Not to be for Rossington on an early December’s afternoon nonetheless, a history making run to be proud of as their Isuzu FA Vase 2025/26 campaign came to an end.

Three well taken finishes from each of West Didsbury and Chorlton’s Lewis Billingsley, Billy Matthews and Victor Abadaki decided the outcome of Rossington’s first appearance at the third round proper stage of the competition.

The opening ten minutes unfolded with the away following in full-voice and with West Didsbury & Chorlton also breaking the deadlock once the minute figure got into double digits. After a mix-up from a skewered pass into the hosts’ six-yard box, the visitors’ number nine Billingsley carefully placed the ball in the bottom corner much to the joy of the away supporters.

Rosso’s first shot on target came on the 23 minute when Shaun Tuton teed up Cody Prior outside of the area and despite the number eight taking his aim well, it was a comfortable save for Oliver Martin in-between the West Didsbury & Chorlton sticks.

Minutes later, everyone in the ground was watching as Billingsley was a matter of inches from finding his second as thankfully for Rosso, his attempt veered towards the outer side of the post.

Rosso came extremely close to a potential equaliser on the 33 minute as the ball came back out to Will Sutton who delivered a deadly in swinging cross, only for the header of Dylan Mantle to finish just above the crossbar.

After Cody Prior’s angled challenge, with no arguments he was given the game’s first yellow card which all but concluded the opening 45 minutes.

Following the 15-minute interval and after West Didsbury & Chorlton restarted proceedings, Rosso had an instant scare as what could be described as a near open-goal opportunity albeit from an extremely acute angle, luckily for the hosts they managed to get men instantly back on the line and clear the danger.

Matthews made it two for the visitors as the number 11 found himself clean through on-goal and as a result, placed it comfortably into the right-hand side of the net.

Three substitutions followed for Rosso with all of Ross Hannah, Oliver Nowak and Sam Limber entering the field as the latter was Limber’s half-century appearance for Doncaster’s highest ranked Non-League side.

With 15 minutes remaining, the debutant goalkeeper who only arrived from North Ferriby F.C. on a dual-registration deal towards the end of the week kept Rosso in the contest with a great diving save to deny the visitors of a third.

However, West Didsbury all but finished the game ten minutes from time after Abadaki used his pace to take it around Douglas and find the back of the net.

With no magic to come this time at the Kalkut’s Community Stadium, Rosso’s record-breaking run in the Non-League step 5 and 6 competition would soon be over as the referee’s whistle came and went.

Rosso XI: Douglas (GK), Hough (63’ Nowak), Sutton, Langton (C), Fielding, Young, Sherburn, Prior, Tuton (63’ Hannah), Noble (66’ Limber), Mantle (79’ Micklethwaite).

Unused Substitutes: Doran.