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.
