When Sunday comes

I am not keen on commercial football on a Sunday. I am happy with occasional recreational or charity games, but Saturday for football and Sunday for church seems a good division to me. Unfortunately, with ground shares, some games have to move, which happened with Prescot Cables' FA Cup First Qualifying Round game away to FC United of Manchester, currently playing at Stalybridge Celtic. I am not sure it was a necessary clash, this round of the Cup was drawn before Stalybridge's league fixtures, so it would have been possible to give the landlords an away fixture. Not that the FA are even capable of doing that for a team's own fixtures, a couple of years ago Dulwich Hamlet were given a fixture on the weekend of the second qualifying round of the FA Trophy against opponents who had already drawn a bye to that round.

Fortunately, I was able to make it to the game after my church duties. At this level, if you spot someone in team colours, you can assume they are going to the match and safely go in the same direction. There were a few home supporters on my train, so I was in something of a procession, even if I joined the part that stopped for a sandwich at Tesco on the way.

I initially thought the programme was a slim volume, but it was mostly content, and a decent amount of it. Wires may have been crossed between our clubs on our information, as they listed most of our current squad, but still had Dave Powell as manager - and included a picture of Shaun Reid. Eeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

Stalybridge is a much better ground for FC United's crowds, usually around the 2000 mark, than their previous home at Bury: using all sides of the ground makes for a better atmosphere for home and visiting supporters. They had their usual collection of banners - printed ...

James Cairns

... and a bit more hand made.

Joe Evans

Whilst this blog approves of the catering choices expressed, sources tell me a prawn sandwich was spotted in the board room, although I am not sure if the landlords manage the food supply. There was a sweet stall, so I bought some good old fashioned pear drops - the roof of my mouth should grow back in a couple of weeks.

The home team's shirts had a retro feel, with no advertising apart from the League sponsor, and a shade of red less vivid than many available on today's synthetic fabrics, that gives the look of a traditional cotton shirt. Modernity is represented by the socks.

Sam Corlett

FC United have held a strong position in the Premier Division for some years, so they were always the favourites. It is quite possible to upset the league order if everything goes right and you catch the higher placed team on an off day: I watched Worthing doing precisely that against an injury hit Dulwich Hamlet the previous day. There was to be no upset today, with what looked as though it would be four goals without reply.

We hoped for a penalty when Jack Phillips was brought down, but the photographic evidence suggests the referee was correct in awarding a free kick. Supporters are usually watching the player, and see him land in the area, whereas the referee is trained to look at the feet, which are what matter in determining a foul and its location.

Jack Phillips is brought down ...

... and Mark Kilroy takes the free kick

However, Jon Bathurst came forward with a long range shot scoring a last minute consolation goal.

Jon Bathurst

At 1,001 the crowd was one of the the best of the round, and the share of the gate receipts will provide a welcome injection to club funds, but this was 45% down on FC United's League crowd this season. Dulwich Hamlet's crowd against Worthing was a quarter down on the average - partly due to less interest in the Cup, and partly to League figures including all season ticket holders. However, some of the drop must be due to the timing - for supporters at our level, Sunday is often for something other than football. In later rounds drawn two weeks before the game, this is unavoidable, but the fixture compilers could have avoided it here.

The rest of the pictures from the game can be seen here.

Final score: FC United of Manchester 4, Prescot Cables 1 (Bathurst)