day, and they all but won the game in a frantic first 20 minutes that saw the Greens grab three goals inside a six minute period. Despite a more dogged opening to the second half from the hosts, the Greens eventually made the most of a tiring Ollerton backline to score three more and secure the clubs biggest ever FA Vase victory.

Player/Manager Tom Ward made three changes from the side that ended their four game winless streak in United Counties League Premier Division North action with a 1-0 victory over Newark & Sherwood United last weekend. That trio of alterations saw Issa Gaye, Sebastian Robbemond and Kyle Watkins all drop out of the starting eleven and they were replaced by Max Ward, Lewis Daff and the returning Akeel Francis in Nottinghamshire. Hosts Ollerton meanwhile were defeated 6-0 in midweek by Wombwell Town in the Northern Counties East League Cup, and they made four changes from that side as Calab Palmer, Jack Appleton, Harley Williams-Brown and Charlie Clayton all dropped out of the side with Dylan Hough, Harry Hurst, Ethan Thorpe and Ewan Birch replacing them.

The Greens made a fast start in Nottinghamshire and could have taken an early 5th minute lead when Akeel Francis worked space on the edge of the box before sweeping an effort inches wide of the right-hand post. That lively start was to be converted into a lead though and it was Akeel Francis again who was set free down to the right to square for Ryan Rushen to tap home the opener from close range. That lead was doubled just two minutes later when persistent work from Ryan Lennon saw him finally wrestle free from the attentions of the Ollerton defenders, before powering past Hough in the Town goal. The Greens were then all but out of sight just a further two minutes later when Ryan Lennon turned provider to lay on Akeel Francis to tap home from close range on his return to the starting eleven after his move back to the Longwater Stadium from Grantham Town.

Despite gathering that healthy lead, the Greens continued to push hard for a fourth but were repelled on a series of occasions by a string of spectacular saves from home keeper Dylan Hough. First Hough dived well to beat away Dominic Kew’s stinging effort, before he was lively to palm Ryan Lennon’s effort aside following the forward man’s powerful drive. When the Greens did finally breach Hough, they found Ethan Hargreaves on hand to first block Dom Kew’s deflected effort, before being in the right place to deny Akeel Francis from the follow-up. Hough was in action again a few moments later when he made an incredible save with his feet after Akeel Francis had found his way through Ollerton’s backline, before rising up well to tip Ryan Rushen’s close range header over the crossbar on the stroke of half-time.

A quiet start to the second period only gave way to another spell of Greens domination and fine inter-play between Dom Kew and Ryan Lennon saw the latter stab an effort inches wide of the post, before Dylan Hough was again the Greens nemesis, first denying Marcus Pancho from close range, before pulling off an incredible diving save to tip another Pancho effort up and over the crossbar. Just a minute later though Hough went from hero to zero when, from the resulting corner, he allowed Akeel Francis’ effort to slip through his grasp and into the net to put the Greens 4-0 up.

The Greens did not let up though and the hosts were thankful to Sam Roebuck’s goal-line clearance preventing Dom Kew’s effort from crossing the line, before Hough was on hand to beat aside yet another Marcus Pancho effort after he’d been set up by Finlay Armond. The Greens did soon have their fifth though as they capitalised upon a tiring defence – Armond closing down keeper Hough to free Akeel Francis to return the pass allowing Armond to guide a fine header over the keeper and into the net. There was still time for Hough to produce another stunning save as he got down at close range to beat away another Akeel Francis effort, but despite those heroics, the Greens did register a sixth with two minutes remaining when another fine hand from Hough deflected into the path of Ryan Rushen who bundled home from close range to see the Greens through to the 1st Round in impressive fashion.

The Greens will now turn their attentions back to United Counties League Premier Division North action next weekend with a trip to face Heanor Town. Kick-off at the Town Ground is set for 3PM.

Words: Oliver Atkin