FA Vase win makes it three in a row for Lancing

Dale Hurley’s rejuvenated team have now won three matches on the bounce – and they pick up £725 in prize money for the latest win, as well as a spot in the first round proper.

Quite how Croydon did not find the net will forever be a mystery, with four efforts cleared off the line and a string of superb saves from Lancing keeper Elliott Dailly.

But Lancing hung on to prevail via the only stat that matters and will now play in the next round on October 10.

The Lancers could have avoided such a nerve-shredder had they taken more than just the one of their chances before the break. Dylan Hurst had a shot deflected wide whilst Ramon Elliott’s back header almost flew beyond his own keeper after chaos in the box.

But the south London side slowly worked their way back into the contest, with Ali Fofahan the visitors string pulling creator in chief. Time and again, he proved a thorn in the Lancers side.

He brought a fine save out of Dailly having cut in from the left, then showcased his pace and trickery with a lung busting surge – only to once more be denied by the efforts of the Lancing stopper.

Those interventions proved pivotal as the Culver Road side moved ahead with the next attack. It was superb play from Antoine Sharpe as he stayed on his feet in a challenge and waltzed past five opponents, twisting one way and then the other to create an opening. Spotting the run of Walter, Sharpe threaded his pass into the path of the onrushing no.10 who did the rest with a good low finish beyond the advancing Tommy Taylor.

Hurst went close with another sighter from range before Archie McGonigle perhaps should have done better with a header.

Harry Bradford became the latest visiting player to go close when his effort was spilled by Dailly. Zack Loveridge raced on to the rebound but Kai Birchley was able to get a foot on the ball and clear off the line.

Scott Packer was next to the rescue as the captain was in the right place at the right time to hack Elliott’s miscue to safety from under the bar.

If Croydon were knocking on the door by now, then they threatened to knock it clean off its hinges after half time.

Lancing found themselves a side under siege, holding firm through a combination of their visitors wastefulness and their own defensive rearguard.

Croydon had a third effort off the line through Joe Freeman, before Dailly saved superbly with his foot to deny substitute Ramon Lewis when one-on-one.

Captain Kieran Rufus flicked a header off the upright whilst Ted Dwyer fired wide and, incredibly, Bradford was thwarted on the line for a second time – the fourth occasion the south London side were denied in such a manner.

The Lancers were living a charmed life with the 164 inside the ground watching nervously through collective fingers as The Trams pushed full steam ahead.

An equaliser would have brought the prospect of penalties for the third time this season. But as the tie entered six long and agonising minutes of stoppage time, Alfie Clark’s toe-poke trickled narrowly wide and that was Croydon’s final flourish.

Lancing have been drawn against Isthmian Premier League side Whitehawk in the Sussex Senior Cup. Before that, they host ex-boss Naim Rouane and Roffey on Saturday.