SPENNYMOOR
TOWN v LANCASTER CITY
We are at Brewery Field, where last season A
Good Cup Run reported five wins in the FA Vase on the way to the Wembley
triumph. But today it is a different prospect in the FA Cup and the Brewers are
up against Lancaster City from the NPL Division 1. Spennymoor are aiming for
promotion to that league, so this is a good test; particularly as Lancaster
have started the season unbeaten in their seven games.
It’s a fine September day with high cloud and
no wind; the grass is green and the crowd is tidy, with lots of kids sporting
their replica shirts from last May. There is a vocal presence from Lancashire
as well and a couple of banners heralding the “Dolly Blues” - a strange
nickname behind which must lie a tale, but of which the programme offers no
clue.
The pitch still has the familiar slope and
the teams still come out to Dire Straits, but Spennymoor have a new strip with
a thick black crusader-like cross on their white shirts. Lancaster City look
very stylish in yellow shirts and blue shorts each trimmed with the opposite
colour. They have won the toss and elect to play uphill in the first half.
After a delayed kick off - after years of inspecting nets before kick
off a linesman has actually found a problem, quickly solved with gaffer tape –
there is ten minutes of scrappy play as the teams battle for possession. Then
Spennymoor gain a bit of control with Peacock finding space on the left,
leading to a free kick that Graydon screws wide.
Lancaster respond and win a corner on the
left. Spennymoor are slow to get organised and mainly stand and stare as the
ball comes over and is diverted firmly into the net by the head of Lancaster
centre half Steel.
The home team shrug off the goal and press
forward again. Ruddy is effective on the right wing and on 30 minutes wins a
free kick on the edge of the box. Graydon’s effort deflects off the wall for a
corner. From this Ruddy again gets on the ball and beats his man to cross
dangerously to the far post, but the header there is too weak. As half time
approaches Spennymoor fade slightly and Lancaster get in a few attacks without
threatening the goal.
At half time the only thing separating the
teams is a sloppy preparation for a corner. Spennymoor’s two up front are big
and strong, but Lancaster’s two at the back are bigger and stronger, and
proving more than capable of holding their own. The injured “Titch” Cogden
would have given them a different problem, as has the diminutive Ruddy out
wide. Lancaster are not showing much up front but, having snatched the lead,
don’t have to.
Despite plating uphill Spennymoor dominate
the opening exchanges of the second half; Graydon finds Peacock in the box but
his on-target shot is well saved by Lancaster keeper Hale. Hale is also proving
good on crosses and corners so Spennymoor need new ideas. Manager Ainsley
replaces Peacock and Ruddy, who have both played well, with Phillips and Walton
who at least have fresh legs.
When Spennymoor centre forward Henderson
chases a lost cause and wins the ball, it’s Phillips who’s on hand to drive
into the box from the left; his shot from a narrow angle is blocked by the
steady Hale. A further change up front brings on Taylor for Davison, but the
only immediate result is a hopeful, and unsuccessful, claim for a penalty as a
shot hits a Lancaster body in the box.
Lancaster’s excursions down to the
Spennymoor end are becoming rare, but one such visit gains them a corner and
gives the defence some discomfort before the loose ball is eventually headed
harmlessly wide. The visitors are concentrating on holding what they have and
winding the clock down at every opportunity.
Entering the last quarter of an hour
Spennymoor put a slick move together with Taylor, Henderson and Walton
combining well to bring another save out of Hale. From the corner a Henderson
header lands on top of the bar and bounces over.
Spennymoor pressure grows, another handball
claim for a penalty is dismissed, but Lancaster finally seem a bit rattled. The
central midfield duo of Mahoney and Jackson both get shirty with the referee
and are booked within minutes. Mahoney recovers his composure to take a free
kick on the edge of the Spennymoor box but sends it just over the bar.
Four added minutes are announced,
disappointing given the timewasting tactics of the visitors, and about three of
these are spent in close proximity to a corner flag. Finally Spennymoor get the
ball upfield where full back White thumps a thirty yarder straight at the
keeper. Moments later Henderson goes down under a challenge to win a soft free
kick, a last chance? It’s hoiked into the box but all that results is a corner
– another last chance? The corner is headed out then fired back in, striking a
defender and eliciting a third penalty shout from players and fans behind the
goal. The referee’s whistle blows – but it is for the end of the game.
Lancaster City have held out and progress,
not very convincingly, into the next round. It is the end of Spennymoor’s FA
Cup run, but they have had the better of the play and have shown themselves
good enough for the NPL should they get promotion. And there is still the Vase
to come.
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