The prospect of a few days holiday, over the August Bank Holiday weekend brought with it the chance to watch the opening round of the FA Vase, the competition which ended in success for Kent’s Whitstable Town last season in the sun at Wembley Stadium. I decided to make a first ever visit to Fort Ground, home of Newhaven FC, to watch Saltdean United FC, from the Southern Combination Division One, to see them play FC Elmstead of Kent, who play in the Southern Counties East Football League (SCEFL) Division One.

Saltdean’s Hill Park Stadium has benefited from £100,000 of Premier League funding through the Sussex County FA this summer, which will enable the club to add a new stand to replace an old one, which sits in an elevated position on the bank that runs alongside the pitch. The funds will also allow the club to establish enhanced perimeter fencing as security and vandalism have been issues in recent years. The ground has character and some amazing views across the South Downs, so this is certainly a ground I’d recommend to any ground hoppers out there. Today the work was underway but far from complete and hence the switch of the fixture to the Fort Ground, home of local rivals, Newhaven FC.

Saltdean United, managed by Kieran Ridley, are looking to bounce back from the disappointment of their relegation from the Southern Combination Premier Division in 2024-25, where they finished bottom of the league. The current season hasn’t yet seen the Tigers, as they are known, find winning form, as they sit fourteenth in the league after three games, having drawn once and lost twice. Today’s fixture allowed an opportunity for Saltdean United to play with freedom and see if they can finally click into winning ways to ignite their season and begin an FA Vase cup run, to bolster both spirits and finances.

FC Elmstead had a journey of 70 miles to reach Hill Park today, coming from their club’s main ground in Chislehurst, Bromley. The club play their league games in Hextable, ground sharing with Sutton Athletic. The club colours of scarlet and sky blue evolved organically, when the original strip in the colours of claret and sky blue were boil washed, causing the claret colours to fade, which then stuck! Manager Brehn Chidley will have been pleased with the start his side have made this season, having won two and lost one of their opening three games, to sit third in a very competitive division, as “the cocks”, named after the cockerel on their badge, tty to improve on their twelfth place finish in 2024-25. Jamie Fearn has already bagged four goals in three games, so would have been someone Saltdean United would have wanted to mark closely in this eagerly anticipated cup tie.

The Fort Ground boasts a double level main grandstand with uncovered seated stand behind the goal at one end. The 4G pitch completes this modern and well resourced stadium. Saltdean’s team on the gate were welcoming and the matchday programme was well written.

The game opened brightly for FC Elmstead when after only two minutes Luke Alliband was able to finish at close range from a corner.

In the fifteenth minute the visitors were two up when prolific striker, Jamie Fearn scored with a decent strike from range.

In the 22nd minute the ball broke in the area for Jamie Fearn to fire home his second of the game, making it 0-3 to FC Elmstead.

On 44 minutes a beautifully struck shot by Jack Hyslop from the edge of the penalty area flew past Shay Hollobone’s despairing dive in the Saltdean United goal. The finish meant that at the half time break the visitors went in with a four goal lead. The speed of the finish beat my filming by half a second!

In the second half both times made a range of substitutions. The changes created a more level game. Then, on 82 minutes, Saltdean United were reduced to ten men when they lost a player who picked up a second yellow for diving.

Just as the game moved to additional time the home side were awarded a penalty after a shove in the penalty area was spotted by a referee, who had missed very little in the game. Up stepped Charlie Yeates who after seeing his penalty saved well by Tom Cleary in the FC Elmstead goal, followed up to smash home the rebound.

There was still time just as the referee put the whistle to his mouth, for one final goal. A neat passing move on the left, being followed up by Daniel Kommo to finish with aplomb for FC Elmstead, making the final score 1-5 and sending the Kent side into the next round.