Jam’s the man as Fairford beat Reading City in the FA Vase
Jamal Lawrence scored a hattrick as Fairford Town booked their place in the First Round proper of the FA Vase, beating Reading City 4-1 at Cinder Lane.
After a disjointed and goalless first half, Fairford were much improved after the break and Lawrence would break the deadlock after being played in by Charlie McCrae.
Lawrence added a second just after the hour mark, after being picked out again by McCrae and slotting home in the one on one.
McCrae grabbed a goal that his performance deserved with just under twenty minutes left on the clock, before Ewan Lynch pulled a goal back for the visitors from the penalty spot.
Then, as the clocked ticked into 90 minutes, Lawrence found himself one on one again and once again was clinical in firing into the bottom corner.
Fairford have secured a spot in the First Round proper for the second season in a row, having previously been knocked out in their first game of the competition in the three previous seasons, stretching back to the 2020/21 season.
A win in the next round will see Jamie Reid’s side equal their best ever run in the FA Vase, with Fairford having reached the Second Round proper eight times in their history.
Fairford will now look to continue their unbeaten start in the 2024/25 Hellenic Premier season with home games against Highworth Town – on Tuesday night, and Tuffley Rovers next weekend concluding what has been a very good September for the club.
The game itself started with both sides having chances in the opening two minutes, with Lawrence scuffing wide inside the first sixty seconds and Reading captain Josh Baines blazing over from 18 yards moments later.
The first half saw Fairford struggle for rhythm and composure on the ball, particularly in midfield – with Charlie McCrae, Joe Shutt and Ben Lodge trying to be an option for an out ball.
Henry Birkett headed a corner off the line, as a flurry of Reading corners tested the Fairford backline.
Joe Shutt was booked for a naughty challenge on Rob Gerrard, with the winger catching the Reading man on the calf and generating a loud cry of pain from Gerrard.
Ben Mitchell did well to save the resulting free kick from Sal Abubakar – one of only two strenuous saves he would have to make in the game.
Charlie McCrae headed wide twice, before Joe Shutt had an effort on goal blocked, as Fairford tried to force themselves into a bit of form.
Declan Joyce nearly broke the deadlock for the visitors, but his cross clipped the crossbar after sailing over Mitchell.
Fairford came out for the second half like a different team. Birkett moved further forward and looked to link up with the forward players and it didn’t take long for the opening goal.
McCrae was found on the left side of the box and after poking a pass into Lawrence’s path, the striker held off his man and side footed past Charlie York.
Those two linked up again on 62 minutes, when McCrae slid a through ball into Lawrence’s path and he made no mistake in giving his side a two goal cushion.
Substitute Tom Chamberlain then found McCrae, who beat the offside trap and lobbed the on-rushing York to clinch the tie.
Reading would get themselves on the scoresheet though, with Abubaker going down in the box with three minutes to go.
Ewan Lynch stepped up to fire his penalty straight down the middle to reduce the deficit to two.
Then in stoppage time, Joe Shutt’s neat flick fell perfectly into Lawrence’s stride and once again he showed how clinical he can be, firing home to complete a hattrick and seal the deal for his side.
Ben Mitchell made his hardest save of the game in the fifth minute of stoppage time, palming over after a corner was headed back across goal at the back post.
In the end the scoreline will make it look as if Fairford were comfortable, but in the first half they were anything but.
Cam Thomson was awarded the C Martin Roofing Man of the Match for his commanding performance – with the first half, in particular, very impressive from the centre half.
Fairford Town: Mitchell, Blyth, Haswell, Way, Hitchman, Thomson, Shutt, Birkett, Lawrence, McCrae, Lodge
Subs: Davidson, Chamberlain, Hall, Edwards, Spencer
Reading City: York, Joyce, Baker, Lazarczuk, Grant, Cowd, Baines, Gerrard, Lynch, Pilling, Abubakar
Subs: Hutchings, Sankoh, Smith, Emery, Laschok
C Martin Roofing Man of the Match – Cam Thomson (Fairford Town)
READ MORE: Check out the full list of results in and around Gloucestershire from Saturday right here
