Rusthall Win Penalty Thriller as Four of Five West Kent Clubs Advance in the FA Vase

It was a big weekend in the FA Vase for West Kent's Southern Counties East clubs, with four of the five sides in action reaching the second round - Rusthall the pick of them, coming through a seven-goal thriller on penalties. Only Bearsted's run ended, beaten at home by Hassocks. The FA Vase taking over the fixture list meant no Premier or First Division football for any of these five clubs this weekend.

Rusthall survived the tie of the round, twice coming from behind at Fleet Town before winning an eight-round penalty shootout 8-7. Josh Reid fired the visitors ahead inside three minutes, Yassin Fares made it 2-0 on 22 minutes, and Thompson Adeyemi had Rusthall 3-1 up by half-time after Fleet Town pulled one back through George Wallace. Alex MacAllister's brace either side of the hour - including an 87th-minute equaliser - forced extra time and then penalties, where Rusthall held their nerve to progress.

Larkfield & New Hythe were the most comfortable of West Kent's winners, a first-half brace from Andrew Mensah either side of the interval putting them in control before Lauris Chin and George Monger added further goals in a five-minute spell after the break to make it 4-0.

Tunbridge Wells couldn't find a breakthrough against Stansfeld across 90 goalless minutes at Culverden Stadium, but made no mistake in the shootout, converting three of their four penalties to win 3-1 and book a second-round spot.

Snodland Town made home advantage count in front of a season-high crowd of 204, Sekou Traore's 12th-minute strike enough to see off Spartans Youth and send the hosts through to the second round.

Bearsted were the one West Kent side to fall, beaten 2-1 at home by Hassocks. Lewis Croal and Jack Troak had the visitors 2-0 up inside the opening half-hour, and although Dieko Falade pulled one back just before half-time, Bearsted couldn't find an equaliser against a Hassocks side that held on to end the hosts' Vase run at the first hurdle.

Four of West Kent's five SCEFL clubs now head into the FA Vase second round draw, while Bearsted switch their attention to the Kent Senior Trophy alongside the other four. Source: scefl.com