Shoot-Out Drama, Statement Victories — And Two Sunday Ties Still to Come
Dougie
FA Vase
Sussex’s clubs experienced almost every emotion available during a packed opening weekend in the Isuzu FA Vase.
Across Friday and Saturday, 16 first-round qualifying ties involving Sussex sides produced 60 goals in normal time, five penalty shoot-outs and nine county winners. There were emphatic victories for Jarvis Brook, Worthing United and Wick, late drama at Hassocks, and successful shoot-outs for Saltdean United, Lancing and Midhurst & Easebourne.
The weekend is not finished, either. Roffey face Hollands & Blair at Horsham FC today, while Bexhill United’s tie against Erith & Belvedere is also being played this afternoon, albeit at the Kent club’s Acclaim Handling Community Stadium in Welling.
Every first-round qualifying winner receives £550, while losing clubs collect £160. Those progressing will return for the second qualifying round on Saturday, September 12, when £725 will be available to each winning club.
Friday Night: Wick Take Derby Honours
Wick 4–1 Loxwood
Wick provided Sussex’s first success of the weekend by defeating fellow Southern Combination side Loxwood 4–1 on Friday evening.
The tie remained competitive during the opening half. Wick reached the interval 2–1 ahead, leaving Loxwood within one goal of forcing their way back into the contest.
The hosts took control after the break, however, scoring twice without reply and eventually registering a convincing three-goal victory. It was an impressive response from Wick in a match that carried the additional pressure of being a county derby and the first Sussex tie of the round.
Wick’s reward is a second-qualifying-round trip to Hythe Town on September 12. Loxwood, meanwhile, became the first Sussex club eliminated from this season’s competition.
Jarvis Brook Make History in Five-Goal First-Half Blitz
Jarvis Brook 5–0 East Preston
Jarvis Brook’s first home appearance in the FA Vase became an afternoon that will be remembered at the Lime Kiln Playing Field for years.
All five goals arrived before half-time as Charlie Baitup, Liam Edwards and Jimmy Hoy joined William Street, who scored twice, on the scoresheet. It was an extraordinary opening 45 minutes from the hosts, who effectively settled the all-Sussex tie before the interval.
The second half did not produce further scoring, but that was of little concern to Jarvis Brook. Their work had been completed during a ruthless first period in which five separate scoring contributions — Street’s double and three other individual goals — overwhelmed East Preston.
An attendance of 101 witnessed the historic result. The clean sheet was another encouraging feature for Jarvis Brook, who resisted any temptation to allow the contest to become unnecessarily open after the restart.
For East Preston, it was a painful afternoon. They had already suffered defeats against Dial Square and Arundel during the opening weeks of the campaign, and conceding five times before the break left them with an impossible recovery task.
Jarvis Brook now travel to Welling Town in the second qualifying round, carrying both confidence and a memorable first FA Vase home victory with them.
Worthing United Dominate Derby with Ringmer
Worthing United 4–0 Ringmer
Worthing United delivered another of the weekend’s standout Sussex performances, beating Ringmer 4–0 at the Robert Albon Memorial Ground.
Dean Sherwood opened the scoring with a 25-yard free kick after just two minutes, Danny Kingston powered home a header from Ahmed Kamil’s delivery four minutes later, and Liam Appleton forced home a third before the interval. Kingston completed both the scoring and his brace from the penalty spot late on, with the relentless Kamil — involved in three of the four goals — named man of the match. Worthing United were clinical when their opportunities arrived and equally effective in preventing Ringmer from establishing any sustained attacking rhythm.
The result continued United’s excellent start at home. They defeated Loxwood 3–1 in their opening Division One fixture and have now scored seven goals in two home matches while conceding only once.
A home tie against Arundel awaits in the next round. That guarantees further Southern Combination representation while giving Worthing United an opportunity to build on one of the most convincing results of the weekend.
Seaford Leave It Late at the Crouch
Seaford Town 2–1 Halls Athletic
Seaford Town progressed through a dramatic finish against Halls Athletic, with Callum Connor scoring both of the home side’s goals.
The decisive moment arrived late in the contest. With the tie balanced at 1–1 and the possibility of penalties drawing closer, Connor struck again to complete his brace and send Seaford through.
It was an important result for a Seaford team that has already demonstrated an ability to negotiate tight matches. Rather than allowing the pressure of a level cup tie to dictate their play, they continued searching for the winning opportunity and were rewarded near the end.
Connor’s double accounted for all of Seaford’s attacking output, but the result also required concentration at the other end. Once the second goal arrived, Town successfully managed the closing stages and avoided the uncertainty of a shoot-out.
Seaford will host Chipstead in the second qualifying round.
Troak Becomes Hassocks’ Late Hero
Hassocks 1–0 Petts Wood & Holmesdale
Jack Troak scored an 86th-minute winner as Hassocks edged past Petts Wood & Holmesdale at the Beacon.
For long periods, the match appeared destined for penalties. Hassocks worked hard defensively but found clear opportunities difficult to create against disciplined opposition.
The breakthrough finally came with four minutes of normal time remaining. Troak’s late intervention changed the entire complexion of the afternoon, giving the Robins a lead they protected through the closing minutes.
A 1–0 cup victory may lack the spectacular scoreline recorded elsewhere, but the manner of the performance offered plenty of encouragement. Hassocks remained patient, kept a clean sheet and found a way to win when the match had entered its decisive phase.
Their reward is another home tie, this time against Abbey Rangers, in the second qualifying round.
Saltdean Perfect from the Spot
Saltdean United 2–2 Colliers Wood United — Saltdean won 3–0 on penalties
Saltdean United and Colliers Wood United produced one of Saturday’s most dramatic ties at Hill Park.
Luke Marshall and Alfie Mitchell were recorded as Saltdean’s goalscorers during a 2–2 draw in normal time. Neither side could establish a decisive advantage, and with FA Vase replays no longer part of the competition, the tie went directly to penalties.
What followed was a remarkably one-sided shoot-out. Saltdean converted three kicks and prevented Colliers Wood from scoring any of theirs, winning 3–0.
That outcome reflected a combination of composure from Saltdean’s takers and outstanding work by their goalkeeper and defensive unit. Keeping a team scoreless across a shoot-out is unusual and turned an evenly contested 90 minutes into an emphatic conclusion.
Saltdean will travel to Forest Row in the next round, creating another all-Sussex tie and guaranteeing at least one of the clubs a place in the first round proper.
Midhurst Survive Six-Goal Thriller
Midhurst & Easebourne 3–3 Warminster Town — Midhurst won 5–3 on penalties
There was even more drama at The Rotherfield, where Midhurst & Easebourne and Warminster Town shared six goals before the Sussex side prevailed 5–3 in the shoot-out.
The fluctuating nature of a 3–3 cup tie meant neither team could afford to relax. Every advantage was challenged, and the outcome remained uncertain through to the final whistle.
Goalkeeper Ellis Grant then made the crucial intervention during the shoot-out, saving one of Warminster’s penalties. With Midhurst’s takers maintaining their composure, Henry Searle stepped forward to score the kick that completed the 5–3 victory.
It was an especially valuable result because Midhurst had to recover mentally from conceding three times in normal play. Shoot-outs often favour the team arriving with the greater momentum, but Midhurst were able to reset quickly and execute all five of their kicks.
They now face an away tie at Whitchurch United on September 12.
Lancing Win the Coastal Shoot-Out
Shoreham 1–1 Lancing — Lancing won 4–2 on penalties
The derby between Shoreham and Lancing also required penalties after the sides finished level at 1–1.
The shoot-out belonged to Lancing. They converted four times and restricted Shoreham to two successful kicks, securing a 4–2 victory.
The result was particularly significant given Lancing’s difficult start to the season. They had lost their opening Premier Division matches and were beaten 6–0 by SE Dons in the FA Cup. Winning a close derby under pressure therefore represented both cup progress and a potentially important confidence boost.
For Shoreham, elimination was cruel after a match in which almost nothing separated the teams over 90 minutes. One successful penalty either way can alter the entire story of a shoot-out, and Lancing proved more assured when it mattered.
Croydon will provide Lancing’s opposition in the second qualifying round.
Pagham Squeeze Through
Pagham 1–0 Millbrook
Pagham continued Sussex’s successful afternoon by defeating Hampshire side Millbrook 1–0.
It was a tight contest in which a single goal proved sufficient.
Pagham combined that breakthrough with a clean sheet, denying Millbrook the equaliser that would have taken the tie to penalties.
The Lions have made a positive start to the campaign at their Covers Arena home, and this was another disciplined result. Cup football frequently rewards sides capable of controlling narrow advantages, and Pagham successfully managed the most delicate of leads.
They will remain at home in the second qualifying round, where Newport (Isle of Wight) are scheduled to provide the opposition.
Sussex Exits Against Powerful Opposition
Mile Oak 1–4 Banstead Athletic
Mile Oak were eliminated after Banstead Athletic recorded a 4–1 victory. The visitors’ attacking efficiency gave Mile Oak an increasingly difficult task, and although the Sussex side found the net, they were unable to slow Banstead’s momentum.
Banstead progress to visit Rochester United.
SE Dons 4–0 Little Common
Little Common faced one of the most difficult assignments of the round against SE Dons and were beaten 4–0.
SE Dons had already shown their quality by defeating Lancing 6–0 in the FA Cup a week earlier. They maintained that form with another convincing performance, leaving Little Common unable to establish a route back into the tie.
The London side now travel to Greenways.
Newhaven 0–1 Guernsey
Charlton Gauvain’s tenth-minute goal decided a closely fought match at Newhaven.
Guernsey struck early and then protected the advantage for the remaining 80 minutes. Newhaven had substantial time to search for an equaliser, but the visitors defended their penalty area effectively and completed the clean sheet.
The difference was ultimately one early finish. Guernsey now await the winners of today’s Roffey versus Hollands & Blair tie.
Horsham YMCA 1–5 Epsom & Ewell
Horsham YMCA’s afternoon ended in a heavy defeat after Epsom & Ewell pulled away during the closing stages.
Blessing Homebessa completed a remarkable late hat-trick, scoring in the 81st minute and again in the second and fifth minutes of stoppage time. Those three goals transformed what had been a more competitive scoreline into a 5–1 final result.
The late collapse will be particularly frustrating for YMCA. Once Epsom’s third goal arrived, the visitors exploited the additional spaces created as the hosts attempted to recover.
Westfield 2–2 AFC Walcountians — Walcountians won 5–3 on penalties
Westfield’s first-ever FA Vase tie ended in shoot-out heartbreak. Dylan Phillips volleyed the hosts ahead inside six minutes, and captain Bradley Pritchard’s second-half penalty had the Westies 2–1 up with 17 minutes remaining, before Walcountians levelled late through a rebound and converted all five of their kicks to win the shoot-out 5–3.
The visitors earned a second-round trip to Rusthall — but the historic afternoon, and how close Westfield came, will be remembered at the club. Jack Stapley’s full report from inside the ground is later in this issue.
Balham 6–1 Oakwood
Oakwood suffered the heaviest Sussex defeat of the round, losing 6–1 at Balham’s Imperial Fields home.
Scoring six times underlined Balham’s superiority, while Oakwood’s consolation did little to alter the direction of the tie. Balham will visit Larkfield & New Hythe next.
Selsey 1–1 Hamworthy United — Hamworthy won 4–3 on penalties
Selsey came within one kick of progressing after holding Hamworthy United to a 1–1 draw.
Jack Kinge-Phillips headed Hamworthy in front after 17 minutes, but Selsey recovered and forced the contest to penalties. The shoot-out remained tight before the visitors edged it 4–3, with Hamworthy goalkeeper Knibbs emerging as the decisive figure.
Selsey can take encouragement from competing so closely with strong Wessex League opposition, but the narrowness of the defeat will make it no less painful.
Two More Sussex Ties Today
The county’s first-round qualifying programme concludes with two 3pm kick-offs today.
Roffey host Hollands & Blair at Horsham FC’s Fusion Aviation Stadium rather than their usual Bartholomew Way home. The winners will face Guernsey, who booked their place by defeating Newhaven.
Bexhill United are officially the home club against Erith & Belvedere, but the tie is being played at Erith’s Acclaim Handling Community Stadium in Welling. Bexhill cannot use the Polegrove during the cricket season, meaning they must attempt to progress while playing on their opponents’ ground.
The winners of that match will travel to Tooting Bec.
With nine Sussex clubs already safely through, today offers Roffey and Bexhill the opportunity to increase the county’s second-qualifying-round representation to 11. Both ties must be decided on the day, with penalties to follow if the scores are level after 90 minutes.
For the successful sides, Wembley remains a distant dream. The final will be played on Sunday, May 16, 2027. At this stage, however, the immediate prize is another national cup occasion on September 12 — and the knowledge that Sussex has already made a substantial impression on the opening weekend.
VASE WEEKEND IN SUSSEX. PHOTO: TOMMY MCMILLAN (@TOMMYMC93289518)
First published in Dugout News, Issue 002, Sunday 16 August 2026. Republished here in full.
