FA Vase Round 4: Crawley Down Gatwick vs. Fleet Town
After a nerve-wracking penalty shootout victory against Tunbridge Wells, Southern Combination Football League side Crawley Down faced Fleet Town in the fourth round of the FA Vase.
Distracted by a groundhopping trip to Italy, Steve Sharman enlists the help of Sussex football expert Trevor Knell to follow The Anvils on their continued quest for Wembley glory.
All photographs in this article are the property and copyright of Tony Brown.
Plotting a course through the FA Vase following a round-by-round winner stays on approach does not always sit so easily with the rest of life outside of football. Having scheduled round four firmly into my family calendar for the original date, the postponement of the tie and subsequent rearrangement meant that the game clashed with my brother and I’s annual trip to Italy – a trip itself dictated to differing degrees by the Serie A fixture list and my sister-in-law’s hair appointment.
Whilst I can’t complain about swapping Sussex for Italy and The Haven for The San Siro, I have to admit I was gutted to be missing Fleet Town’s visit to Crawley Down Gatwick. Our last trip here was cold but brilliant, and I was looking forward to going back. The Sussex side are entertaining to watch, have a nice ground and clubhouse, and is the only place I have been to this season where one of the half-time snack options was a Christmas cherry bakewell! Luckily, the non-league groundhopping community is full of people willing to share their experiences – so this round’s article is very much a team effort.
Our Current Team – Crawley Down Gatwick
Crawley Down have been in good form since overcoming Tunbridge Wells on penalties and go into today’s game unbeaten in 2025. Since the last round, The Anvils have been involved in consecutive 2-2 draws, firstly away at in-form Roffey, and then at home to thoroughly out-of-form but high-flying Haywards Heath, before securing thumping away wins at Shoreham (0-5) and Eastbourne United (0-3).
Progression to the fourth round continues a record-breaking run in the Vase for the Sussex side. As chairman David Connor stated before the previous round, every step forward in this competition is a step closer to Wembley – something that would mean the world to the club and everyone associated with them, at every level.
In a nice twist, and something that neatly encapsulates the culture of community at this level of football, the photos from today’s game are provided by Tony Brown – who just so happens to be the father of Josh Brown – scorer of the winning penalty against Tunbridge Wells!
Today’s Visitors – Fleet Town
Visitors to The Haven this afternoon – with Wembley ambitions of their own – are Cherry Red Records Combined Counties Football League Premier Division South side Fleet Town. Founded in 1890, Fleet plays their home games at Calthorpe Park, where they have been resident for over 100 years – The Blues moved into their home in 1923.
Fleet’s north Hampshire location has meant that The Blues, throughout their long history, have experienced multiple promotions and relegations, and have been somewhat at the mercy of league composition and administrative whimsy. As a consequence, the Hampshire side have played in the Aldershot Senior League, the Basingstoke & District League, the Hampshire League, the Athenian League, the Combined Counties League, the Surrey Premier League, the Chiltonian League, and the Wessex League.
The Blues have also played in both the Southern and Eastern divisions of the Southern League, had stints in the Isthmian League (Division One South), and have competed in Division One South & West, and Division One Central, also of the Southern League. The club were transferred to the Premier Division South of the Combined Counties League for 2021-22, where they have remained since. Coming into the game today, Fleet sit in fifth position in the table, occupying the last play-off place. They are eight points behind Cobham in fourth, but have a whopping eight games in hand!
Fleet have some interesting ex-players including former Labour leader and former British Prime Minister Clement Attlee, and goalkeeper Wayne Shaw, of the infamous Piegate scandal. The club have also had ex-footballers in the dugout, including a five-year stint as manager for former QPR and England winger Andy Sinton.
Fleet in the Vase
Fleet have not experienced an enormous amount of success in the FA Vase. Prior to this season, The Blues’ best performance was the second round; indeed the Hampshire side have not progressed beyond the first round since the 1979-80 season. Fleet first made the second round in the 1974-75 season – although it should be noted they entered in this round – and were promptly knocked out by Bracknell Town, who beat them 5-0 in a replay, following a 1-1 draw.
The Blues also reached the second round in 1977-78 where home victories against Marlow (2-1) and Clanfield (2-0) were followed by a 4-1 defeat at Burnham. The last time Fleet reached the second round was the 1979-80 season, where consecutive 1-0 home victories against Sholing Sports and Worthing set up a tie against Newbury Town, where Fleet were beaten 3-1.
The lack of recent FA Vase success can partly be attributed to the fact that Fleet played in the FA Trophy between 1995-96 and 2018-19, however since returning to the Vase in the 2019-20 season, they have been beaten by Ascot United (1-3), Littlehampton Town (0-2), Brislington (0-4), and Colliers Wood United (1-2). Last season The Blues were knocked out in the first round by Amersham Town, who triumphed 3-2 on penalties following a 2-2 draw.
This season, however, has been a different story and has put some past disappointments to bed. Drawn at home against Hamworthy United in the second qualifying round, Fleet breezed through with a crushing 6-2 victory. The first round proper produced a much tighter affair; a 1-1 draw at Sutton Athletic resulted in a penalty shootout, where The Blues prevailed. In the second round Fleet travelled to Rochester United and returned to Hampshire with a close-fought 1-0 victory whilst the third round produced another penalty shootout victory. Following a 2-2 draw at Tring Athletic, the tie went to spot kicks where Fleet once again edged through.
Crawley Down Gatwick and Fleet have never faced each other in the FA Vase, or Trophy, and as both sides are pushing for a play-off spot in their respective divisions and have half an eye on Wembley glory, today is a game where there is plenty at stake.
On the Pitch
Having seen the tie delayed for a week due to a frozen pitch, the weather was cold enough again. However there was no sign of the frost that put paid to the fixture last week, so it was all systems go for a place in the fifth round.
The visitors began with tempo but once the Anvils settled they more than matched their opponents and grew into the game, creating the better chances and deservedly went ahead on 37 minutes – Jack Ryder finishing off a superb move down the pitch for the opening goal.
The home side had a couple of chances to extend their lead before the break but had to settle for a single-goal advantage at halftime.
Fleet however took the game by the scruff of the neck from the interval and were level ten minutes into the half, skipper Liam Pestle firing home after some pinball in the box following a corner.
Just after the hour mark the visitors took the lead when a superb ball in from Nick Medcraft was headed home by Tane Caubo. With the home side needing to find an equaliser, space opened up and only some fine goalkeeping from Alex Bellingham and resolute defending kept Town from adding to their tally.
The Anvils had a great chance to equalise when a floated free-kick found the head of Oli Leslie but the striker put the ball the wrong side of the far post.
That was to be the best chance of the half for the home side, as Town defended their area well after taking the lead to secure a place in the next round. An excellent 350 spectators came through the gate at The Haven in bitterly cold conditions.
Match Photo Gallery
For more photos, head to Tony Brown’s excellent Flickr site, here.
Anvils Sunk, Blues Sail On
And so, after a record-breaking run, the Wembley dream is over for Crawley Down Gatwick. However, where one team is defeated, there must always be a victor. The mantle is now passed to Fleet Town, who we will now follow as far as their record-breaking journey of their own takes them.
The draw for the fifth round once again sees Fleet on the road, with The Blues drawn away to Southern Counties East Football League club Whitstable Town. The Kent side currently occupy a mid-table spot and will no doubt be plotting their own course to Wembley.
As we move into 2025, we’re down to the last sixteen of the FA Vase. Now it gets serious. All teams remaining will start to believe that this could be their year. They will start to realise that dreams of running out at Wembley – dreams that perhaps seemed so far away back in August – are now more than a few steps closer to being a reality.
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