20170429 Parkgate

AS champagne continues to be sprayed and league
trophies are lifted high above heads, the
countdown continues to the biggest day in the
Non-League calendar – Finals Day.
This year, as last, the FA Trophy and FA Vase
showpiece matches will take place on the same day
under the Wembley arch in a real celebration of the
beautiful game below the Football League.
Lincoln City, who recently wrapped up the National
League and with it promotion to the EFL, agonisingly
missed out on reaching Wembley, beaten over two
legs by York City. The Minstermen will face
Macclesfield Town after they disposed of Tranmere
Rovers, who challenged the Imps in the top-tier for
so long.
In the Vase, Cleethorpes Town, who were
established as Lincolnshire Soccer School in 1998
and entered the Lincolnshire League just 14 years
ago, will clash with South Shields in the Owls’ first
ever Vase final. It’s also the Mariners’ first ever Vase
final with that and the Trophy clash both taking
place on May 21.
Last year, 46,781 watched Morpeth Town and FC
Halifax Town upset the odds to lift the Vase and
Trophy respectively. Morpeth came from a goal
down inside two minutes to beat Hereford, with
over 20,000 Bulls fans left devastated at the home
of football.
Whether they’ll be
winners under the arch
is yet to be seen, though
they face a tough outfit in South
Shields, who racked up a mammoth 108 points in
winning the Northern League, ahead of last year’s
Vase winners Morpeth.
Out of the 42 matches played, Graham Fenton’s
side won 34 of them, losing just twice. And
remember, Fenton has Vase pedigree having led
North Shields to success in the 2015 FA Vase,
beating Glossop North End 2–1 in the final.
York will be underdogs in the Trophy final, having
struggled back in the Non-League ranks whereas
Macc have had a steady season in the top-tier.
North Ferriby showed that the Trophy can be won
from Step 2 in 2015 though, so don’t write off City
just yet.
There’s still chance to buy your tickets, and they’re
reasonably priced too, priced at £25 for adults, £10
for concessions and £1 for children whilst there is
also a special group rate which reduces prices to
£12.50 for adults and £5 for concessions.
Make sure you get yours and make it a day to
remember for the whole of Non-League
Joshua Peck
Just a couple of hours after Chris Swailes,
Wembley’s oldest goalscorer, lifted the trophy, FC
Halifax Town were doing the same, having seen off
Grimsby Town. It really was a great day of football,
even for the neutral.
Cleethorpes have already received a huge boost
ahead of the upcoming final, named joint winners of
the 2017 Buildbase Club Renovation Programme.
The Lincolnshire-based club will share the £100,000
product bursary with west London outfit Hanwell
Town following a Dragons Den-style pitching event
for six finalists held at Wembley.
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