Late Spence strike secures historic win for Hebburn over Longridge in FA Vase
Buildbase FA Vase 5th Round
Longridge Town 0-1 (AET) Hebburn Town
Spence 117
A late Robbie Spence strike in extra time sent Hebburn Town through to the quarter-finals of the FA Vase with a 1-0 win at Longridge Town yesterday.
The result means Hebburn have got the furthest they’ve ever been in the Vase, beating the previous record of the fifth round last season.
Hornets manager Kevin Bolam named an unchanged side yet again going into the game.
Hebburn started brightly and came close five minutes in when Olly Martin cut across goal and his shot went just wide.
12 minutes later, Michael Richardson came close when his shot on the edge of the box was pushed wide by the ‘keeper.
The visitors continued to dominate and in the 27th minute, Graeme Armstrong slid the ball over the bar after a good ball in from the right.
Just before half time, Armstrong came incredibly close again when his header at the far post brought about a double save from Longridge ‘keeper Lee Dovey.
Longridge improved early in the second half, and their first real chance of the game came in the 46th minute when Scott Harries’ long range shot went just wide.
Chances were few and far between after that until the 89th minute when Hebburn substitute Cedwyn Scott rounded the keeper and his shot was cleared off the line.
Three minutes into extra time, Longridge came incredibly close when Thomas Ince put a good ball in from the left and substitute Ryan McKenna headed just wide.
Five minutes later, Hebburn’s Tom Potter had an effort cleared off the line.
The Hornets finally got their winner three minutes from time when Michael McKeown’s free kick was parried forward and Spence was on hand to put away the rebound – sending the visiting support wild.
Hebburn will find out their next opponents in the Vase on Monday.
Longridge Town: Dovey, Linighan, Heaton, Wilkinson, Carsley, Harries, Wicks, Fletcher, Morris (McKenna 81), Ince, Turner (Birch 68).
Booked: Heaton, Birch, Wicks and Harries.
Subs not used: Dewhurst, Howarth and Murphy.
Hebburn Town: Foden, Groves, Carson, Storey, Lough, McKeown, Spence, Potter, Richardson, Martin (Sullivan 100), Armstrong (Scott 76).
Booked: Lough, Spence and McKeown.
Subs not used: Suddick, Dibb-Fuller, Taylor, Eleftheriadis.
Attendance: 692
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