 | This article needs to beupdated. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(March 2017) |
 Wembley Stadium hosted the final | |||||||
| Event | 2017–18 FA Vase | ||||||
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| Date | 20 May 2018 | ||||||
| Venue | Wembley Stadium,Wembley,London | ||||||
| Referee | John Brooks | ||||||
| Attendance | 31,430 | ||||||
| Weather | Sunny | ||||||
←2017 2019 → | |||||||
The2018 FA Vase Final was the 44th final of theFootball Association's cup competition for teams at levels 9–11 of the English football league system. The match was contested betweenStockton Town, of theNorthern League Division One, andThatcham Town, of theHellenic League Premier Division. This was the first time both teams had reached the final and the first visit toWembley 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.[1] Both matches were televised in theUK onBT Sport.
Stockton Town began their campaign in the second qualifying round, with a victory overConsett. They proceeded to defeatWhickham,Bootle,City of Liverpool,West Auckland Town,Stourport Swifts,Windsor andMarske United en route to the final.
Thatcham Town started in the first round of the competition, where they defeatedHorsham YMCA. Victories overBroadbridge Heath,Sevenoaks Town,Biggleswade,Bromsgrove Sporting,Melksham Town and1874 Northwich saw them reach the final.
The final will be the first appearance for both sides in a national cup final.
Stockton Town play their league football in theNorthern 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.[2]
Thatcham Town play in theHellenic League Premier Division. Thatcham won the league prior to the final on goal difference, finishing on 98 points, to earn promotion to theSouthern 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 againstBinfield two games before to the final.[3][4] Their previous best run in the competition was a quarter-final appearance in the 1988–89 season, where they were defeated by Berkshire rivalsHungerford Town.[5]
| 23 November 2017Second round qualifying | Stockton Town | 4–3 (a.e.t.) | Consett | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 212 |
| 21 October 2017First round | Whickham | 0–2 | Stockton Town | Whickham |
| 15:00 | Stadium:The Glebe Sports Ground Attendance: 84 |
| 11 November 2017Second round | Stockton Town | 4–2 (a.e.t.) | Bootle | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 360 |
| 2 December 2017Third round | Stockton Town | 1–0 | City of Liverpool | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 527 |
| 6 January 2018Forth round | Stockton Town | 2–1 (a.e.t.) | West Auckland Town | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 537 |
| 3 February 2018Fifth round | Stockton Town | 3-0 | Stourport Swifts | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 663 |
| 24 February 2018Quarter-final | Stockton Town | 2–0 | Windsor | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 1,213 |
| 17 March 2018Semi-final First Leg | Marske United | 0–2 | Stockton Town | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Rowbotham 12' (o.g.)Woodhouse 44' | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 1,502 | ||
| Note: Match played at Bishopton Road West, Stockton due to Marske United's ground being waterlogged. | ||||
| 24 March 2018Semi-final Second Leg | Stockton Town | 1–2 (3–2agg.) | Marske United | Stockton-On-Tees |
| 15:00 | Mulligan 41' (pen.) | O’Sullivan 8' Fairley 56' | Stadium:Bishopton Road West Attendance: 1,800 | |
| Note: Stockton Town won 3–2 on aggregate | ||||
| 21 October 2017First round | Thatcham Town | 2–1 | Horsham YMCA | Thatcham |
| 15:00 | White 71' Johnson 81' | Report | Schaaf 17' | Stadium:Waterside Park Attendance: 96 |
| 11 November 2017Second round | Thatcham Town | 8–2 | Broadbridge Heath | Thatcham |
| 15:00 | Cooper-Clark 4',58',70' Grant 10'Helmore 60',65'Miller 78'Browne 87' | Report | Campbell 61' Frankland 90' | Stadium:Waterside Park Attendance: 120 |
| 2 December 2017Third round | Thatcham Town | 3–1 | Sevenoaks Town | Thatcham |
| 15:00 | Cooper-Clark 33',37' Elliott 65' | Report | Carnegie 59' | Stadium:Waterside Park Attendance: 145 |
| 6 January 2018Forth round | Thatcham Town | 2–1 | Biggleswade | Thatcham |
| 15:00 | Grant 24' Jarra 78' | Report | George 30' (pen.) | Stadium:Waterside Park Attendance: 216 |
| 3 February 2018Fifth round | Thatcham Town | 2–1 | Bromsgrove Sporting | Thatcham |
| 15:00 | Elliott 18',27' | Report | Gregory 35' (pen.) | Stadium:Waterside Park Attendance: 701 |
| 24 February 2018Quarter-final | Melksham Town | 0–1 | Thatcham Town | Melksham |
| 15:00 | Report | Elliott 89' | Stadium:Oakfield Stadium Attendance: 2,208 |
| 17 March 2018Semi-final First Leg | Thatcham Town | 1–0 | 1874 Northwich | Thatcham |
| 15:00 | Cook 4' (pen.) | Report | Stadium:Waterside Park Attendance: 1,134 |
| 24 March 2018Semi-final Second Leg | 1874 Northwich | 2–3 (2–4agg.) | Thatcham Town | Winsford |
| 15:00 | McGowan 44' (pen.) Woolley 69' | Report | James 3',22' Cooper-Clark 47' | Stadium:Barton Stadium Attendance: 1,693 |
| Stockton Town | 0–1 | Thatcham Town |
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| Report | Cooper-Clark 24' (pen.) |
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Man of the match: Baboucarr Jarra Match officials
| Match rules
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