Selby Town 5-1 Cheadle Town
If Selby Town had an electric scoreboard it would have gone into overdrive as Christian Fox’s men moved closer to Wembley with a rampant victory to reach the FA Vase second round.
Nearly four hundred people in a packed and bouncing Fairfax Plant Hire lapped it up as Selby produced their swash-buckling best with a blistering second half performance after ironing out the way forward at half-time.
It should have been more plain sailing against a weak Cheadle Town side, who were somehow level at 1-1 at half-time. Captain Ryan Gothard had headed Selby into a second minute lead with such ease that a cricket score was on the cards.
Although Cheadle had exploited defensive mistakes, the only reason it was level at half-time was because generous refereeing enabled Paul Sunderland to equalise from a free kick.
But the visitors were battered by full force of Selby’s power in the second stanza though and Dan Walker (2), Chris Jackson and Alex Burton blew them away with 346 people cheering every pass and every goal.
“I think we were in control and always in charge of the game,” Selby manager Fox told Non League Yorkshire.
“It is a brilliant victory. We obviously got off to the perfect start after scoring from a corner and I think we did alright for the rest of the first half, but we let them back into the game.
“The frustrating thing from the first half was that all their chances came from our mistakes.
“We had a chat at half-time and sorted a few things out and they have come out in the second half and been absolutely fantastic.
“It was one-way traffic and it could have been more. That’s how we want to play. High energy, high tempo and playing with a purpose of playing forward.”
A very simple corner flew over the visiting goalkeeper for Gothard to dive to head home at the far post in the second minute.
Everyone in the ground expected Selby to go on and kill the visitors off. Instead Cheadle snatched a lifeline thanks to the referee. A free kick on the edge of the penalty area on the half-hour mark should have never been given. It was though and Sunderland fired low and hard to score.
Fox’s words of encouragement at half-time ‘changed the ball game’. Selby showed little mercy towards Cheadle. It felt game-over when Charlie Clamp’s deathly pass was hammered home by Walker four minutes into the second half.
It was fans favourite and local hero Jackson who ensured it was. His bravery was at the fore as he cleverly twisted and lifted the ball over the onrushing Cheadle goalkeeper.
The fourth, coming with 20 minutes left. was a beauty and a fine example of free-flowing football. Casey Stewart and Luke Sellars were initially involved. But it was the superb and unselfish back heel from Josh Walker that enabled his brother Dan to smash home from close range – with that the whole ground erupted.
The fifth goal felt inevitable. Stewart, Jackson and Josh Walker had gone close, but it was left to substitute Alex Burton to score with his first few touches with a low 25-yard drive.
Monday’s second round draw awaits for Selby, whose crowds keep rising. A home draw and four hundred people could descend on Selby Town centre.
“We’re on a fantastic run and from the fans point of view, the FA Vase means a lot because you see it in the attendance figure for today,” Fox said.
“It is a big opportunity to get some funds in through the gate and through the prize money.
“The league is the main priority, but the Vase is great for exposure. Hopefully if we get a home draw it will be rocking and like the Kendal game (in the FA Cup) last season.”
The Teams
Selby Town: Lawrie, Rogerson, Sellars, Ramsey, Gothard (captain), Ann, Jackson, Clamp, J Walker, D Walker, Stewart. Subs: Precious, Holding, Snaith, Flanagan, Burton, Bissett, Ward.
Cheadle Town: Whiting, Machadoi, Hamzat, Hatfield-Banton, Gaskin, Chappell, Clayton, Lunt, Davin, Sunderland, Brooks. Subs: Jenkinson, Piggott, Naughton, Johnson, Russell, Brownhill, Meadowcroft.
Who Was In Charge
Antony Turner (6/10)
How Many Were There
336
Man of the Match
Josh Walker (Selby Town)