FREE-scoring Vale of White Horse hit a brick wall as their run came to an end in the quarter-finals with a 4-0 at home defeat to a talented Hereford & District side.

Vale had scored 19 goals in four games to reach the last eight, but they seldom looked like breaking down a well organised Hereford defensive line.

The visitors at Milton United took just ten minutes to open the scoring, when a shot from Wilf Munn went through a defender’s legs and crept into the net via a post.

Vale almost conjured an immediate response when George Carder drilled a low shot which was well saved by Hereford keeper Liam Griffiths.

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Instead Hereford quickly doubled their lead, Ollie Smith taking advantage of hesitation in the Vale defence.

And they had one foot in the semi-finals before half-time, when James Hancocks added a third from close range.

Vale needed a lifeline and should have scored early in the second half.

Oxford Mail:

  • Vale of White Horse’s squad which reached the quarter-finals. Back row (from left): Liam Kay, James Barnett, Josh Denis, Andy Francis, Matthew Carr, Harry Mountford, Tom Carter, Nathan Baker, James Darling. Front: James Spruyt, Adam Fearnside, George Carder, Isaac Matthewman, Harry Snozwell, Harvey Priddey, Tom Morris

Good work by James Spruyt and Carder found Isaac Matthewman unmarked at the far post, but he tried to control the ball instead of hitting it first time, and a despairing tackle blocked the shot.

The tie was settled when pacey Greg Preece raced through the middle to add a fourth midway through the half.

On this evidence, they will take some stopping.

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