Lawler pleased with progress, as Tadley Calleva win again

Tadley Calleva got back to winning ways on Saturday, as they made the trip to Bristol Telephones FC in the FA Vase Second Qualifying Round.

It was a less than ideal start, as the hosts went a goal ahead after just four minutes, as a Bristol striker found the bottom corner.

As the heavens opened, it was Alex Miller who got Tadley back on level terms, pouncing on a loose ball after a defender slipped in possession and slotting calmly to equalise.

After the break Calleva went ahead with Miller grabbing his second, as a corner was poorly dealt with by the keeper, a nod down by Ash Neal fell to the winger, who smashed it home.

As the conditions dried up and the sun emerged, Tadley made it three to seal their spot in the next round, as Connor Thorne drove into the box to set up Miller for his hattrick.

Harvey Collins would grab Calleva’s fourth with a rocket in the 89th, before striker Kieran Rodgers rounded the keeper to make it 5-1 in the dying seconds.

Manager Joe Lawler was delighted with how his team have bounced back in recent games, following their first league defeat to Knaphill.

“It was important to get back to winning ways”, he said.

“Against Knaphill we felt we didn’t have the rub of the green and we didn’t take our chances.

“Then against Spelthorne last week we missed a penalty in the first five minutes and didn’t take our chances.

“So it would’ve been easy to think ‘it’s another one of those days’.

“But we were so tight defensively. It was important to get back on track and back to winning ways.”

Lawler’s side continued to impress on Saturday, despite early worries.

“We conceded through the only shot they had in the first half”, he said.

“I’d have forgiven the boys for thinking the same again.

“But we were able to take some chances and put it to bed in the second half.

“It’s been a good start to the season, but it's only the beginning”.

They’ll host Devon based Ivybridge Town in the next round, set to be played on October 19th.

“It's the beauty of the Vase, you get teams you’ve never played before”, he said.

“They’re a league above our last opponents, so we’ll have to step up.

“Thankfully they’re coming to us, so we won’t have a seven hour round trip!

“A target for us is to go one round better than the year before, this is a chance to do that.

“But we’ll take each game as it comes.”