Striker's pace too much for veterans

Rocquaine United 0, Vale Rec 4

NOT many people would have tipped Vale Rec for the FA Cup at the start of the season but they are now looking good to go all the way. A feature of Chris Hamon's team this season has been their hard work for the entire 90 minutes of a match. And that was evident in yesterday's quarter-final at Victoria Avenue as they overcame Rocquaine United, who are theoretically the old boys' team of the mighty Sylvans side of the 90s.

With North knocked out in the first round, Bels and Sylvans meeting in another quarter-final and the fact that Tiger City got past Rovers to get to the semi-finals, there is every reason why the cup could be sitting in the Corbet Field trophy cabinet come the end of the competition.

'I'm absolutely over the moon to get to the semi-finals,' said Hamon afterwards.

'We did enough to win the game but it could have been a banana skin. They are all good players: they've all got Muratti caps.

'If we had sat back and didn't play, they would have destroyed us.'

Due to the wet conditions, the match was moved from St Peter's to Victoria Avenue, but that did not seem to deter supporters as a large crowd turned out and they were soon entertained as Rec went one up after two minutes.

A wicked Gareth Holden free kick from 25 yards out that left Rocquaine's keeper Ian Drillot for dead deserved to go in, but instead Marc Rihoy was there to put it away when it rebounded off the bar. Shortly afterwards Dave Woodhead also hit the bar with a speculative long-range chip from out on the left wing.

Junior island sprinter and under-18 striker Robbie Titterington, up front for Rec, caused Rocquine's veteran defence problems all game with his electrifying pace.

He popped up for his team's second goal when Rocquaine's centre half and captain Joel Avery chested a ball to Drillot, but was left standing with hands on hips in a state of self disgust when Titterington put his foot on the pedal to intercept it and put it home.

A couple of minutes later Titterington thought he had created his team's third when he used his exceptional speed to get behind the defence and put the ball into the middle to find Holden to hit the back of the net. But linesman Geoff Greening had other ideas as he flagged for offside.

'He's a live wire and when you've got someone with that pace in your team, it's great,' said Hamon about Titterington.

'In this day and age when defenders can't touch anyone and you've got him running at you, it's frightening.'

United had their best chance of the opening period on the stroke of half-time when Grant Chalmers beat Jody Bisson with a low shot only to see it cleared off the line by Mark Ramsden.

The Rec midfielder was again in the spotlight soon into the second half but this time for the wrong reason when he came in with a nasty tackle on Tony Vance to earn from referee Pete Davison a second yellow and an early bath.

Now down to 10 men, it only served to add more resolve to Rec as United failed to take advantage of their extra man.

Things started to get tetchy and the match cried out for another goal.

It arrived in the 85th minute when, in the first meaningful attack of the half, Holden broke free down the wing to find Titterington in the six-yard box and he turned the ball past Drillot.

With a minute left on the clock, Titterington had a golden chance of his hat-trick when he beat Drillot in a one-on-one but could only squirm when his shot found the side netting and not the open goal.

'I couldn't believe it. When I kicked the ball, I knew it wasn't going in because I had caught my studs on the ground,' said Titterington.

For Rocquaine, who were created just for the cup, and their coach Colin Renouf it was the end of an adventure.

'I wouldn't have missed this for anything,' said Renouf.

'I'm obviously now disappointed. They didn't have one corner and we had lots of possession but didn't make it count.

'But definitely they deserved it.'