Vase is Shaded by the Yellamen

This is the first of two blogpost from the "Non-League" Finals day at Wembley.

It's a half-and-half reverse-orientation programme (and very good, to be fair).

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Sunday 21 May 2023 at Wembley
Result	Ascot United 1 Newport Pagnell Town 0
Competition	FA Vase Final
Hopstats	First part of my 27th visit to the refurbished Wembley stadium, and the 29th game (there having been two previous double-headers).
Context
Ascot United are this season’s champions of the Combined Counties Premier League North. Newport Pagnell are the holders of the FA Vase and finished third in their league, the United Counties Premier League North.
In One Sentence
Never a dull game at any moment, and an even contest between two well-matched sides, won by a solitary late glancing header.
Pre-Match
I am all out of ideas for Wembley photographs with a new angle, so this post brings you the chance for an in-depth assessment of Bobby Moore’s right knee. I think you’ll agree that it is one of the greatest knees in English football history.
The Match Report
The sides traded chances and half-chances throughout the first half. Generally, defences coped well with each other’s approach play. Ascot nearly scored from their first corner after five minutes, but Christian Smail was in position at the post to head Jordan Ajanlekoko’s header off the line. Then, Newport’s Mo Ahmed hit the woodwork from a narrow angle when it looked from the other end of the ground that there was a better crossing option. There was a lengthy stoppage for a clash of heads between NPT’s Russell Short and Ascot’s Rob Gerrard, who were both substituted. The end-to-end action continued. From my end, I could pick out instances of great defensive work by NPT’s Lewis Wilson and sub Shane Bush, and there would be similar examples at the other end too. NPT hit the post again at least once. 1-1 at the interval would have been a fair enough scoreline, but 0-0 it was, with all to play for. With hindsight, NPT’s “What if?” moment came early in the second half. Jake Watkinson was in a great position to receive Albie Hall’s cross but the ball seemed to spin off in an unintended direction with the goal at his mercy. The game was still goalless at the hour mark, maybe a bit more cagey now as players became both weary and wary. Ascot, I think it was sub Marcus Mealing, headed against the bar from a corner. The decisive goal came from an Ascot break, An initial cross from the left was too deep but Sean McCormack sent it back in and the first half sub, Kai Walters, produced a glancing header at the near post which crept in at the far post. This left ten minutes plus stoppage time for NPT to get back into it. Ascot managed this well enough, with several stoppages for treatment breaking up the play. For this passing neutral, it had been a decent balance between tension and entertainment. I’d watched the game from within the Newport Pagnell section, which then (as did Ascot’s after their presentation) largely emptied for the following game, just as the opposite side of the ground had largely been empty of Halifax and Gateshead supporters for this first one. I reckon unofficially that the 27000 total attendance was around 10000 for the Vase and 17000 for the Trophy. Both of these sides and their supporters come out of today with credit. NPT can have another go at it next season, but I assume Ascot United will be moving up to Step 4 and will not be eligible. Some Newport Pagnell fans will have been more deflated than others after the game
Match and Post-Match Pix
Newport Pagnell Town in Green shirts.
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Twitter just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable test of statistical significance, it looks like an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test will be appropriate. The full keeper top performance table from my last 279 matches is here, on this separate page, and I’ll organise the test when we reach 300 pieces of evidence. Today Grey beats Orange and keeps a clean sheet, with no change to the league table positions. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Ascot United Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 47% (62 from 133)
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! EFL Playoff weekend coming up next and I will try to get to all three games.

 

Three Brown Finishes Putting the Redhill Gloss on a Visit to Green Lane

 

Hopperational Details
Date & Venue	Saturday 7 August 2021 at Green Lane
Result	CB Hounslow United 0 Redhill 3
Competition	FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
Hopstats	Ground #720 on the lifetime list and I am here pragmatically rather than randomly. This is the closest FA Cup tie at an unvisited ground.
Context
First competitive game of the season for Hounslow. Redhill scored a very, very late winner in their first league game in midweek. Both teams are in the Combined Counties League at Step 5, but in different divisions : Hounslow are in the North and Redhill in the South. The CB stands for Cater Bank, a link with one of the club's founders.
In One Sentence
A comfortable and deserved win in the end, thanks to a well-taken hat-trick, but the home side were in the game for the first hour while the deficit was only one goal.
So What?
Redhill will welcome Deal Town in the Preliminary Round in a fortnight.
Pre-match Entertainment
Not a lot. Sitting in the Yappmobile learning Spanish on Duolingo during a downpour was as good as it got today.
Match Report
The match kicked off underneath an Airbus 350, Flight SQ308 from Singapore. Even during this pandemic, there was to be a steady stream of aircraft providing alternative geek interest as they lumbered overhead. There was a gusty breeze and Redhill did the early pressing. It took a few minutes for the home side to settle into a pattern – for the first fifteen they saw very little of the ball, and committed a few fouls to give Redhill hope from set pieces. Three players (two home, one away) went into the book for mistimed tackles. On the half-hour, a good right-wing cross from Redhill’s Noe Vendrells fell nicely for Nathan Hogan, who was unlucky to see his cushioned volley come back off the crossbar. It took until the 42nd minute before the deadlock was broken, and it was a deserved lead for Redhill on balance of play. Arlie Tallboys combined well with Vendrells who crossed low this time. The ball broke to Aidan Brown who had time to pick his spot for a low left-foot shot into the bottom right corner. Redhill should probably have had a second before half-time. Vendrells played in Tallboys who shot over the bar. At the half-time whistle, I speculated in my notes whether Redhill would rue these missed chances when playing with the wind in the other direction. Half Time: CB Hounslow Utd 0 Redhill 1 The home keeper kept his side in the game soon after the restart. A towering header by Redhill’s No.6 from a corner was touched on to the woodwork and then away. It needed a penalty just after the hour to calm any Redhill nervousness. Vendrells was brought down at the edge of the area, and Brown calmly sent the keeper the wrong way to score. The incident was on the opposite side from me, but the referee was well placed. Within three minutes Brown had completed his hat-trick, holding off a defender on the break to round the keeper and shoot home to remove any final lingering doubt about the outcome of the contest. He celebrated with a somersault this time. Three calm and composed finishes represent a good day’s work. CB Hounslow should have had a consolation goal at least. Their No.9 looked useful but today he was living off scraps and the wind didn’t help hold-up play. The last twenty minutes remained entertaining and end-to-end but by now the result was no longer in doubt. The rain returned on my journey home along the dreaded M25 western section, but at least with the consolation of a spectacular double rainbow, still good to see even when you know the physics!
Match Pix
CB Hounslow United in green.
Ground Pix
This is a newly refurbished venue, with a good playing surface, sitting almost directly underneath the final approach to one of the Heathrow runways. It is in good order except for the PA system, which from the far side (with my dodgy hearing) sounded like Pingu playing the baritone kazoo.
Health & Safety
Covid case prevalence is higher than at the time of my last hop in December 2020, but of course this time the numbers are falling and a large number of people are double-vaccinated. So, even without hand sanitisers, temperature checks, one-way systems and the like, this felt safe enough and low risk. People were sensible and respected the space for others as necessary. A stiff breeze kept the stand well-ventilated. To be brutally honest, this was less risky than going to work as a teacher back in June and July. Until case numbers drop even lower, I will be avoiding clubhouses and staying outside, which is a pity because CB Hounslow United seem to have a very good new one!
Goalkeeper Top Colour Stats Update
Usually accompanied by a pre-match prediction on Twitter just before kickoff. Working towards being able to compute a respectable statistical significance test by the end of the season. The full keeper top performance table from my last 221 matches is here, on this separate page. Today, Blue gets a win and a clean sheet, defeating Yellow. Pre-match Prediction based on Keeper Top Colour: Prediction: Away Win Was the prediction correct? Yes % of correct predictions so far 49% (37 from 76) Based on conventional 3pts for a win, 1pt for a draw, but also -1pt for a goal conceded (GC) and +5pts for a clean sheet (CS).  Colours ranked on a points per game (PPG) basis. The odd decimal places were caused either by undeniable half-and-half tops or lower league sub keepers in a different colour.  The Fire Cracker colour was confirmed with the help of the social media team at Dulux UK.  All of this arises from a comment attributed to Petr Cech (and supported by anonymous scientists of some description) that orange is the best colour for a goalkeeper because it changes the behaviour of other players around the box. It is supposedly because of an innate primeval human reaction to the colour and the colour “spreads” more in the vision of a striker at the key moment of decision. Genius or garbage? The evidence is gathering here, and is leaning towards the latter.
What Next?
Follow @GrahamYapp on Twitter! I have 29 grounds on my priority list this year. Brentford and AFC Wimbledon would restore “The 92” and “The 115” and there are new Step 2 venues at Boston United, Gloucester City and York City. At Step 3, there is just one, at Wimborne Town. The other 23 are dotted around Step 4, many of them longish journeys from Chateau Yapp so this could take a couple of seasons unless I am lucky with weather and fixtures. Covid case numbers will also play a part (but hopefully minor) in decisions, at least at the start of the season, and I will re-introduce the blog’s signature random element as soon as possible.