Arlesey Town 1 St Helens Town 0

TOWN'S quest for a Villa Park appearance in May is over for another year as they bowed out of the Carlsberg FA Vase in windy Bedfordshire on Saturday.

It was only the third time they've failed to score this season in 31 matches and they couldn't have picked a worse time to do so.

The game was a virtual stalemate with chances at an absolute premium so it was imperative that whatever opportunities arose were taken, but alas they were not.

A crowd of near 500 made a colourful scene and created a good atmosphere but it was the travelling contingent who could be heard first as Mark Wilde led Towns assault in winning a couple of early corner kicks. His sidekick Lee Cooper too showed an eye for goal also as he fired just wide on the turn after Salt had done well on the right.

With 20 minutes gone Town's only scare had been an early drive from Fontenell which Wood parried to safety but at this point came the first of Town's costly misses. Skipper Quirk was the creator in the centre circle and his vision sent Cooper clear on goal but as keeper Patching advanced, he pulled his shot wide. Two minutes later Wilde got around the home keeper but in waiting for the ball to 'sit' for his shot, Hatchet got his body across to deflect for a fruitless corner.

At this point Arlesey began their own offensive and Town's Mark Ashton made a superb clearance with Wilkinson breathing down his neck just eight yards in front of goal and as the home side continued their purple patch, Wood twice saved from Dellar. By the interval honours were even but there was a general consensus that Arlesey had been let off the hook.

The first goal was always going to be crucial in such a tight affair and only the fingertips of keeper Patching aided by the crossbar, prevented Cooper getting it for Town within a minute of the resumption.

In following up for the scraps Ashton blazed wildly over when he had more time than he realised but trends were right as the game approached the hour mark.

On 65 minutes the second of Lee Cooper's costly misses came when a home clearance rebounded off Wilde to send the striker clear again but once more the keeper didn't have to make a save as Town's top scorer fired over the bar.

Ironically it was just as St Helens were visibly getting on top that they suffered the sucker punch in the 72nd minute when Harding evaded Bell's tackle to gallop down the left and feed the unmarked Barry Dellar who with time and space, gave Wood no chance.

The hosts were then content to get everyone back behind the ball and their 'anywhere will do' policy frustrated Town and the 1995 Vase winners celebrated a prized victim though it has to be said that Town put their own head in the noose.

Town must now put this behind them with the NWCL Championship to pursue along with a Worthington Cup semi-final to keep things on the boil. On Saturday they return to league action at Knowsley Road when Maine Road are the visitors (3pm), Salford City are then the visitors on Wednesday, January 30 (7.45pm).