Abbey Hey reach FA Vase 3rd Round with win over Carlisle City

Abbey Hey booked their place in the Third Round of the FA Vase for the first time in 19 years with a well deserved 1-0 win at Carlisle City.

Terry Hincks made two changes from last weekend’s 2-1 win over Ellesmere Rangers, as Aaron Fleming and Tom Murray came into the starting eleven to replace Matt Grimshaw and Jake Dunford.

The away side started on the front foot and nearly opened the scoring inside of the opening ten minutes, but Rhys Clooney was denied by the post after shooting low from the edge of the area.

Abbey continued to apply the pressure on their opponents in Cumbria and went close again through another Clooney effort, before Ben Halfacre had a fiercely driven free-kick saved from 25 yards out.

The Manchester side continued to have chances to break the deadlock into the second half as Jordan Lazenbury was denied by the post, before Dylan Fitzgerald was ruled offside after he though he gave Abbey the lead with twenty minutes to go.

Halfacre was given a straight red card for an incident with a Carlisle defender, which also saw their Centre Half given a straight red, but it didn’t stop the visitors from winning the game near the end.

Fitzgerald broke Carlisle City hearts with nine minutes to go as he fired home from close-range, as he got on the end of a low Lazenbury cross in from the right.

Abbey saw out for the victory, which sees them match their best ever FA Vase run and seal their place in the third round of the competition.