FAV5 Downton 3 Lymore Gardens 0

7 February 2026

Crazy, waterlogged times.  Yet another blank Saturday for Brockenhurst, and not many alternatives – so for the fourth time since Christmas I found myself at The Nest.  Not seen Brock play at home in a competitive game in all that time, but three previous visits to Downton: the league game (veil drawn), a Southampton Senior Cup match against Romsey and the previous round in this competition, an uninspiring goalless draw against Slimbridge which the Robins won on penalties.  And now, the last 16…  Downton will start to think I’ve switched allegiance (breaking news: still a Badger!).   But I enjoy a cup game, as you know.  

How much of a role does Lady Luck play in a cup run?  Not suggesting for a moment that any team which reaches the last 16 of the Vase is lucky, fair play to all of them.  But how those names come out of the hat… Downton could have been drawn away to Haywards Heath Town, currently boasting the best PPG record of any team at Step 5, and instead they’re at home against a club from Step 6.  Even so, it’s not about the luck you get – it’s whether you can take advantage of it…

I have to confess to knowing nothing at all about Lymore Gardens except that they upset Reading City in the previous round.  Brief research – a strong community club, currently sitting 7^th in the Eastern Counties League Division One South; 48 points from 25 games.  Last time out: lost 2-0 at home to the gloriously named FC Baresi, one for the old reader but what a player he was.  You’d have to think Downton would start favourites, but as the saying goes, the game’s not played on paper.  In fact, this tie was played on a remarkably good pitch, huge credit to the ground staff given the amount of water everywhere else (including on the road up to the ground). 

Two more things I learned about the visitors before kick-off: they regularly write their names GDNS, and their warm-up looks like a version of ring-a-ring-a-roses.  What I learned shortly after: they’re a very tidy football team.  Downton were grateful to two excellent interceptions, first from Beard and then from Clark, as the visitors showed some clever movement and neat patterns to create space in behind the Robins’ back line.  Peters couldn’t quite get enough onto a fierce cross from Saad – the visitors were causing Downton plenty of problems.  At the other end, they nearly brought about their own downfall by giving the ball away in their final sixth, but the hosts were then caught offside which looked unforgiveable.  Plenty of action, then – midway through the half, Dylan Roberts fouled on the edge of the box, took the free kick himself and drew an excellent save from Casey… Saad should have buried the rebound but couldn’t make clean contact and Casey reacted brilliantly to grab the ball.  Malik Donaldson then shot just over the bar for the visitors, before Pitman sent McGrath clear for the hosts and drew an excellent save from Tom Simon.  Simon had looked more confident with his feet than his hands, and shortly afterwards he juggled a long ball and nearly dropped it at Pitman’s feet… Back came GDNS, great cross from Roberts and Peters’ header landed on the roof of the net.  And then, just before the interval, Downton had a free kick, it looked to all the world as though Sam Davidson glanced his header wide but the ref gave a corner, possibly his first mistake.  But it was an important one because Lymore couldn’t clear the corner and, after some pinball, Davidson smashed home from the edge of the box to give the Robins a lead which was not, at that point, altogether deserved.  The visitors might still have levelled before half-time, Donaldson sent clear, Casey with an excellent save at his near post.  HT 1-0

Downton ahead at the break, then, but indebted to Ross Casey for some excellent work in goal.  But while the first half had been very competitive – and the visitors pretty impressive – the second was more predictable.  Todoschuk made a brilliant defensive header to keep the hosts at bay on 47… But three minutes later, Robins corner, Pitman header about 12 yards out: firm enough but not a bullet, well-directed, through the crowd and in.  That felt like it would be enough: it was hard to see Lymore scoring twice, especially against a side which could afford to sit calmly and control the game.  The visitors should have pulled one back midway through the half, Saad cutting the ball back to Roberts, another excellent save from Casey – and that simply had to go in.  Soon after, game done: keeper Simon failed to hold a shot, McGrath quickest to the rebound, boom.  The visitors kept trying but were leaving themselves open at the back and should have conceded again in overtime when Delaney and Pitman found themselves two on one, but a defender got back to make the challenge.  Ultimately, a routine win, but Lymore gave the Robins a bit of a scare in the first half and can hold their heads high.  FT 3-0

Comfortable enough in the end for the hosts, then.  of course I have no influence whatsoever on the man of the match decision, and I don’t even know who they chose, but I would have gone with Ross Casey: several really important saves and, if the visitors had scored a couple of those first half chances, who knows what might have happened.  He’s a smashing keeper at this level, which I seem to say on a regular basis!  Great crowd for Downton (308) and well done to them, into the Vase quarter-finals.  Tougher challenges no doubt await… but weather permitting, I won’t see them!  Fingers crossed for Andover New Street on Tuesday.