The Larks took the sting out of the Wasps tail after Larkfield & New Hythe came back from behind at half-time against East Grinstead. Deservedly booking their place in the last 32 of the FA Vase with a penalty shootout victory in the 2nd round tie at the Eden Estates Stadium.

Larkfield’s path to the last 64 have included home victories against Balham of the Combined Counties Premier South, and fellow SCEFL Premier rivals Chislehurst Glebe.

For visitors East Grinstead, this season is their first foray in the FA Vase since 2014, having established themselves as a regular in the Isthmian South-East Division.

However, following a disastrous campaign last season, accruing just six points throughout the whole season, the Wasps have steadied themselves so far this term back in step 5. They came into the game on the back of just 1 defeat in their last 14, a run that has seen them climb to 4th in the Southern Combination Premier, and brush aside Lydd Town (9-0), and Bedfont (4-1) in the previous rounds.

The home side started brightly, with Kieron McCann shooting into the side netting early on after a run and cross from the left by Charlie Wright. With striker Andrew Mensah holding the ball up well, and playmaker Lauris Chin controlling the play from the wings, East Grinstead took some time to get into the match

However, the visitors nearly got lucky on ten minutes from a hopeful cross into the box by Nicolas D’Arienzo which beat everyone and cannoned off the home bar and out to safety.

Soon after though, the excellent Yannick Kissi and Kadeem Ajeon combined well down the right flank. This allowed Kissi to run unopposed into the penalty area and fire a deflected shot that Wasps keeper Harry Howes got down well to his left to save.

As the half wore on, so the Visitors slowly became more of a threat. Especially forward Kieron Pamment.

On 20 minutes from a right-sided ball into the danger area, Pamment fired in a shot that was superbly saved low to his right by Larks no.1 Connor Collins.

But just four minutes later Collins was left helpless as East Grinstead took the lead from Pamment’s low shot into the bottom left corner of the net, following a great passing move involving Wasps’ skipper Dan Perry and Curtis Guyler.

The visitors were now in the ascendancy, with Pamment again creating havoc for the home back line. But this time it was Collins who came out on top. Pulling off a stunning point blank block from close range after the Wasps forward broke through the last line of the Larks defence.

The half closed with Larkfield’s Kissi shooting straight at Howes after being put through by Mensah. Then Mensah himself just failing to get on the end of a ball into the six-yard box.

Straight from the restart, Mensah just failed to get a touch following Chin’s mazy run and cross from the left wing. This put Larks on the front foot, and it was no surprise when they finally equalized on 54 minutes.

From the right side, Kissi took the ball into the box and beat his man to get to the by-line. He squared the ball along the goal line and found Mensah who was too strong for his marker and tapped the ball into an empty net.

Kissi then had a go himself from range, as his curling effort floated just wide.

Despite Larkfield starting the 2nd half strongly, East Grinstead continued to remind the hosts that they were not out for the count yet.

From a huge punt forward out of the defence, the ball was held up nicely by Wasps striker Perry, his lay-off found Guyler just inside the penalty area, but he shot wide.

Perry then forced Larks keeper Collins into pulling off a cracking close range stop from a ball in from the right wing.

Back came Larkfield with McCann shooting straight at Howes following a lovely dummy by Chin to create the chance. Then McCann again blasted high and wide after a cross was only partially cleared by the Wasps defence.

With time running out and a penalty shootout looming, both sides had glorious chances to win the tie.

Firstly, East Grinstead substitute Josh Nandhra shot into the arms of Collins when put through by Pamment. Then Chin, running onto a wonderfully threaded through ball from Jay Wade, shot wide across the goal with just Howes to beat.

Finally, the excellent Kissi cleverly lost his marker as he ventured into the penalty area, but his goal-bound shot was blocked by a last ditch tackle from the visitors Alex Malins.

That was the last of the action as the ref blew for full time, and the tie went to penalties.

Charlie Wright, Joshua Kwaku, Lauris Chin and Yannick Kissi all made no mistake from the spot for Larkfield as they progressed through to the next round winning the shootout 4-2 following misses from East Grinstead’s Josh Nandhra and Alex Malins. This despite some controversy as Collins pulled off a great save from Charlie Harris’ kick at 3-1, only for the assistant to advise the referee that his feet were not on the goal line before the kick was taken.

This puts Larkfield through to Round 3 of the FA Vase, equalling their best run in the competition four years ago. No doubt they will be confident of progressing further this time round as they await their fate from Monday’s draw.

In the meantime, the Larks are back in action on Tuesday at home to Greenways in the SCEFL Challenge Cup.

Larkfield – Collins, Kissi, Wright, Monger (Wade), Daly (c), Chari (Fitzgerald), Chin, Ajeon (Kwaku), Mensah, McCann, Palmer

Subs unused- Famose, Uzor

East Grinstead – Howes, Munday (Folkes), D’arienzo, Harris, Cooper, Malins, Freeman,  Gayler, Perry (c) (Nandhra), Pamment, Rogers

Subs – Ledwith, Starkey, Wigmore

Attendance – 81

Pictures supplied by Sophie Barnes.