The FA Cup Trail
This year I will be attempting an FA Cup Trail, taking and showing off the famous Blue and White shirt of Worcester City to football grounds the length and breadth of the country (as long as I can get tickets!!!) Having decided to start at Cradley v. Malvern, I have noted down some of my inane ramblings below, the most recent game is at the top, so for the full flavour of the cup run, do start at the bottom with a trip to Beeches View Avenue! If you have any comments, I'd love to hear from you at dazabutler@yahoo.co.uk!
Saturday 12th March, Quarter Final, Old Trafford, Manchester United v. Arsenal (17:15 kick off)
I am a creature of habit. Every Friday at 12 noon, I am out of the office in a flash and off to The Oak Apple for an all day breakfast and to discuss our Thursday five a side team's weekly defeat. Unusually, I checked Facebook (I know, I know) before leaving. I had already bought transport to Manchester, so having resigned myself to spending the day in the pub, or at another game tomorrow, neither of which would have been a bad thing of course, it was a nice surprise to have received a message from Barrow FC supporter Dave Ingham informing me that he might have a spare ticket available. Sure enough, an hour later, there it was. Trouble is, I'm useless with mobile phones, and Dave's mate Craig was going to ring me to make arrangements. My mobile spends the majority of the time sat next to the landline in the flat, which somewhat defeats the object of having one, it's only usual use is for finding out Worcester City's scores on a Saturday afternoon, although I suppose I could render that useless by actually going to my home town's games. It was a big effort for me to remember to put the thing on “loud” when I got home from work. Luckily Craig rang shortly before I went out for six-a-side because I'd have forgotten to take it with me, and sure enough, I had a ticket for the Stretford End lower tier – it's going to be a hell of a difference to the North Stand, third tier!!!!
I got to Foregate Street for my train to Birmingham where I bumped into City fan Tony Shiels, who was on his way to Guiseley for the City game. I've been there once before, loved the place. I got a breakfast baguette for £1.75 and boarded the 10:30 bus to Manchester – told you I was a creature of habit. I was disappointed when we got to Manchester as we came into Shudehill a different way and I couldn't see the Wey Yin Chinese woman's society. I pottered around Manchester for half an hour and fed my addiction for postcards to go on the famous wall (I must take a photo of that). Eventually I got bored of wandering around and went to a pub I've had intentions of visiting on several trips to Manchester in the past, The Bull's Head, near Piccadilly station. It's an excellent “local” pub – although I did plump for the hardly local Ringwood Boondoggle at 4.2%. You can tell that this is a proper pub because I was able to chat to an elderly chap drinking half a mild. We had a right good old whinge about Matthew Prior's dismissal against Bangladesh in the Cricket World Cup. That really had to be seen to be believed didn't it? What the bloody hell was he playing at? A wicket-keeper getting stumped in that fashion is as inexcusable as the calls for FA Cup matches to be moved to midweek dates but that's what happens when you drop the best one-day wicket-keeper in the country. A text has come in and unbelievably, I've actually read and replied to it. I will be meeting Craig in the Salisbury by Oxford Road Station at half past two. It's now twenty to two, so time for one more. So I went to the New Union, on Canal Street. My life, talk about fitting the stereotype. A camp forty-ish year old calling everyone “love” and Hey Mickey on the juke box. A pint of Banks's and onto the Salisbury, I got myself a pint of Wainwright which was rather nice at 4.2% and met Craig, Rob and Anna giving them a detailed run down of the Cup Run so far. The pub is filling up, mainly with Arsenal fans, and I promised a shout out to the two we were chatting to at the bar over more Wainwright, but I've forgotten their names!!!!!!
Look at this, at least 500 words and, as usual, I haven't mentioned the thing I'm meant to be writing about, the football. I wish I could have done this for my History A-level. To remedy this, I'll mention football. A text tells me that it's 1-0 at Nethermoor, which I assume to mean that Worcester City are losing before Anna, Craig and Rob took me around the corner to another pub where Hereford Dark and Black Sheep were on offer and we watched the end of Italy's humbling of France in the Six Nations. So that's a win for Bangladesh against a supposedly superior nation and a win for minnows Italy against France in the six-nations – you can tell it's FA Cup weekend! I will confess that I was feeling a bit pissed by now, and it was a relief to get some food down my throat outside the ground. I entered the ground and wow! This is loads better than last time. A fantastic view of the whole stadium, the famous banner Roberto Mancini promised to tear down behind me, the imposing North stand to the left, the top tier just about visible, and the dugouts to the right with the away fans opposite us. You can really take in the atmosphere from here and it is excellent. The players are soon emerging from the tunnel to my right and Arsenal get the Quarter-Final underway. What I'm enjoying most so far is being able to stand up and not have a snotty steward telling me to sit back down. The whole of the Stretford End is standing which is fantastic and sticks two fingers up to those who, after Hillsborough, think that a group of fans cannot safely watch a football match on two feet. The first meaningful chance of the game came after 15 minutes and fell to the hosts, despite the visitors having more of the ball. Da Silva's header cleared the crossbar when he should have done better. For Arsenal's possession, Van-de-Sar remained untroubled, and when Hernandez's excellent header was very well saved by Manuel Almunia, there was nothing the Spaniard could do to prevent Fabio following up to give the home side the lead. Arsenal's best chance of the half came from Van Persie in the 33rd minute whose effort looked bound for the bottom corner before the Red Devils' ‘keeper forced it round the post for a corner.
The course of this tie was decided in the space of a couple of second-half minutes. Three minutes after the re-start, Van der Sar saved brilliantly from Laurent Koscielny to preserve the home side's lead before Wayne Rooney's close range header a minute later doubled it. At two-nil, Manchester United were comfortable and Arsenal, despite testing the Dutch ‘keeper on a few occasions rarely looked like beating him. Not the most exciting game of football you'll ever see but a lot better than the last round, and I even got to hear the Old Trafford announcer say the following:
”THE FOURTH OFFICIAL HAS INDICATED THAT THERE WILL BE A MINIMUM OF EIGHT MINUTES ADDITIONAL TIME”
There's something you don't hear every week. Oh, hang on, yes you do.
Manchester United deservedly through then, to an FA Cup semi-final at Wembley. I hate the semi-finals being at Wembley. Wembley should be reserved for the biggest occasions, and while the semi-final is big, the FA Cup Final shouldn't be a second trip to Wembley for the teams involved; similarly, the semi-final shouldn't be the big day out at Wembley, which would usually be reserved for the final.
Whilst I'm whinging about the FA and their attempts to “reinvigorate” a competition that is best left to its own devices: replays. They are talking about getting rid of replays. I will argue until I am blue in the face that replays are good for the game. Some of the most memorable nights I have had watching football have been FA Cup Replays. The concept of replays is what makes them so important. You go to the other team's territory, they have the chance to beat you on their own turf, and indeed you have the chance to turn them over too. If you can hold them to a draw, why shouldn't you get the opportunity to beat them on your own patch too? The other great thing about replays in the early rounds that you don't get later on in the tournament is that they are held the midweek immediately following the original tie. I would love to see that brought back into the later rounds. As a fan I remember seeing Worcester away games at the likes of Accrington, Telford, Belper on a Saturday and the excitement of the FA Cup, for me at least, lasts the whole weekend until the Monday night replay at St George's Lane. Similarly, after three home draws with Romulus, Hemel Hempstead and Basingstoke Town, suddenly having to re-arrange plans and hastily work out transport to away games for a replay is probably seen as a hassle for some people, but I think it's all part of the fun, the enjoyment and the excitement that you don't get in any other competition.
Long live the FA Cup.
Full Time: Manchester United 2 Arsenal 0 - Attendance: 74,693
Next Match: Manchester City v. Manchester United
Saturday 19th February, Fifth Round, Old Trafford, Manchester United v. Crawley Town (17:15 kick off)
Cradley Town must be gutted! If only they hadn't conceded that late penalty against Malvern, and beaten them in the Langlands replay, if only they had then gone on to beat Oadby Town at Invicta Park, they would have then had home ties with Dosthill Colts and Radcliffe Olympic which you'd have fancied them to win. Another home tie would have followed against Tipton Town and they would have surely got a result in Sheffield in the next time round. Then they would have only needed to get past Carlisle Untied at Brunton Park, Tamworth at home, Torquay at Plainmoor and a home tie against Crawley Town - you'd certainly have backed them to do all that; if it wasn't for that bloody penalty, a trip to Old Trafford would surely have been on the cards for the Hammers!!
As it stands, it is of course Crawley Town who are the visitors to Manchester this afternoon in what is probably the biggest game in their history (how many times have we said that on this cup trail?). So, I don my sky blue city scarf - (Coventry that is), and managed to listen to Sehwag smash the first ball of the cricket world cup for four this morning before leaving in the hammering Worcestershire rain for the 08:56 to Birmingham where I got a breakfast baguette of bacon, sausage and egg and a cuppa for £1.75. I'm not getting the train today, because the Birmingham to Manchester trains generally start out at London Euston so it will be full of Man United fans, therefore I'm on the Megabus instead - £4 single, can't argue with that in the slightest! We go past the Walsall ground on the M6- yet another football ground on the outskirts near the motorway. It makes me laugh when people suggest that this is easier for fans, it might be true of clubs such as the home team this afternoon who have supporters in every other city in the country, but not for fans who support the team of the town they live in. We're just outside Shudehill Bus Station in Manchester when I spy the Chinese Women's Society called the Wai Yin. I briefly ponder where the Way Out is before consulting my scrap of paper to decide which pub to visit first.
The Marble Arch gets the nod and with a good 10 or so ales on it's a wise choice. I go for the Marble Brewery Best from the attached microbrewery at 4.3%, it tastes a hell of a lot stronger and is very hoppy. The Angel is on the way back towards the town, so naturally is visited - I can't remember what beer I had, but I loved the pub, very warming with a wide range of people in from youngsters, students and the older generation, and a log fire hissing away nicely at the far end of the room. A brief wander around Manchester took me to the City Arms where I couldn't resist asking the barman for a Master Bates, 4.3%, Northumberland Brewery. It was very lively with a creamy head. The Knott is the next stop, opposite Deansgate Railway Station, and a light, fruity Mallinsons Stadium Bitter kicks things off nicely before the very good looking Everton fan and barman Rob asks about my City shirt, he's had a huge grin on his face since I've been here following the Toffees' penalty shoot out win over Chelsea in the fourth round replay this lunchtime. We chat football over a pint of Salamander Big Wig and he knows about Worcester City's 2-1 win against Liverpool in the 50's. Points to Rob for that one. Finally I up-sticks and take on the walk to Old Trafford, it's not as far as I had anticipated, and I get there at about quarter to five, half an hour before kick off.
I buy a programme - the "United Review" for £3 which is 64 pages, and unusually square, before making my way up the 174 steps to the third tier of the North Stand without a steward checking my rucksack for a machete, AK47, nuclear bomb or the cap off a bottle of Pepsi which I might cause trouble with so points also to Manchester United there. The ground is a little under half full at the moment and I can still make out the words STRETFORD END on the stand to the right, we can just about see some of the Crawley fans to my left but my view of the majority of them is blocked off by the roof, and I can only see the first ten rows or so of the South Stand opposite. I doubt I'll be doing my half time walk around the ground today. I settle down to read the programme; which states on the front cover... "93 league places separate Manchester United and Crawley Town, but thanks to the world's oldest football tournament, the stage is set for a first ever showdown..." Just what the competition is all about! There are plenty of articles, a number of them mentioning Wayne Rooney's goal in the Manchester derby last weekend. I saw Solihull Motors batter Corby Town 7-2 in the Conference North that day in a fitting send off to Bob Faulkner, who had been manager at Moor Green/Solihull Motors from the late 1980's until he sadly lost his battle with cancer earlier this month.
We're not far from kick off now with the teams being announced, amusingly Crawley Town's Sergio Torres gets a huge booing from the home supporters. Crawley put in a good cross straight after kick off while I contemplate the 56 goals we are about to see - a £40 ticket, eight times more than what Cradley charged for a seven goal thriller in August surely means we will see eight times the goals? Crawley had another decent chance in the eleventh minute through Ben Smith who has an article in today's programme but Manchester hit back and won a couple of early corners without really testing 'keeper Michael "Alan Titchmarsh" Kuipers. On 23 minutes, the home side's pressure told and a short corner was whipped onto the head of Wes Brown to signal the end of the Red Devils' resistance, a quarter of the way through the tie. Manchester United had the best of the remainder of the first period but nothing of note actually happened and I now understand why this is the Theatre of Dreams; the home side sends everyone to sleep. I decided against the £6 for a hot dog and a pint and had one of my sausage sarnies I made Friday night instead.
Crawley were by far the better side in the second half, but they still barely tested the 'keeper. The couple of free kicks they had close to the 18 yard box were blazed wastefully over the bar before the attendance was announced midway through the second half, a mere 74,726 more than the first game of this run. Manchester United, being outplayed by Crawley were getting frustrated and giving away free kicks, Rooney stupidly getting himeslf a yellow card for a challenge late on. Crawley, however, never really looked like forcing a replay until Brodie beat the 'keeper with a superb looping header which came back off the crossbar, but the visitors could not capitalise and went out of the Cup in strange fashion when a free kick was given for offside, they took 30 seconds deciding whether the defender or 'keeper should take it before playing it short to be greeted with the full time whistle. GET IT IN THE BOX, MAN!!!!
All in all, not a particularly exciting game of football, but Manchester United progress and will face Leyton Orient or Arsenal who replay next week at Ashburton Grove.Full Time: Manchester United 1-0 Crawley Town; attendance: 74,478
Saturday 29th January, Fourth Round Proper, Plainmoor, Torquay United v. Crawley Town
Buggered my trains up for this one, I'm on the 09:08 from Shrub Hill station, but my tickets are waiting for me at Foregate Street, a quarter of an hour walk away, I get to Foregate nice and early and lazily notice a London train will be leaving shortly and stopping at "Shrubber" so I jump on it and bump into a trio of Kidderminster Harriers fans on their way to Hayes and Yeading having just enough time to re-assure them that I will not be supporting Creepy this afternoon. – Harriers are another set of fans who find Evans distasteful. I get the train to Cheltenham where I have a bacon roll and a nice cuppa tea, and from there board the express train to Exeter alongside a Bournemouth fan on his way to Plymouth. There are several Creepy fans on the station when I get to Exeter St Davids, and a few Torquay and Plymouth scarves dotted around too - I love Saturday! I love the Exeter to Paignton line too, I've been to Dawlish Warren on holiday in the past and it's stunning, we are travelling right alongside the coast line and the waves are spraying water almost to the height of the trains, I would love to travel on this line on a stormy evening! We get an excellent view of Newton Abbot racecourseas we pass by and as we pull into Newton Abbot station, a train is leaving in the opposite direction. A young train spotter is on the end of the platform with a video camera and is frantically making a gesture with his hand which looks like he is calling the driver a wanker. Thankfully the driver responds by giving the youngster a toot of his horn and everyone is happy. A group of young lads join the train here, one of which looks and sounds irritatingly like a fat Gok Wan. Mind you he was fat in his youth, but he doesn't like to mention it. I've met a Hucknall Town fan whose claim to fame is that he used to bully Gok Wan at school. The railway soon meets the road coming out of Newton Abbot and I spy three coaches containing Creepy fans decked in red. I also look out of the window longingly towards the Romany Jones cafe which I can see in the distance - I want a Full English. NOW. Alighting at Torquay I move onto the search for a cash point and a pub - I'm looking for one called the Hole in Wall but can't find it so I give up and go to Wetherspoons instead where I have a pint of O'Hanlons Gold Blade. Wheat Beer. Delicious. It's half past one and I'm not sure on either the distance to Plainmoor or how early I will need to be there, so I head up (hill) towards the ground, I've earned that burger when I get there, I haven't eaten since Cheltenham!!!
I get to the ground at 2pm and abandon my plan of visiting the club shop to join the massive queue to enter the popular side terrace. Fifty minutes later I'm in, and this time I am opposite the main stands, with the away fans to my left - I take a position on the cramped terrace next about three quarters of the way down, on the side nearest the Creepy fans. We are informed that the kick off has been delayed by fifteen minutes so in the little room that I have, I browse through the 64 page programme, there is an excellent article on 10 of Creepy's classic post-war campaigns and obviously a number of FA Cup related articles. We have an excellent rendition of Simply the Best from an attractive female singer, it's just a shame she hasn't got a clue about the offside law. Moments before kick-off is a moment I will cherish forever and there will always be a place in my heart for Torquay United thanks to this. One of the big flags that goes over the crowds before games came down the Popular Side terrace - I've seen them on the tele before matches and always wanted to go under one of them, so thank you Torquay for fixing it for me!
Torquay started their 200th match in the FA Cup out of sorts, passing going astray, they looked lethargic, a completely different team to the previous round. Creepy on the other hand looked very lively and well organised, with the exception of the goalkeeper who insisted on doing a minute of gardening before each goal kick. The hosts had the first chance of the game when the rather good looking Danny Stevens (I don't know what it is with short people) fired just wide of the Creepy goal, but the visitors went even closer when Matthew Tubbs fired a gilt edged chance high and wide; he made amends however as the Red Devils' striker ghosted between defenders, took a high ball down expertly and completed the move with what looked like a very good finish from my vantage point, but I've now seen Match of the Day - oh well whatever the ITV highlights programme is called! To be honest, on the first half performance, Cradley Town, Malvern Town, Oadby Town, Dosthill Colts, Radcliffe Olympic, Tipton Town, Sheffield, Carlisle United and Tamworth would all have been ahead against Torquay! Thankfully though, the hosts came out a little stronger in the second half, but they were still too sloppy on the ball and Creepy still looked the better side. It was Danny Stevens again however who had the first decent chance of the half from a low cross, but he failed to connect properly and the ball squirted wide shortly before Michael "Alan Titchmarsh" Kuipers between the Creepy sticks was finally booked for being a time-wasting tosspot. Then everything went mad, Chris Zebroski and Mark Ellis were both booked for fouls, the first of which was not given and advantage played leading to a second foul by Ellis, then from the resulting free kick Zebroski raised his hand which the ball hit and was quite rightly given a second yellow and invited to leave the pitch. The resulting penalty was low to the 'keeper's right and well saved by Scott Bevan, pushing it out for a corner. Seven minutes later another penalty was awarded for something I didn't see as I was distracted by mini Gok Wan off the train walking in front of me with three burgers the fat little sod (Pot Kettle Black). Following a lengthy argument over who would take it, Scott Bevan produced another fine save to keep the Gulls alive. The atmosphere in the pop side was electric as Torquay pushed for an equaliser. They were given a helping hand from Dean Howell (a dead ringer for my colleague Mark Harris) whose involvement in an 83rd minute scrap earned him a second yellow. Kevin Nicholson came closest during the rest of the game with a stunning shot which hung and swerved and span through the air and onto the Creepy crossbar. Torquay in truth didn't deserve a second bite of the cherry in Sussex, but the visiting side's time wasting and aggressive attitude was un-necessary and irritating. 3 minutes into stoppage time Matt Tubbs was substituted off and immediately went down like he'd been shot holding his legs. He was booked for it but that's not the point.
I am thankful that Crawley's antics were noted on the highlights show Saturday evening. We all know that Steve Evans and Paul Raynor couldn't give a toss what people think of them and what people think of Crawley Town FC. But do the fans who have been following Crawley since their days in the Southern League, the days of Monday night visits to places such as St George's Lane feel the same? I hope not, and I hope for their sake that when Steve Evans finally has the decency to rid this wonderful game of his presence that he hasn't done the same amount of damage to Crawley Town as he did to Boston United in his spells at York Street.
So. After two trips south, it's back to going north for round five as we head to Old Trafford where the sour, red faced Scottish ***** will take on Alex Ferguson and the Premier League leaders...........
Final Score: Torquay United 0 Crawley Town 1 - attendance: 5,065
Next Match: Manchester United v. Crawley Town
Saturday 8th January, Third Round Proper, Plainmoor, Torquay United v. Carlisle United
FA Cup Third Round Day; described by Alan Davies on Radio 5 live this morning as the most exciting day in the football calendar! Some dozy woman also exclaims how excited she is that she will be watching Newcastle in a ground that only holds 7,000 people later this evening and is being most patronising. I hope that Stevenage do the business tonight.
During yet another five-a-side defeat on a Thursday evening (just the 7-0 on this occasion), my good friend Leigh decided he wanted to come with me to Torquay and put a few miles on his new car's clock, so having arranged for a half 9 meet at my gaff, he predictably turns up at ten to ten, a full 4 and a half hours after the Carlisle supporters coaches set off this morning. We, however, can't leave without a scarf for the back window, and since I always give away Worcester City scarves within 5 minutes of owning them, I give Leigh the choice of those on my bedroom wall; he opts for the yellow and green of Hitchin Town who are away at Slough in the Southern League today. We leave sharp-ish and are soon speeding down the M5 and pass the Tiverton Town FC coach heading northbound towards the Midlands for their match at Leamington and are overtaken by a few Bristol City fans; they are in FA Cup action against Sheffield Wednesday. We stop off in Bristol so that Leigh can do some "work related" stuff, which includes me lifting a big box into his car and we put the plan of a Bristol Brekkie on hold as surprisingly neither of us are hungry yet. Torquay v. Carlisle gets its first mention of the day on Radio 5's fighting talk as one of the glamour ties of the round. I'm sure I heard that properly!
Right, we're in Devon and the hunger is really starting to kick in now; I've earned a full English, I haven't had one since Friday lunchtime and I helped move that heavy box at least 150 yards earlier on. I spy a "CAFE NEXT LEFT" sign just outside Newton Abbot. There are around ten bolt red tables in this, the Romany Jones cafe with a 1920's American style interior; I momentarily feel like I'm in Alabama; until I'm asked if I'm going to the match today by the lady who takes our order of one breakfast and one small breakfast (Leigh is about half the size of me). The breakfast is absolutely delicious. Sausages, bacon, beans, loads of tomato and mushroom, a warming cuppa, a huge hash brown and the eggs were excellent. It's so easy to get a fried egg wrong. These were up there! The eggs weren't even the best things on the plate though; the fried bread was done to perfection. A thick chunk off a crusty loaf, golden brown, melting in my mouth with drippings of the runny egg yolk running off the fork; absolutely delicious. A post-Christmas dieter would have had a heart attack just looking at it! The only thing lacking was the black pudding. It was that good that even Leigh didn't have any leftovers, the first time I have ever seen that happen!
We park up near the ground and I feed my addiction for postcards (I'm a sad git and one of the walls in my house has postcards from the UK in their geographical positions) and walk along the coastal path for a bit; you can't visit a seaside town without seeing the sea and then retreat back towards Plainmoor and although following a hearty breakfast we have both decided we want Torquay to win and get a home tie in Round 4, we head for the covered away end to join the healthy number of Carlisle supporters and move to the top of the terrace behind the goal to shield our eyes from the dipping sun. There is a full length covered terrace to the right with the TV gantry on top; the more vocal of the home support are on about the half way line, a seated family stand is behind the opposite goal with many yellow and blue flags being waved and a huge clock above the centre of the stand. To our left are two more seated stands in front of the dugouts, one starting a third of the way along the pitch and containing some seated Carlisle fans in the first block. Next to that is another seated stand with a slightly higher roof behind more standing supporters; these two stands look a little out of place next to each other, which is a good thing, and this really adds character to the ground, complementing the more modern seated stand opposite us perfectly. I really do like this ground!
Carlisle start the brighter of the two sides, unusually attacking towards their own fans in the first half and after just two minutes, Francois Zoko has the first chance of the game from the right hand side which the 'keeper blocks well. A minute later Ben Marshall's run down the right is causing trouble for the host's defence but he finds the side netting. For their early chances, the visitors were a goal down when Tom Cruise (Yes, Tom Cruise) slipped allowing O'Kane to break free and put the home side ahead after just six minutes with a powerful drive via the 'keeper's boot. Carlisle hit back quickly and Gary Madine forced a save from Scott Bevan with a header from a Ben Marshall cross. From the resulting corner, the shot-stopper fumbled Zoko's header, but under no pressure at all, the Gulls' defence were able to clear. Straight away, Torquay's Elliot Benyon forced a good save from the Blues 'keeper and it looked like we were in for a cracker! Carlisle continued to press and were marginally the better side in the first period, but were very sloppy compared to their hosts who had looked comfortable for the most part. Once the second half began, the Gulls ran riot; they were all over Carlisle; Benyon had two chances in the first five minutes but failed to find the target before a corner was met by the head of Mark Ellis but sailed agonisingly over the bar. The following goalmouth scramble proved fruitless for the hosts before on 53 minutes, Carlisle forced their best opportunity of the match. Zoko shot wide, but a corner was given and a bullet header (I didn't see whose header though!) was flying inside the 'keeper's left hand post before he brilliantly pushed it away to keep the Devon side level. It was to be their best chance of forcing a replay, because when Torquay had the ball, their passing game was superb; they outplayed an uninterested Carlisle in the second half. Torquay had the best chances, on 72 minutes, Elliot Benyon was ever so close to connecting with a cross with an open goal at his mercy and three or four shots were blocked in an 83rd minute siege on the Carlisle goal. Torquay are supposed to be a league below Carlisle, they're supposed to be the ones defending a one-goal lead! It was a great example of attack being the best form of defence. Carlisle for their part were awful in the second half, summed up when, two minutes into the four added for stoppages, they won a throw in near their own corner flag. Every single player in blue walked away from the ball. There was no urgency whatsoever to take it and it understandably sparked anger from the visiting supporters. Torquay deservedly progress to the Fourth Round Proper and they will be ball number 32 in Sunday's draw.Full Time: Torquay United 1-0 Carlisle United - Attendance: 3,005
Saturday 27th November, Second Round Proper, Brunton Park, Carlisle United v. Tamworth
Will Tamworth fall, or make their mark,
When they visit Brunton Park?
In Round one they marched on through,
Beating Dario Gradi's Crewe.
Tom Mitchell headed home with power,
A little after half an hour.
The visiting Lambs, having fun.
Madine tapped it. It's now one one.
Tamworth showing lots of promise,
got back the lead through Danny Thomas.
Four minutes left upon the clock
Here we go, another shock?
Francois Zoko, scored with Class,
From 2 yards out, like Jimmy Glass.
So Tamworth passed this tough Exam,
We'll have a replay at the Lamb.
Carlisle free kick, injury time,
Chester forced it o'er the line,
They took the league side to the wire,
but return with nowt to Staffordshire.
Full Time: Carlisle United 3-2 Tamworth - Attendance: 3,599
Saturday 6th November 2010, First Round Proper, Brunton Park, Carlisle United v. Tipton Town
Here it is! The hallowed turf of the Seventh Round of the FA Cup – a.k.a. The First Round Proper. Tipton Town have never played at this level before and are 6 divisions below their Cumbrian hosts, Carlisle United; which is one division larger than the gap between Worcester City and the Premiership.
It's Friday evening, my sausage sarnie is in the fridge and ready for the morning. Some friends demanding that I join them for a drink Friday evening ruined the plan of an early night and so I have to drag myself out of bed, and instead of my usual 08:22 I catch the 06:33 to New Street and watch the beautiful sunrise on the horizon as I head through north Worcestershire before that horrible moment: BOLLOCKS, I've left my sausage sarnie in the fridge. A Wetherspoons breakfast in Brum and a chat with a pair of Morecambe fans on their way to Cheltenham sets one up nicely for the day before I board the train to Carlisle. Just two football grounds noticed on this trip – Wigan Athletic, and Lancaster City who play at the wonderfully named Giant Axe. My only visit there was a 0-2 win for Worcester memorable for the lashing rain and the stylish Lancastrian ‘keeper. I take in the stunning views on the next stretch of the journey – these are well worth the trip on their own!
I arrived in Carlisle at 11am and had a look around the “border city” before visiting the Howard Arms for a pint of Lancaster Blonde. Lots of photos are on the wall of this excellent pub relating to Carlisle City F.C. who ply their trade in the Northern Football Alliance. There is also a memento on the wall of Creighton RFC's “Sauce Trail” a.k.a. their tour to Worcester in 1996. The King's Head is the next stop – right opposite a butchers shop and boy the smell is tempting (though I'm not quite sure why!) The Yates Bitter is as wonderful as suggested to me by a Barrow supporter, although I didn't see his message until Sunday afternoon! I wait for Rich and Billy in the Woodrow Wilson by the station and they arrive at around half one and I meet up with them in the Beehive near the ground where I meet Rich's nephew Ben who lives about a five minute walk away and has been kind enough to offer the three of us his floor for the night! We watch the end of the sky game before heading to the ground at around half past two to soak up the atmosphere alongside the visiting supporters, where “Black Country LA LA LA, Black Country LA LA LA” is reverberating around the away end at Brunton Park. The away end is on one side of the ground at the end where the stand goes past the goal line. Opposite is a terrace stand, the paddock, in front of another set of seats and at the two “ends” which are closed for this game are terracing. We have a steak pie, which is nice but ridiculously expensive but Rich opts for the Meat & Potato before deciding he'd have preferred steak. The programme is £1 and is 20 pages of full colour including the managers article, an article on classic FA Cup upsets and the usual stats and article on the away side. The front page also shows a touching photo of Ross Brown celebrating Tipton's win over Sheffield in the last round.
Tipton have lined up with defence in mind and playing just one up front and are maybe a little overawed by the occasion. There is very little bite to their game and they are soon a goal down to a deft chip over the advancing ‘keeper from the edge of the area. The lead was doubled a couple of minutes later when a ball in rebounded off the crossbar, before being crossed in from the right and smashed home by Gary Madline at close range. Carlisle United continued their clinical performance in front of goal when Madline got his second in the twelfth minute when he powerfully headed home a corner. The fourth went in in the blink of an eye. It was Zoko's second and another goal from a corner, but this time it was a right footed shot through the crowded area and in. Carlisle have plenty more chances to score but Tipton held out well, and but for the linesman's flag on the far side could have had one or two chances of their own. Gary Madine however completed the first half scoring, marking his hat-trick with a deflected goal a couple of minutes before half time. That was a bit one-sided! Ben Marshall has run riot for Carlisle on the right and their ruthless finishing has given the visitors no chance whatsoever. The crowd was announced with the 341 visiting fans heartily applauded by their hosts, and they were given a much better second-half performance by their side who were showing a bit more aggression and with nothing to lose seemed more inclined to go on the attack but they have relied on Matt Sargeant to make a couple of good saves to keep the score down. Tipton finally get their first corner mid-way through the second half, which produces a huge cheer from the visiting fans, but unfortunately comes to nothing. Their second corner however from the left is glanced agonisingly wide of the far post - that was close! I really want Tipton to score now! Gary Madline got his fourth and Carlisle's sixth 7 minutes before time following a low cross. More importantly though, Tipton had a wonderful opportunity to grab a consolation, Jozsef Jakab did well to find Cameron Jones with a defence splitting pass, and with the Titpon supporters about to celebrate wildly, he missed the gaping goal and fired over the bar. The full time whistle comes and the visiting players all come over to thank their supporters then are applauded off the pitch by the away fans and a large number of home fans who have stayed a good ten minutes or so after the final whistle to do so – a very nice gesture indeed. The day continues with a Chinese, one of Ben's housemates Abdul, being sick over the living room at silly o'clock in the morning and Rich giving me a good kick for snoring too loudly – he should hear my fellow City fan Andy Clay with whom I shared a room in Lewes last season! I came back home in the car with Rich – we got on the motorway at junction 43. The big sign for the first exit on the roundabout to go northbound said “The NORTH”. Blimey. I thought we were already there!Full Time: Carlisle United 6 Tipton Town 0 - attendance 4,241
Next Match: Brunton Park - Carlisle United v. Tamworth
Wednesday 27th October 2010, Fourth Qualifying Round Replay, Tipton Sports Academy, Tipton Town v. Sheffield
Half an hour on Sunday afternoon was spent watching the draw for the First Round Proper of the FA Cup. Watching the live draws for the Cup is great - I wish the qualifying rounds were shown live on the TV! This time I can sit on the living room chair panicking when Hereford United come out at home. No disrespect to Hereford, but it's down the road and I've been there one or two times in the past! Carlisle is somewhere a little but further than down the road and, other than to change trains for Workington, somewhere I've not been to before, so when they are drawn at home to number 50 I was jolly pleased. Now, I'm hardly the most romantic chap on the planet, but how about this for FA Cup romance? Our next game will be at the Tipton Sports Academy, home of Step 5 side Tipton Town, and after that we will jump 6 divisions and travel to the 18,000 capacity Brunton Park the home of Football League side Carlisle United! That jump shows what a massive match this is for the two teams involved. The gap between these two sides and Carlisle is colossal and for want of a better phrase, this could be viewed as both teams' cup final.
I arrive in Tipton an hour later than planned thanks to my housemate, Pete, making me miss my intended train, I alight the train at Dudley Port on this occasion which is a bonus because it's quite a way closer to the Port n' Ale than Tipton Station was when we were here a fortnight ago – and you also go past a Ladbrokes which is excellent as well because I need to nick a few pens, something I hated people doing in my days working for a bookmakers!
I'm not certain but I gather that the pub has changed hands in the last two weeks and after he enquires about my shirt, I chat with the gaffer Carl, the bar-lady and a couple of the regulars about all things football, beer and dialects (That's not the Dr Who baddie). Having started with a Shire's Best at 3.8%, I am settling into my pint of Topsail when one of my fellow patrons asks: “As yo heard the word Tranquilments before?” I hadn't, and I'm told it was the basis of a huge discussion in the pub last weekend. It is another word for all the bits and pieces in your pocket such as your lighter, fags, wallet, keys etc. It's a great word and I pledge to use it in the future when the opportunity arises. I finish the pint of Topsail, and head up Horseley Road (“Ossley Road”) and onto Toll End Road where my next stop is the Coach and Horses (Osses), which I note for later reference, is right next-door to Jimmy's Fish & Chip Shop – perfect! I have a pint of the Tipton Brewery Power Station, which is 4.9% and Nick, who I have been chatting with at the bar, tells me that it is brewed just a few yards away in the old ladies toilets! You don't get that with Carling do you???!!!
A pint of Cobbler is also consumed before the “oh crap” moment – it's twenty to seven and I'm meeting Rich at half six. I gather up my tranquilments and peg it outside before accidentally ordering a mini-fish, chips and mushy peas from Jimmy's for my trip up towards Ocker Hill- there's a Black Country name if ever I've heard one – and onto the ground. I arrive in the Tipton Social Club about five to seven, apologise for being late and buy Rich and myself a mild. We queue up for entry and pay the six pounds admission fee and I write my address on a piece of paper so that a programme can be sent to me in the post because I've missed out on one again! I also indulge in the purchase of a Tipton Town woolly hat because I lost my Worcester City one two Saturday's ago while watching my “second team” Coventry Sphinx beat Causeway United 4-2 in the Midland Alliance. Rich queues up and buys a couple of burgers with onions and cheese, again dripping in fat, and we settle down along with a massive crowd to see both teams have early chances. The stand is full to capacity and we can see the grass bank opposite behind the dugouts is absolutely packed with both sets of fans along with another few hundred in front of the stand. On 15 minutes, Tipton's Danny Campbell had the first chance on target, looping a header into the hands of Whatsize from the edge of the area. Sheffield's left sided players caused early problems for Tipton, but it was the hosts who took the lead in the 24 th minute. Ricky Baker had played a lovely ball in a few minutes earlier to no avail, but Eric Bowen gave the Staffordshire side the lead when he fired against the leg of a defender, the ball looping up and over the ‘keeper and into the centre of the net. One-Nil. Tipton had a further chance from the edge of the area when a shot was fired wide, and Sheffield's best chance of the first half was a 34 th minute free kick from the dangerous right boot of the number seven. Half time seemed to take an age, and Rich went off to get another burger – the greedy git – you wouldn't catch me eating more than my fair share of pies and burgers. We kicked off as the attendance of over 1,400 was announced – an astonishing crowd for a side who get less than 100 for league games. The start of the second half is fairly even with both sides having “half-chances” without either 'keeper being troubled but in the 66 th minute Sheffield are awarded a dangerous and controversial free kick on the edge of the area when a shot is hit straight into the defenders arm at point blank range. After a huge build up, the free kick is hit high, wide and handsome. It's all Sheffield now – backs against the wall time for Tipton. On 79 minutes, the number 12, in acres of space on the left fires a shot away, which dips wildly and comes back off the cross-bar and a minute later the home defence is on red-alert as a ball is shinned over the bar for a corner from about three yards in front of goal. The corner leads to a Sheffield throw in which is flicked on and a second header also comes back off the woodwork but an offside flag then comes to Tipton's rescue. This is getting tense now; they are less than ten minutes away from a dream tie but hanging on desperately. That is until goalkeeper Matt Sergeant, who had an excellent game all night, came and took another confident catch before dispatching a huge kick which Danny Campbell controlled and took past his defender with ease, one-on-one with the ‘keeper, he finishes to the right to send the home crowd absolutely mad and wheels away in celebration in front of the Main Stand. Sheffield have had the wind taken out of their sails now, and it is Tipton who look the most like scoring, but an agitated home crowd are still nervous when the visitors have possession.
They needn't be. After four minutes of stoppage time, the referee's full time whistle is the signal for a massive pitch invasion – it is an absolutely wonderful sight to see what it means to these people. There is a lady who was one of the few I recognise from the Radcliffe game almost in tears at the front of the stand, she's obviously a regular here and I am so happy for her. The hallowed turf of the FA Cup First Round Proper awaits for this team and this town for the first time, and the ecstasy around the place this evening shows just what it means to everyone here tonight, and that includes the “Johnny-come-lately” supporters who probably follow Wolves or the Baggies. This is still their town and their team and let us hope that a few of them will be back at the Sports Academy in the weeks to come. Tipton have now won six games in this competition, to put that into perspective, if a Premiership team wins six games in this competition then they've won the bloody thing! Tipton's seventh round, and ninth game in the competition will be at Brunton Park, against the football league might of Carlisle United, six divisions higher in the English pyramid, the game will be on the sixth of November, and in a small twist of fate, Tipton Town's league game due to take place on that day which will now be postponed was against our first team of the cup run, Malvern Town.
See you in Cumberland!
Full Time: Tipton Town 2 Sheffield 0 - Attendance: 1,429
Saturday 23rd October 2010, Fourth Qualifying Round, Coach and Horses Ground, Sheffield v. Tipton Town
Sheffield is the world's first football club. Formed in 1857, they celebrated their 150th anniversary three years ago with a 2-5 defeat to Inter Milan at Bramall Lane. Despite this accolade, they have not been without the financial problems all too common to football clubs across the leagues which have led to them playing home games outside Sheffield, and even outside Yorkshire in the Derbyshire town of Dronfield. I get my now regular 08:22 from Foregate Street to Brummagum on which a woman is panicking for no reason whatsoever. She and her friend are meeting family members in Birmingham who are due to arrive from Stafford a few minutes after them. Now, woman number one indicates that the Stafford bunch will 'send a text' if they are running late. As we approach New Street, woman number one asks woman number two to get hold of the Stafford bunch to see if they're on time. When woman number two asks why, number one insists that she is unsure if the Staffordians will be arriving on time because they said they will only text her if they are running late.
"Well they're obviously on time then aren't they!" snaps the gentleman opposite. Ooh yes, I like him. I laugh and give him an approving nod. If only he was 20 years younger! Is there really any need to worry about a minor little detail like when your mates are going to turn up so you can traipse around Primark for the morning? Really? There's always something that winds me up on trains. They're not good for me.
I get to Birmingham, where I meet up with a fat Leeds based City supporting friend Kieran who is changing at Birmingham for the Worcester City home game against Harrogate. A large Wetherspoons breakfast is in order to set myself up nicely for the day and an early pint of Cornish Mutiny, which has a lovely hint of a morning cuppa to it in the aftertaste. Some chaps appear to be on the cider, which I'm not sure is a good idea at twenty past nine! I take the 10:30 to Sheffield and chat to a lady who is going to see Hamlet at the Crucible, she likes her football and her family are mainly Derby County and Burton Albion fans, I get in just before twelve and head towards The Sheffield Tap on platform one of the railway station where I meet Kev Walker, a Blyth Spartans supporter who is joining me for today's trip along with a couple of Grimsby Town fans! The options are endless including a wide variety from the Thornbridge range! Wild Swan, Chinook, Lord Marples and Kipling are among the beers of choice.
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We arrive in Dronfield in plenty of time for a pint of Jaipur IPA in the Coach and Horses next-door to the ground and chat to a Rotherham fan who has seen the appeal of non-league football – I hope he continues to come and watch Sheffield FC. The pub is packed with fans getting in a swift pre-match pint and there is an amusing moment when a woman exiting the pub complains to her friend “I thought you said that this was a quiet country pub”.
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Now, the trouble with pubs right next to grounds is that it means I don't get into the ground until one minute to three which means that I miss out on a programme, so I buy a Sheffield FC tie to make up for it! The turnstiles are by the corner flag with the changing rooms to the left behind the goal, and a covered seated stand. To the right is a covered terrace next to the back of the Coach and Horses and in the opposite corner is a large scoreboard.
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Tipton started the game brightly and after 5 minutes a shot was saved by the home 'keeper before Danny Bragoli netted to put the Black Country side in front. The home side responded in kind as Ashley Burbeary forced a save from the visiting goalie on fifteen minutes, six minutes before Jordan Eagers put Sheffield level from a corner. In the 35th minute, the home side grabbed the lead, a corner was fired towards goal and cleared off the line by Tipton's Ricky Baker but the linesman waved for the goal and the goal was given! From my position, albeit on the half way line, there appeared no way that it could have crossed the line!
In the second half, Sheffield started on top, but Tipton grew more and more in confidence as the half progressed. Mid-way through the second half Sheffield's Dave Bate had to clear from inside his own six yard box and from the resulting corner Ricky Baker was given ample space on the edge of the area but he fired at the 'keeper. Tipton levelled things up shortly afterwards on around 70 minutes when Danny Campbell fired in from distance but I didn't really see it as I was making sure that there was ample mint sauce on my pie, peas and gravy. With the scores locked in parity at two each it was Tipton who had the greatest chance to win the match, forcing a good block from home 'keeper Dan Whatsize at a narrow angle. As the game drew to a close, Tipton and their fans seemed happy to take Sheffield back to Staffordshire, and the hosts themselves lacked any urgency and the full time whistle came with minimal fuss. The atmosphere was not what I expected from two clubs hoping to make the first round proper for the first time, maybe it was the tension of the day, but hopefully a football league side in the draw will make for an exciting replay although experience tells me that's not always the case.
We head back to Sheffield and to the Rutland where Sheffield Brewing Company Paradise Pale and Blanco Blonde along with a pint of Gangly Ghoul are the drinks of choice. Myself and Kev finish the day drowning our sorrows and celebrating respectively (Worcester City lost and Blyth Spartans have won today) with a pint each of Brewdog Hardcore IPA. It's 9.2% and boy can you tell! Kev leaves me at Sheffield station with a parting gift of a bottle of Henderson's Relish which is a poor man's Lea & Perrins sauce and I fall asleep on the way to New Street, where I had to be woken up by the guard, looking forward to the first round proper!
Full Time: Sheffield 2 Tipton Town 2 - Attendance: 1,026
Wednesday 13th October 2010: Third Qualifying Round Replay, Tipton Sports Academy, Tipton Town v. Radcliffe Olympic
I love FA Cup replays. They are the best type of football match around. I especially like them in the qualifying stages of the competition when they are played the following midweek rather than ten days later. The excitement of the competition lasts throughout Sunday and Monday onto whichever night the replay takes place. The evening game atmosphere makes the games a little more special - the fact that you know who you'll be playing in the next round helps too. Maybe it's none of these things but there is still something magical about it. I think the most memorable game I've ever seen was a Cup replay against Conference league leaders Accrington Stanley. With City languishing in the relegation zone of Conference North, we weathered a storm registering thirteen on the Beaufort Scale to come out of Lancashire with a one-all draw before spending the whole weekend thinking of nothing but the replay. Two nil down inside twenty minutes, and then one of the most stunning comebacks led to Rob Warner's 89th minute winner.
After yet another man-of-the-match performance in the work's Tuesday five-a-side team, I feel that I am entitled to a day's holiday and a lie in on Wednesday. It feels like a Saturday this morning! It's football day!! I spend the morning eating sausage sarnies, watching the Chilean miners being saved which Pete later comments would never have happened in Maggie Thatcher's day and visiting my mother over the river for another sausage sarnie! I wait for my good friend Pete to finish work, he works at the council and therefore can finish work at mid-day without taking any leave, and he meets me at Shrub Hill Station knackered from the run after I had accidentally told him the train leaves 10 minutes before it actually did. I strike up a conversation with Robbie, an Egyptian, who almost missed the train despite having all his luggage ready in the seat next to us as he'd gone back onto the platform to make a phone call. He likes football so I mention winning the work's sweepstake last year when Egypt won the African Cup of Nations. We pass Aggborough, a football ground with, quite simply, the best food in the world except Mum's Sunday roast. We pass through Stourbridge - I tell Pete about the time I got lost looking for Amblecote football ground, seeing floodlights in the distance and ending up at Lye Town, and we go through Cradley Heath, only a couple of miles from Beeches View Avenue where this journey started.
Arrival in Tipton and a small debate ensued. I wanted to take a stroll up to Jubilee Park, which I had seen on a map but Pete wanted to go to the pub. Who am I to argue? A good fifteen minute walk to the Good Beer Guide listed Port n' Ale where I start with a Brewsters Daffy's Elixir at 4.2% and enjoy the company of not only Pete, but also the shaggy wide eyed dog which has come to join us and the local radio station in the background which advertises tonight's fixture. Otter Amber and Castle Rock Preservative with a hint of coffee in the taste are the order of the day. We then pass a school with about 20 miserable parents waiting outside for their children - you'd think one of them would have raised a smile at the prospect of seeing their kids for the next 18 hours - how depressing! We visited the Rising Sun next. Some of my more poncy or "trendy" mates would have described this place as "rough" but it was far from it - yes they can look after themselves in here but they're most welcoming. The lady at the bar asks what we would like in the warmest of Black Country accents and Oakham JHB and Church End Pooh Bear are the beers of choice. There are the remainders of some old stables at the top of the garden and a toy guitar hanging from the lights in the lounge. A further pub and chippy visit later and we find ourselves heading up Upper Church Lane in the increasing gloom in search of the High Street, which would lead us to Tipton Town. We go past a newsagent named "Fags and Mags" and I spy some lights which I assume is the ground until Pete points out that it's an ASDA supermarket. Thankfully the floodlights are in fact just behind. That is the best moment of a night game, getting a first glimpse of the floodlights beaming down from above.
It's a fiver to get in at the cup trail's first proper turnstile and a pound for the programme. There are articles from the editor and also Che of Tipton, who clearly loves Bob Marley along with Martyn Simpson's round up of the weekend's Cup ties, in the last paragraph of which he kindly reminds me that Worcester City were eliminated by Corby Town despite scoring a late equaliser. This is accompanied by an FA Cup article including another piece about Lille Bridge and Bonky's Blog along with the history of the two clubs and the usual stats, facts and figures. I scan down the season's results - before Saturday, Tipton had only failed to win two games this season - and one of them was at Oadby!!! The main stand is directly in front of us as we enter the ground - 4 rows of blue seating, covering half of the length of the pitch and probably enough seating for 200. I chat to a couple of the locals including Dan Simpson, to whom I promised a mention on here! The stand is filling up nicely and several shouts from the dressing rooms can be heard as we approach kick off. The teams come out to Insomnia by Faithless, which would have been more appropriate at Wembley on Tuesday night by all accounts. I'm going to have a rant now because this winds me up - people will question why I'm going to some "random match", "in the middle of nowhere" between teams "no-one has ever heard of" and they will tell me it's pointless and a waste of time and ask me why I'm bothering. The same people will then spend 90 minutes watching England and complain at how awful they are. I already know that an England game against Montenegro is going to be crap so I don't watch it. These people who should by now know it's going to be a load of rubbish, still watch it, complain and then tell me that a three-three thriller in Radcliffe is a waste of time! It really pisses me off.
Full Time: Tipton Town 2 Radcliffe Olympic 0 -Attendance: 495
Satuday 9th October 2010: Third Qualifying Round, Wharf Lane Recreation Ground, Radcliffe Olympic v. Tipton Town
I've been counting down the hours to this game all week! Articles on the FA website and BBC Sport reminding us that Radcliffe are the last step six side standing in the competition only add to my excitement during the week. However, this is not the only football story of the week that I have interest in to make the national news. Sutton United fan, Sarah Bleksley, had fifteen minutes of fame on Thursday lunchtime on Talksport, mind you, she got on Match of the Day last year as well - it's just not fair! I've only ever met Sarah drunk (Sutton United away matches at Bath City and Hendon and a stop off in Worcester on the way back from Hereford United spring to mind) so it was very strange to listen to her sober. Sarah has a trail of her own this season, and what a great one it is too, cycling to each and every Sutton United away match this season - today she faces a daunting 130 mile journey to Lowestoft.
Here's her blog if you want to know more
The 08:22 to Birmingham is absolutely rammed! Standing room only - surely these aren't all heading for The Rec? Getting off at New Street I note that the next train to Nottingham is about to depart so I hurry onto the carriage with plenty of seating available and as soon as the train departs I decide that I'm hungry and thirsty. Thankfully an overly camp man with a trolley wheels down the aisle and sells me a cup of tea for one-pound-twenty-bloody-five. Six times the trolley dolly squeaks past me with his annoying sales pitch that his tea is cheaper than at Derby and Nottingham stations and you don't have to queue, the foreign lady opposite me is less than impressed. I keep my eye open for The Lamb as we pass through Tamworth - I love the away end with the low roof there and I recall a cold January afternoon in 2003 when Worcester City won 1-2 to leapfrog Tamworth to the top of the Southern League. We pass through Burton and I just about spy The Pirelli Stadium floodlights - I saw a brilliant game there in 2007, Hinckley United 3 Farsley Celtic 4 in the Conference North Play Off Final. Next stop is Derby where I can see Pride Park, but much more enjoyable is the look of horror on the foreign lady's face as the train leaves the station in the same direction from which it arrived. We arrive at Nottingham at around quarter past ten and I go for a stroll through the centre of the City which includes grabbing a sausage, bacon and mushroom baguette from the market. There are some fetching young chaps all sporting Isle of Man football association tracksuits, I chat to them and find out that they are here for Sunday's FA County Youth Cup clash between the Nottinghamshire FA and the Isle of Man FA - I inform them that if Worcestershire are ever drawn away at the Isle of Man then I shall be paying them a visit! Worcestershire were drawn against Jersey FA last year which disappointingly was at home - what a great weekend that could have been! The little hand has reached eleven on the big clock near the market which is the signal to head towards Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem which is partly within the castle rock - a pub steeped in history - I take my pint of Nottingham Brewery Extra Pale Ale (4.2) upstairs and view the Cursed Galleon which leads to a strange death for anyone who dares to clean it and the pregnancy chair. There are lots of little rooms weaving in and out of one another and plenty of interesting artefacts on the wall including a picture of a fat man who I immediately recognise as being Daniel Lambert who is depicted on the badge of Stamford F C. After three quarters of an hour of looking around and chatting to Australian and American tourists, without mentioning the Ryder Cup, I realised that I hadn't even touched my pint! The Salutation Inn is the next stop which is a rock pub with about 8 ales on, splendid. Round the corner is the bus station and I stump up the £3.30 fare to Radcliffe and alight just outside Wharf Lane. There are plenty of people milling around the pub and the entrance to the football ground and the talk on the packed bus was of Radcliffe's amazing FA Cup run, I can feel excitement in the air - no-one will ever persuade me that this is less important than a Premier League or Engalnd game. There are plenty of Tipton Town fans in the pub by the ground, and an array of accents to marvel at:
"Oyi'll hayve a point of tharr thurr love"
"That's two pan' twenny please me duck"
Having met Rich and Billy in the Manvers Arms, I am jealous that they have already got a match ticket and am eager to get my own, so once we've finished our two pints of Cumberland and one Australian lager which won't be getting any advertisement on here, we head down the lane towards the ground, there are already a couple of hundred people in, a small murmur around the ground - an entrance ticket is purchased along with a programme and half time draw ticket. The programme is a 36 page affair with a stunning photo of The Recreation Ground during a night match on the front cover. We enter near the corner flag and move behind the goal - a strip is taped off which is where the players will emerge in half an hour's time. There is a tuck-shop and a barbeque is sizzling away nicely in the background - the three of us join the queue and I have a delicious hot dog whilst the other pair opt for a burger. There is a small covered stand to our left behind the dugouts with a row of covered seating for around thirty people. A horse is grazing in the field beyond, and to our right there are a number of children playing on the park. A steep slope leads to what some people have decided is the perfect vantage point from which to view the action and soon enough the players are emerging from the changing rooms between the tapes and onto the pitch for what the programme quite rightly describes as "The biggest moment in our 134 year history to date" There's no 'concentrating on the league' today. The crowd are up for this one, there is even an traditional supporters rattle on the far side! Wonderful.
Radcliffe edge the opening exchanges of the battle heading towards the changing room end goal and their first effort is well wide but expertly headed back into play by a supporter behind the goal much to the delight of his fellow spectators. Thirteen minutes in and the host's pressure is rewarded as a series of short passing seeing Phil Massingham put through on goal and he beats the 'keeper from 8 yards to give the hosts the lead. The advantage was doubled three minutes later when Carl Westcarr battled past the defender who appeared to handball in the box and then after also getting past the 'keeper blasted Olympic two goals to the good to send their supporters into a fit of delight - he wheeled off in celebration right in front of the Worcestershire trio and it was a splendid sight. Radcliffe thoroughly deserved the two goal advantage and were creating much the better chances but it was a poor backpass which gifted Radcliffe the chance to grab their third, the one-on-one was well saved by the 'keeper but should have been scored and within 60 seconds a clinical Jozsef Jakab finish halved the deficit. The arrears were erased on the stroke of half time when Danny Cambell finished off a goalmouth scramble including one shot being cleaed off the line by finding a gap in a penalty area more crowded than the 08:22 this morning to bring Tipton level - and an excellent first half which Radcliffe edged finished two apiece. This time I go for a burger and the others have a hot dog - my analysis was that the hot dog was better but Rich and Billy disagree. I take a half-time trip to the tuck shop as well and arrive back to find Rich in possession of a tin of Cadbury Heros. He's only gone and won the bloody raffle the jammy git! The second half starts with a dog in the crowd nearly being decapitated by a Radcliffe clearance. Tipton seem to be edging the second half, they are top of the MFA and you can sense that they have a little bit more about them but as I take my trip towards the Railway end of the ground, which has seen a couple of trains go past this afternoon and reminds me of Stratford Town and Evesham United's old grounds, Carl Westcarr has a glorious opportunity for the home side which he blazes over the bar. The second half lacked the excitement of the first and was very flat until the last few minutes, with the crowd on the hill swelling towards the end of the game and the tie seemingly petering out towards a replay it was Tipton who looked the closest to breaking the second half stalemate. Cameron Jones won the ball inside the Olympic area and his short cross was headed goalbound but somehow kept out by the home 'keeper's sharp reflexes. As Tipton had a free kick in the last minute of the ninety, the linesman waved for the referee's attention who after a brief discussion promptly sent off Radcliffe's substitute - like the last round I have no idea what for! Tipton pressed forward with the extra man and with the clock reading nine minutes to five and deep into injury time a corner kick was met at the far post by the head of Ross Brown to send Tipton's bench and suppoters completely wild and also send the Black Country side into the final qualifying round!
Wrong! Three minutes later, ten-man Radcliffe were awarded a penalty as they searched for an equaliser in "Alex Ferguson time" for what appeared to be a pull on Carl Westcarr. We waited for an eternity, the tension around "The Rec" grew and grew, the fans who had deserted the far end of the ground were all back behind the goal, the skipper Craig Anderson steps up to take the kick which will keep his side in the FA Cup - strides forward, right footed to the 'keeper's left and SCORES!!!! An eruption of noise fills Wharf Lane, a mini-pitch invasion, absolute joy etched on the face of the Radcliffe faithful. The full time whistle was blown, and Radcliffe were quite rightly cheered off the pitch at the end of the game - the sides will resume battle in Tipton on Wednesday night.
There is a great community feel to this club with lots of youngsters running around and even watching the football - what a great advert the biggest game in their history was for the club in front of a stunning crowd in excess of 500. There was a great vibe around the place today and it felt good to see this football club making history.
Full Time: Radcliffe Olympic 3 Tipton Town 3 - Attendance: 516
Saturday 25th September 2010: Second Qualifying Round, Invicta Park, Oadby Town v. Radcliffe Olympic
The 2nd qualifying round of the FA Cup always has a place in my heart, for me it is the most eagerly awaited draw of the competition, even more so than the 1st or 3rd round proper as it is the round at which Worcester City enter and they have a very tough draw today at Boston United. This season though, I'm taking my own route to Wembley...
Unfortunately, Rich has had to pull out of today's fixture, so I went for a pint with him on Friday night instead which leads to a minor sore head on Saturday morning. Remembering to take my mobile phone with me as I had promised Rich updates, I head to Foregate Street and remedy the problem with a sausage and bacon baguette before bumping into work colleague Dominic who was going to Stoke via Hereford to play some egg-chasing. Upon inspection of the discount shelf at Tesco, I decide against the offer of 85p for some Moroccan Cous Cous, mind you, I have met a Hucknall Town fan with an obsession for the stuff. I get the train to Birmingham and change for Leicester, a fat woman gets on the train just before it leaves New Street and asks "Is this the train to Nottingham" to which a fellow passenger replies "No". So the fat woman sits down. How does that work? Does she want to go anywhere in the country apart from Nottingham??!! I thought that was weird, but no, there was more to come. As we approached Coleshill, the guard has asked her for her ticket and she showed him a ticket to Stafford!!!!! What the bloody hell is she doing? Why didn't she ask: "Is this train going to Stafford"? Why didn't she look at the big board on the platform? What the heck has Nottingham got to do with it? My blood pressure returned to normal when she finally alights the train at Nuneaton. As we pass Hinckley, I cross my fingers for an away win because Hinckley United are playing one of my "second teams", Coventry Sphinx, in the FA Cup today - I spent a fair few evenings at Siddeley Avenue watching the Sphinx when I lived in Coventry. Unfortunately, Hinckley United fan Dave Jackson ruined my fun by declining the invitation to bite at my text message saying "UP THE SPHINX" by simply offering me updates from the game. Having arrived in Leicester and wandering through the market I stumble upon the Criterion which I remember being in the Good Beer Guide. I plump for the Brentwood Best Bitter at 4.2% Phoarrr! That hits the spot -bursting with all sorts of flavours. I search for and find King Street, but unfortunately the Vin IV appears to be closed down so I wander back up towards the station and note that the number 31 departs from directly outside the Ale Wagon. Perfect! Last time I was in here, Corby fan Matty was a little the worse for wear so when I see the Hoskins Brothers' Little Matty at 4% I have no choice whatsoever! After stumping up the £2.50 bus fare, I arrive in Oadby and visit the Black Dog, determined not to make the same mistake thrice with the burger van I indulge in the chicken and wedges basket meal and watch the end of the lunchtime game.
Upon reaching the ground I find that there is a different entrance at the opposite end to the clubhouse and pay my fiver in addition to getting a pair of programmes. There's the usual managers article and details about the opponents along with two decent articles about the FA Cup including one about Lillie Bridge, the venue for the second ever FA Cup final. As I wander around to the clubhouse there is good news and bad news. Bad news is that the burger van is still very much closed, but good news: I can hear music - the tannoy system is working! "Take it, take another little piece of my heart now baby..."etc
The teams are announced with the home side coming first - something you don't hear very often. As the players come out I venture towards the stand and am disappointed not to see Radcliffe Olympic president Rt Hon. Kenneth Clarke MP sitting in the directors box. There is a decent crowd in today and a healthy contingent of Nottinghamshire folk - make no bones about it, this is a massive game for these two clubs - a win today puts one of these sides only one game away from facing the likes of Luton and Darlington and two games away from the likes of Southampton! An achievement which would be all the more spectacular for Radcliffe since this is their debut season in the FA Cup! Eleven minutes in comes the first real chance, the visitors, who have been on top, force a decent save by the home 'keeper and the rebound is fired towards goal but Adam Smith clears off the line for Oadby. A minute later a Radcliffe corner is plucked out of the air by the 'keeper who launches a route one attack only for the home striker to fire wide when he should have scored. Then comes the news we've all been waiting for, at York Street it's Boston United 0 Worcester City 1 - get in! Moments later another text arrives and Worcester City are two up! At Topps Park, Radcliffe, who are a league below Oadby, have given the cross-bar a workout along with the home 'keeper - before a misplaced pass on 35 minutes sent the speedy number ten through on goal. He finished into the bottom left hand corner to the delight of the visiting fans and Radcliffe thoroughly deserved their lead. The lead lasted 3 minutes. The visiting 'keeper came so far out of his area he needed a passport, lost the ball and from the resulting cross there was only going to be one outcome; a simple nod into an empty net gave the hosts parity. Radcliffe should have restored the lead on the stroke of half time but their striker tried to pass across goal when he should have had a shot!
Half time comes with the news that Worcester are still 2 up and moving back to Leicestershire, Hinckley United and Coventry Sphinx remains goal-less. I venture into the bar where Gary, the man on the turnstile who has been helping me find a programme from the first qualifying round game, informs me that he will have one for me shortly - and in fact that it's the last one. My attention span however is turned by the sight of a man with a pie! They've got pies!!!!! On the bar is a heating unit with pies, sausage rolls and the like. I delve into a delicious, filling pie with huge chunks of peppery steak - that warmed me up!
Oadby start the second half the brightest, testing the 'keeper with an early free kick but all that was halted in the 57th minute, the advancing home goalie blocks a shot and as both players go for the loose ball, the 'keeper is adjudged to have taken down the striker and is promptly sent off. The reserve goalkeeper is sent the wrong way with the resulting penalty and Radcliffe edged back in front. Shortly afterwards I am informed that Hinckley United have taken the lead with a "goal" which didn't cross the line and Boston United have pulled one back against Worcester. Seconds later Hinckley have doubled their lead before some of the most comical goalkeeping ever seen. The Radcliffe 'keeper James Mountain comes to collect a loose ball, but realising he's out of the area only succeeds in heading it up in the air. On his way back to the goal he slips over as the Oadby striker heads the ball to a team-mate who must surely equalise - heroic defending on the goal-line sends the ball miles into the air and the 6 man scramble ends with the 'keeper jumping highest to get the ball clear! In the meantime disaster strikes at York Street because Boston United have equalised and as Oadby push forward with a corner my mind briefly turns to a St George's Lane replay on Monday night. However, I soon turn back to this action filled second half - as the corner comes in, the referee blows up and has a chat with his linesman before brandishing a red card in the campest way possible to one of the home players! Radcliffe surely can't lose this now, they're 2-1 up against nine men! Not for long. We soon get our third straight red of the afternoon, Radcliffe are given a free kick which the fouled player decides is not enough and is invited to leave the pitch after taking the law into his own hands. The game becomes open and stretched - it's amazing how much space there is with 3 less players on the pitch. The hosts are pushing forward looking to take the game at least to a replay at Radcliffe's Recreation Ground and on 88 minutes Oadby have a huge shout for a penalty turned down following which two people behind me argue that if it's not a spot kick then he should have been booked for diving. I do not understand this ridiculous attitude that something is either a penalty or a yellow card for diving. What if a player is through on goal and falls over? It's not a penalty, do you book him for diving? Of course not. The notion that a player will stay on his feet after every challenge which isn't a foul is ridiculous and quite irritating. Almost as annoying as when someone says "If he'd gone down there it would have been a penalty". As we enter injury time Radcliffe set up their stall to play out the remaining few moments and they keep the ball with a series of delightful, Arsenal like short passes. Eventually a cutting through ball is made to the left winger and his cross is tapped in from short range to seal the game for Radcliffe. The 25-30 noisy Olympic fans are sent into raptures and we have our first chant of the Cup trail: "Oh Radcliffe we love you". As the referee brings the game to an end I receive confirmation of Hinckley United's progression and I can't believe my eyes, Glover has won the game for Worcester in the last minute at York Street! I certainly wasn't expecting that - next thing you know the Baggies will be beating Arsenal away! I watch the Radcliffe players celebrate before making my way round to the exit, on my way round one youngster starts a conversation among a family of travelling fans:
"Mum are we going to Wembley yet?"
"No, we've got a long way to go yet"
"I want Chelsea at The Rec"
"Yeah but I want us to beat Forest away first"
It's great to see a young lad seemingly interested in his local team rather than the usual suspects and dreaming of Wembley - I love the FA Cup.
Full Time: Oadby Town 1 Radcliffe Olympic 3 - Attendance: 135
Saturday 11th September 2010: First Qualifying Round, Invicta Park, Oadby Town v. Dosthill Colts
Stevie Anscombe is one of the most splendid chaps in football. An avid supporter of Sussex CCC and Havant and Waterlooville, "Hawkie" has in the past couple of years made the wise decision to become a Midlander, although I'm sure he'll still mention it to me if Sussex beat Worcestershire next week. Steve is following his new local team, Desborough Town on a similar FA Cup trail to mine, starting with a 3-4 win away to Rothwell Town, Desborough progressed to a Preliminary Round trip to March Town United which they won 1-2 and today Steve faces a trip to the Eastern tips of the country as Desborough travel to Lowestoft Town. We're looking forward to the match where our two trails meet!!
My train leaves New Street and speeds through Coleshill Parkway, where I shall be alighting midweek if there is a replay, through Nuneaton where I reminisce about the town's old Manor Park football ground with the imposing Cock & Bear stand and it's delicious pork and stuffing batches, and through Hinckley where Worcester City gate-crashed the opening of their new stadium with a 0-4 victory a fair few years ago. We race past the ground of Friar Lane and Epworth Football Club which I always look out for on my trips to Leicester but have yet to visit.
The last time I went to the Barley Mow in Leicester, it was with around 30 football fans from across the country representing 11 different teams on a non-league piss-up. On this occasion, it's a lot quieter, with even the "LCFC mardy corner" to the right of the bar totally unoccupied. Following a visit to a couple of Leicester pubs I take the decision to walk to Oadby and go through a field where a youth match is taking place - one of the young goalkeepers makes a fantastic diving save to his left. I arrive at the Wheel Inn in Oadby just in time to see Manchester United go 1-3 up against Everton, my pint of Hobsons is made all the more enjoyable with the visitor's late demise on the big TV screen in what is a rugby orientated pub. I join in the regulars' ribbing of the Man United fan sat in the corner before embarking on the ten minute walk to the ground where I am upset by the fact that no programme has been produced due to the machine breaking at half twelve this afternoon. There are some idiots such as the non-league football paper's ground-hopper who would have refused to watch the game on this basis. Such people don't seem to understand the hand to mouth basis on which the clubs they are watching survive. I meet up with Rich and Billy in the stand to the left where Rich's sons Sam and Joe are entertaining themselves on the pitch side barrier. Out come the teams and the Dosthill skipper is even in possession of a pennant, which he hands to his Oadby counterpart. Oadby Town are the favourites in this tie, being a league above Dosthill, however, the Colts have already shown their giant-killing pedigree with a replay defeat of Stourport Swifts, two leagues their senior in the Preliminary Round. We expect a cagey start to this encounter given that both teams lost 8-1 last weekend. (surely this is the first time two teams playing each other had both lost 8-1 the previous weekend?) We couldn't have been more wrong, a feisty start with two attack minded teams both having chances to take an early lead, however it was the hosts who did so; on 16 minutes the right winger, who was exemplary all afternoon, took on two players before reaching the goal line and crossing in for an easy tap in. Dosthill should have equalised 4 minutes later when a clear-cut chance was blazed over the bar. They were able to make amends in the 26th minute when a penalty was awarded for an innocuous push near the penalty spot, the kick was slotted in to the 'keepers left to send the Midland Combination side level. The visitors had the best opportunity to go in front before the interval, they broke forward with a three on one, a goalmouth scramble ensued with the 'keeper seeming to lie on top of the attacker as both players went to ground, the ball squirmed free and players of either side chased it towards the goal-line, the ball somehow found its way into the net before the referee gave a defensive free kick. Half time came and went with the disappointing news that there is still no burger van. Oadby go on the offensive in the second half, forcing an amazing save from the Dosthill 'keeper, similar to the famous David Seaman versus Paul Peschisolido save in the FA Cup Semi Final in about 2001. From point blank range he clawed the ball back from behind his body and into open play although judging by the reactions of the Oadby strikers who ran furiously to the linesman, they clearly thought the ball was further over the line than a Pakistani no ball. I take my traditional walk around the ground and find that the ball retriever is lying on the floor this week and the gate to the brook behind the home dugout is firmly locked. As the hosts break forward, the visiting manager, clearly frustrated with his sides lack of a midfield screams: "Where are we?!"
"F*** me, it's Delia Smith" comes the reply from the home bench.
I reach the far goal and when a shot is blazed wide I run (walk) to salvage the ball, my throw back to the Colts' 'keeper is somewhat wayward and reminiscent of my bowling in the works cricket team despite having the best economy rate for the 2010 season (wides don't tend to go for many runs). Oadby's ultimate winner came on 61 minutes, this time the left winger provided the cross in what was almost an identical goal to the first. The hosts held on comfortably to their lead and progress to the 2nd Qualifying Round where teams from Step 2 including Worcester City enter the fray. I am home in time to see the second comeback of the day against the Ferguson family on BBC2 before the lack of a burger van earlier forces me to visit the chippy in time for the last hour of the Last Night of the Proms. We await Monday's cup draw with baited breath.
Full Time: Oadby Town 2 Dosthill Colts 1 - Attendance: 65 (I counted 115 on my way around the ground!!!!!!!)
Left: Blyth, Barrow, Hucknall, Nuneaton, Hinckley, Kettering, Corby, Tamworth, Leigh, Solihull, Hyde and Worcester fans in the Barley Mow, Leicester (2009)
Right: Me and Steve enjoy a Friday night pint in Emsworth prior to a Havant and Waterlooville v. Salisbury City friendly in 2007.
Saturday 28th August 2010: Preliminary Round, Invicta Park, Oadby Town v. Malvern Town
Ohhhhh no, bit of a hangover, although I did hear the best chat up line ever last night to make it all worthwhile! Contrary to popular belief, the best cure for a Saturday morning hangover is not a sausage, bacon and egg butty, it's the delightful smells of a football ground on match-day, the aroma of wet grass filling ones nostrils is strangely enjoyable! Unfortunately that has to wait until 3pm so I raided the fridge anyway. I threw out the squatter who had appeared on my sofa overnight and waited for Rich to show up in the searing August sunshine, much better weather than the last round! We arrived at Wigston Road in good time to admire the sign outside the ground advertising the upcoming match which I hope to upload a picture of soon. Entry to the ground cost a fiver plus a pound for the black n white programme, which the man on the gate informed us would be printed in colour for the next home game. An article "from the boot room" and another explaining Oadby's nickname of the Poachers which dates back to a resident named James Hawker in the late 19th and early 20th century made for interesting reading! The usual facts and figures followed along with plenty of advertising. We visited the club bar to be shown the signed West Ham United shirt on the wall along with a ticket stub and programme from when the two sides met at The Boelyn Ground in the FA Youth Cup Third Round. As the players took to the field, Rich went in search of the burger van to be told that there wasn't one until the kids were back at school! Chippy on the way home it is then!
Full Time: Oadby Town 2 Malvern Town 0 - attendance: 65
Saturday 14th August 2010: Extra Preliminary Round, Beeches View Avenue, Cradley Town v. Malvern Town
It is a well-known fact that contrary to the cricket season, which starts in pouring rain every April, the football season always starts in the searing August sunshine! Not so this year because as myself, my work colleague Rich and Ian (nicknamed Bill) who joined us at Droitwich Spa ploughed through the Black Country rain we agonised over the possibility of a waterlogged pitch ruining the start of the season. Further discussions included the hope of a future visit to Halesowen so that the Waggon and Horses could be visited.
Thankfully the rain subsided for the start of the match as we arrived in plenty of time to see former Worcestershire seam bowler Joe Hart earn a draw for Manchester City on the club bar's big screen. How on Earth he wasn't England's regular goalkeeper for the world cup I'll never know - how on Earth is he supposed to get "experience" if he doesn't get a game! We supped up, moved outside and paid the £5 entry fee and a further pound for the 28 page programme which was a very good read and devoid of any advertising with the exception of the back page and inside cover. Interestingly there was a profile of the referee John King on the second page which commented that the Burton Albion fan has not been able to see the Brewers play since their return to the football league "because he always seems to have a match when they play" - that's the fault of the traditionalists who always seem to insist on 3pm kick offs every Saturday - and I couldn't agree with them more! Cradley Town finished bottom of the Midland Alliance last season with just 7 points meaning Malvern who just about retained their Alliance status last term were the favourites for the tie and they justified that favouritism after 22 minutes when a comfortable finish from 8 yards out at the 'keeper's near post gave them the lead. The lead should have been doubled shortly afterwards when former Worcester City player Dave Burtoft pounced on a poor backpass but smashed his effort against the goalkeeper's extended left foot. As the sunshine made an appearance, Cradley equalised with their first real effort of the game and were given a dubious penalty 4 minutes before half time which was expertly converted with the help of the inside of the post. The half time break was met with relief for my aching stomach as I devoured a burger and chips for £2.80 and ventured back into the bar to be greeted with the excellent news that Ian Holloway was heading for the summit of the Premier League along with the less than good news that Worcester City were 1-2 down at home to Brian Little's Gainsborough Trinity. Jeff Stelling's return to the TV screen gave the signal for the half time pints to be finished and we returned to the action 2 minutes into the second half to be told by the Malvern Town faithful that the visitors had equalised. The now blazing sunshine and the picturesque view of the distant hills gave a perfect backdrop to the 5th and 6th goals of the game, scored 4 minutes apart - Cradley edged back in front with a scrappy goal before a low Malvern corner was blasted in from close range at the far post. This goal was greeted by the return of the rain, sweeping in from the north a huge dark cloud turned the beautiful hillsides into distant grey mounds, we ran for shelter in the covered area on the side of the pitch as both teams strived for a winner. Malvern were given the best opportunity to do so, as the rain subsided and the sunshine returned, the side from The Langlands were awarded a penalty for pulling which was duly converted. A "proper cup tie" ensued with the Hammers throwing everything at Malvern, coming closest when a cross was sliced onto the crossbar by a panicking defender. The host's challenge descended into farce as their "big" central defender was sent off for a second yellow following handbags with his counterpart and following this they never looked close to forcing a replay. The game ended with misconduct from the Cradley coach who had what any married couple would describe as a "heated discussion" with the officials following the final whistle; a little bit naughty, but great entertainment for the neutral. A very pleasing start to this season's FA Cup - and onward we go to Leicestershire in a fortnight's time to see Oadby Town v. Malvern Town. One more thing that does require a mention is the road opposite the ground: "Fatherless Barn Crecent!"
Full Time: Cradley Town 3 Malvern Town 4 - Attendance: 52.