Staffordshire County Senior League

League Challenge Cup 2nd Round

Wednesday 4th October 2017

Kick Off 19.30 Actual 19.31

Leek C.S.O.B. 4 Ashbourne 2,  attendance 24

25’ 1-0

42’ 2-0

60’ 3-0

63’ 3-1

86’ 4-1

88’ 4-2

@ Pointon Park

Felthouse Lane

Cheddleton

ST13 7BP

No Admission or programme.

Until they made the move to Pointon Park, Leek C.S.O.B. (County School Old Boys) played their home matches at Harrison Park, home of Leek Town. It was as long ago as 12th February 1992, when I saw them lose 1-3 to Stafford M.S.H.D. there in a Staffordshire Senior League match.

Leek were always in control of this, but they seemed to be unable to kill the visitors off, even though they won by a two goal margin. Thankfully, the rain arrived an hour later than forecast, and became steadier as the game went on, but the immaculate pitch stood up to it without a problem.

F.A. Cup 3rd Qualifying Round Replay

Tuesday 3rd October 2017

Kick Off 19.45 Actual 19.46

F.C. United of Manchester 1 Stockport County 0,  attendance 1,688

48’ 1-0

@ Broadhurst Park

310 Lightbowne Road

Moston

Manchester

M40 0FJ

£10 Admission

£1.50 Programme, 16 pages.

I was not looking forward to visiting this ground as I am certainly not a fan of anything to do with Manchester United. In fact, apart from going to Old Trafford, this is probably the least appealing place I could think of ever visiting. I had even contemplated never coming at all, or perhaps seeing a neutral match here, so as not to have to ‘suffer’ the experience. In the end, I gave in. At least all my admission money wouldn’t be going towards the club, as being a cup tie, both Stockport and the F.A. would take a cut. Even the programme was cheaper than normal, as it was a smaller issue due to the short notice of producing it.

Once you get past the red, white and black colours of the club and the constant ‘United’ and ‘anti-City ‘songs, from a club formed due to their so called dislike of all things ‘Glazer and Sky’, It is not too bad……not something I would relish again, but at least it is out of the way now and it completes visits to all the grounds at Step 2.

On Saturday, Stockport led 3-0, but somehow let it slip, with the game ending 3-3, giving United a second successive home replay in the F.A. Cup, having beaten Handsworth Parramore in the last round. This game looked to be swinging towards County again when United had a man sent off after 24 minutes and even more so when they received another red card five minutes before the break. Surely United couldn’t hold out for 50 minutes and a further half an hour of extra time, to take their chances in a penalty shoot out, with two players short.

Three minutes into the second half a speculative cross hit the crossbar and the follow up shot was awkwardly tipped over by the ‘keeper. The corner kick was headed down from near the penalty spot and the centre forward flicked the ball into the net from a yard out. Despite being under the cosh, a combination of luck and dogged determination meant they somehow kept the ball out of their goal and hung on for a very unlikely win. They now travel to A.F.C. Telford United in the next round.