{{update|date=March 2017}} {{Use dmy dates|date=March 2017}} {{Use British English|date=March 2017}} {{Infobox football match | title = 2018 FA Vase final | image = Wembley Stadium interior.jpg | image_size = 250 | caption = Wembley Stadium hosted the final | event = 2017–18 FA Vase | team1 = Stockton Town | team1association = | team1score = 0 | team2 = Thatcham Town | team2association = | team2score = 1 | details = | date = 20 May 2018 | stadium = Wembley Stadium | city = Wembley, London | man_of_the_match1a = Baboucarr Jarra | referee = John Brooks | attendance = 31,430 | weather = Sunny | previous = 2017 | next = 2019 }}
The '''2018 FA Vase final''' was the 44th final of the Football Association's cup competition for teams at levels 9–11 of the English football league system. The match was contested between Stockton Town, of the Northern League Division One, and Thatcham Town, of the Hellenic League Premier Division. This was the first time both teams had reached the final and the first visit to Wembley Stadium for both sides. The final of the FA Trophy was played on the same day at the same venue for the third year running, as part of the FA's Non-League Finals Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wembleystadium.com/Events/2018/Non-League-Finals-Day/Non-League-Finals-Day|title=Non-League Finals Day|work=wembleystadium.com|access-date=2 April 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180402101718/http://www.wembleystadium.com/Events/2018/Non-League-Finals-Day/Non-League-Finals-Day|archive-date=2 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> Both matches were televised in the UK on BT Sport.
Stockton Town began their campaign in the second qualifying round, with a victory over Consett. They proceeded to defeat Whickham, Bootle, City of Liverpool, West Auckland Town, Stourport Swifts, Windsor and Marske United en route to the final.
Thatcham Town started in the first round of the competition, where they defeated Horsham YMCA. Victories over Broadbridge Heath, Sevenoaks Town, Biggleswade, Bromsgrove Sporting, Melksham Town and 1874 Northwich saw them reach the final.
==Background== The final will be the first appearance for both sides in a national cup final.
Stockton Town play their league football in the Northern League Division One, following promotion from the second division in the previous season. The 2017–18 season was their first season at level nine of the pyramid and only their third season playing in the FA Vase since their first appearance in the 1982–83 season. Their best run in the competition was reaching the second round in the 2016–17 season.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fchd.info/STOCKTOT.HTM|title=Stockton Town|access-date=29 April 2018|publisher=fchd.info}}</ref>
Thatcham Town play in the Hellenic League Premier Division. Thatcham won the league prior to the final on goal difference, finishing on 98 points, to earn promotion to the Southern Football League. They won thirty-one of their thirty-eight league matches, drawing five and losing just two. They embarked on a forty match unbeaten run, in all competitions, before the final - ending with a 2–1 defeat against Binfield two games before to the final.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/1-3339763|title=Kingfishers maintain unbeaten run but are made to wait on outcome of title challenge|date=26 April 2018|access-date=29 April 2018|publisher=Thatcham Town F.C.|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180430181417/http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/1-3339763|archive-date=30 April 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/0-4006492|title=Unbeaten streak interrupted by Binfield|date=30 April 2018|access-date=12 May 2018|publisher=Thatcham Town F.C.}}</ref> Their previous best run in the competition was a quarter-final appearance in the 1988–89 season, where they were defeated by Berkshire rivals Hungerford Town.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.fchd.info/THATCHAT.HTM|title=Thatcham Town|access-date=29 April 2018|publisher=fchd.info}}</ref>
===Route to the final=== ====Stockton Town==== {{football box collapsible |round = Second round qualifying |date = 23 November 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 4–3 |result = W |report = |team2 = Consett |goals1 = |goals2 = |aet= yes |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 212 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = First round |date = 21 October 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Whickham |score = 0–2 |result = W |report = |team2 = Stockton Town |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = The Glebe Sports Ground |location = Whickham |attendance = 84 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Second round |date = 11 November 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 4–2 |result = W |report = |team2 = Bootle |goals1 = |goals2 = |aet= yes |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 360 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Third round |date = 2 December 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 1–0 |result = W |report = |team2 = City of Liverpool |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 527 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Fourth round |date = 6 January 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 2–1 |result = W |report = |team2 = West Auckland Town |goals1 = |goals2 = |aet= yes |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 537 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Fifth round |date = 3 February 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 3-0 |result = W |report = |team2 = Stourport Swifts |goals0 = |goals3 = |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 663 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Quarter-final |date = 24 February 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 2–0 |result = W |report = |team2 = Windsor |goals1 = |goals2 = |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 1,213 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Semi-final First Leg |date = 17 March 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Marske United |score = 0–2 |result = W |report = |team2 = Stockton Town |goals1 = |goals2 =Rowbotham {{goal|12|o.g.}}<br>Woodhouse {{goal|44}} |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 1,502 |referee = |note = Match played at Bishopton Road West, Stockton due to Marske United's ground being waterlogged. }} {{football box collapsible |round = Semi-final Second Leg |date = 24 March 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Stockton Town |score = 1–2 |aggregatescore = 3–2 |result = L |report = |team2 = Marske United |goals1 =Mulligan {{goal|41|pen.}} |goals2 =O’Sullivan {{goal|8}}<br>Fairley {{goal|56}} |stadium = Bishopton Road West |location = Stockton-On-Tees |attendance = 1,800 |referee = |note = Stockton Town won 3–2 on aggregate }}
====Thatcham Town==== {{football box collapsible |round = First round |date = 21 October 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Thatcham Town |score = 2–1 |result = W |report = http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/0-3918883 |team2 = Horsham YMCA |goals1 = White {{goal|71}}<br>Johnson {{goal|81}} |goals2 = Schaaf {{goal|17}} |stadium = Waterside Park |location = Thatcham |attendance = 96 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Second round |date = 11 November 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Thatcham Town |score = 8–2 |result = W |report = http://www.pitchero.com/clubs/broadbridgeheathfc/teams/55467/match-centre/0-3899394 |team2 = Broadbridge Heath |goals1 = Cooper-Clark {{goal|4||58||70}}<br>Grant {{goal|10}}<br>Helmore {{goal|60||65}}<br>Miller {{goal|78}}<br>Browne {{goal|87}} |goals2 = Campbell {{goal|61}}<br>Frankland {{goal|90}} |stadium = Waterside Park |location = Thatcham |attendance = 120 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Third round |date = 2 December 2017 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Thatcham Town |score = 3–1 |result = W |report = https://www.sevenoakstownfc.co.uk/single-post/2017/12/04/FA-Vase-Thatcham-Town-3-First-Team-1 |team2 = Sevenoaks Town |goals1 = Cooper-Clark {{goal|33||37}}<br>Elliott {{goal|65}} |goals2 = Carnegie {{goal|59}} |stadium = Waterside Park |location = Thatcham |attendance = 145 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Fourth round |date = 6 January 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Thatcham Town |score = 2–1 |result = W |report = http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/0-3928146 |team2 = Biggleswade |goals1 = Grant {{goal|24}}<br>Jarra {{goal|78}} |goals2 = George {{goal|30|pen.}} |stadium = Waterside Park |location = Thatcham |attendance = 216 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Fifth round |date = 3 February 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Thatcham Town |score = 2–1 |result = W |report = http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/0-3940461 |team2 = Bromsgrove Sporting |goals1 = Elliott {{goal|18||27}} |goals2 = Gregory {{goal|35|pen.}} |stadium = Waterside Park |location = Thatcham |attendance = 701 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Quarter-final |date = 24 February 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Melksham Town |score = 0–1 |result = W |report = http://www.thatchamtownfootball.club/teams/469/match-centre/0-3961241 |team2 = Thatcham Town |goals1 = |goals2 = Elliott {{goal|89}} |stadium = Oakfield Stadium |location = Melksham |attendance = 2,208 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Semi-final First Leg |date = 17 March 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = Thatcham Town |score = 1–0 |result = W |report = http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/sport/16094767.Thatcham_1_0_1874__Advantage_Kingfishers_in_FA_Vase_semi/ |team2 = 1874 Northwich |goals1 = Cook {{goal|4|pen.}} |goals2 = |stadium = Waterside Park |location = Thatcham |attendance = 1,134 |referee = }} {{football box collapsible |round = Semi-final Second Leg |date = 24 March 2018 |time = 15:00 |team1 = 1874 Northwich |score = 2–3 |aggregatescore = 2–4 |result = W |report = http://www.northwichguardian.co.uk/sport/1874northwich/1874northwich_news/16114526.1874_2_3_Thatcham__Wembley_dream_ends_for_Northwich/ |team2 = Thatcham Town |goals1 = McGowan {{goal|44|pen.}}<br>Woolley {{goal|69}} |goals2 = James {{goal|3||22}}<br>Cooper-Clark {{goal|47}} |stadium = Barton Stadium |location = Winsford |attendance = 1,693 |referee = }}
==Match== ===Details=== {{football box |date=20 May 2018 |time= 12:15 BST |team1=Stockton Town |score= 0–1 |report=[https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/44189594 Report] |team2=Thatcham Town |goals1= |goals2= Cooper-Clark {{goal|24|pen.}} |stadium=Wembley Stadium, London |attendance= 31,430 |referee= John Brooks }}
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{| width="100%" |valign="top" width="50%"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- | ||'''1''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Michael Arthur |- | ||'''2''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Joe Carter {{suboff|61}} |- | ||'''3''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} James Ward {{suboff|79}} |- | ||'''4''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Nathan Mulligan |- | ||'''5''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Dale Mulligan |- | ||'''6''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Coulthard (C) |- | ||'''7''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Kevin Hayes |- | ||'''9''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Fred Woodhouse |- | ||'''10'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Jamie Owens |- | ||'''11'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} James Risborough |- | ||'''15'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Chris Stockton {{suboff|66}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- | ||'''12'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Adam Nicholson {{subon|79}} |- | ||'''14'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Sonni Coleman {{subon|66}} |- | ||'''16'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Matthew Garbutt {{subon|61}} |- | ||'''17'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Alan Cossavella |- | ||'''18'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Chris Dunwell |- |colspan=4|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=4|{{flagicon|ENG}} Michael Dunwell |} | |valign="top" width="100%"| {| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align=center |- !width=25| !!width=25| |- | ||'''1''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Chris Rackley |- | ||'''2''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Lewis Brownhill |- | ||'''3''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Curtis Angell |- | ||'''4''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Melledew {{suboff|83}} |- | ||'''5''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Baboucarr Jarra |- | ||'''6''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Tom Moran |- | ||'''8''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Harrison Bayley |- | ||'''9''' || {{flagicon|ENG}} Shane Cooper-Clark {{suboff|78}} |- | ||'''10'''|| {{flagicon|VIN}} Gavin James |- | ||'''11'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ekow Elliott |- | ||'''20'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Jordan Brown {{suboff|70}} |- |colspan=3|'''Substitutes:''' |- | ||'''14'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Harry Grant |- | ||'''15'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Gareth Thomas |- | ||'''16'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ross Cook {{subon|78}} |- | ||'''17'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Ashleigh James {{subon|83}} |- | ||'''18'''|| {{flagicon|ENG}} Jemel Johnson {{subon|70}} |- |colspan=4|'''Manager:''' |- |colspan=4|{{flagicon|ENG}} Danny Robinson |} |} {| width=82% style="font-size:90%" |width=50% valign=top| '''Man of the match''': Baboucarr Jarra
'''Match officials''' *Assistant referees: Adrian Waters & Craig Taylor *Fourth official: Antony Coggins
|width=50% valign=top| '''Match rules''' *90 minutes. *30 minutes of extra-time if necessary. *Penalty shoot-out if scores still level. *Five named substitutes. *Maximum of three substitutions. |}
==References== {{Reflist}}
{{2017–18 in English men's football}} {{FA Vase seasons}}
2018 Category:2017–18 in English men's football cups Category:FA Vase seasons FA Vase Final FA Vase Final 2018 FA Vase Final Category:Thatcham Town F.C.