Cambridge South lost a closely fought battle to Cheshunt in the Vase on Sunday. The game was played to a high standard and at a fast pace, with both sides committing to attack whenever possible. Cheshunt started the brighter and forced a short-corner within the first few minutes. But in the first of a number of memorable saves, Parker pushed the drag-flick wide of the post after diving to his right.

Cambridge managed to fight back into the game and created chances of their own with some excellent moving and passing throughout the midfield and forwards. The best chance of the half came when Rob released Simon in the D and his cross found Mark at the far post but the first-time snap-shot went just wide of the post. No goals came in the first half, and the second half continued with both sides pushing forward to find the decisive goal. South thought they had it when a shortcorner was flicked in by Graham, but the official ruled it out for a swing-and-a-miss before the shot.

With everything all-square at full-time the game continued into extra-time, 10 minutes each way. Neither team seemed keen on the flicks and with defences tiring chances were more easily fashioned.

Cheshunt thought they had it when a scramble in the home-side's D left a Cheshunt striker with a clear sight of goal and his shot was flying into the top corner until man of the match Chris Graveling made a reflex save on the goal-line before clearing the ball. At the other end, Graham beat 2,3, or maybe even 4 men before lifting the ball into the D and volleying the ball at the far post and only a handy deflection from a defender spared the net from bulging.

Cheshunt got the breakthrough at the end of the first half of extra time with a classy drag flick into the top corner from a short corner.

This prompted a second period of hockey in which Cambridge desperately pushed forward for an equaliser but despite a number of short-corners and promising opportunities it just wouldn't fall for them.