The FA Cup. Part 2.

Friday, 16th August 2013

 Extra Preliminary Round

Hoddesdon Town v St Margaretsbury

(Ware FC - neutral ground)

Wodson Park

Ware

SG12 0UQ

K.O. 7.45pm

Half time 0-1

Final score 1-1

0–1 Lee Roberts  01 mins

1-1 Albert Bostock  90+1 mins

Attendance 283

Miles travelled approximately 15.

Well I only just about made the KO. But make it I did. I was very lucky with the route I was given at work, 300+ miles but I managed to avoid the M25 on a Friday evening. RESULT!

I got to the ground around 7.30pm. The car park was rammed, and I mean rammed. I hadn’t expected that. There was already a nice little buzz about the place, which again, I wasn’t expecting either. I know it was a local derby and the FA Cup, but this is non-league football right. Just how spicy could it be? Just how wrong was I?

 I took a quick photo of the ground and made my way to the turnstile, where I saw an envelope with my name on it. I made myself known to the old bloke taking the cash and showed him some ID.

Into the ground and I started to smile like a loony. No, I can’t explain it. I just stood there like a loony smiling my head off. I got myself together. A couple of quick photos and a walk around the pitch to check out the ground from all angles.

I find my spot leaning on the small white fence near to the Hoddesdon Town dug out. The game kicks off. St Margaretsbury promptly go straight up the pitch and score. BLOODY HELL! I’ve back the wrong team here. 45 seconds and its 0 -1.

Turns out, as I read my programme, that Hoddesdon have just been promoted to the same league as St Margaretsbury (Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division) and this is the first time that they have played each other in something close to 8 seasons. The tackles are flying in thick and fast and every player is just getting on with getting on with it. No pulling out. No play acting. No rolling around the floor like Drogba or that buck toothed racist diving cheat up at Anfield. No hassling of the referee either. Why do I bother with professional football?

Anyway, half time arrived a lot sooner that it should have. I bumped into Colin and Jackie (spelling - whose name I got wrong – SORRY!). I asked around to see if I could find Jane Sinden. Eventually someone from Hoddesdon Town’s staff approached me and pointed me in the direction of Jane.

I introduced myself and thanked her for all of her efforts in getting me a ticket.

The second half started and continued in the same spirit, only this time the momentum started to swing in favour of Hoddesdon. What a way to start my cup trail. This is what it’s all about. These guys have just done the same as me. They’ve all been to work today. Been up since whatever time. Had whatever problems in their days to deal with. They then turn up and play football, in a VERY local derby, in the FA Cup and both sets of players were up for it.

As the second half entered into the last 20 minutes it almost became one way traffic with Hoddesdon taking the game to St Margaretsbury. I should point out that Hoddesdon is the bigger town but the smaller football club, but they were giving St Margaretsbury a damn good run for their money. This was no walk over for St Margaretsbury, which is what a lot of people had predicted.

Eventually all the pressure paid off and Hoddesdon got a much deserved equalizer. The St Margaretsbury keeper played a blinder and EASILY stopped the game becoming an embarrassment.

I really hadn’t realised just how much this local derby had meant to people and players alike.

As for the players. It was a good standard of skill. No kick it and rush. Plenty of time on the ball. But neither team had a player that could create time on the ball.

After the game I went into the bar. I met some wonderful characters. The people who run these clubs do it for the love of the game. Bonkers the lot of them. They pour money and time into these clubs, in ways that make your head spin.

I was introduced to the staff of St Margaretsbury, who said that they would have a ticket for me, come the replay.

I bumped into Sean Mynott who was very happy about the events of the night.

But without doubt, the story of the day is this. Allegedly, ALLEGEDLY, someone from Yorkshire phoned up another club in the area, who were also playing in the FA Cup that night, to ask about doing the game. The person from said club said, “Is this going to take long I’m busy?” The person from Yorkshire said “****************” or something very similar and came to Hoddesdon v St Margaretsbury instead.     

I staggered out of Ware FC somewhere far too close to midnight for my own good, as I’d got to get up at 4.30 to go to Cumbria to pick up my daughter.

Noggin xx