THE MAGIC OF THE CUP

On the weekend of the best round of the FA Cup, there is still one match to be played; Cambridge United v Leeds United. Cambridge have beaten Dover Athletic and Coventry on their way to the 3rd Round. Cambridge manager Shaun Derry made 71 appearances between 2005-08 and he will be pleased to halt their cup run. Local rivals Histon beat Leeds famously in a second round tie in 2008.

Who said the Cup had lost its mojo? I am likelyto agree with part of this having just watched the Spurs wade their way through to beat Villa eventually. I went to Bolton yesterday and in a half full stadium (which is magnificent btw), the most important part of the day was having a cheeky pre-match beer in the Blundell Arms, Horwich, a pub I am assured, was the local of my Blog Mentor Bill Rogers' dad who went there on a Friday night for "Gardening Club". Now Lew, where have I heard of that excuse before? Sam's lot from Croydon failed to breach the Bolton Trotters and we went away with no goals.

I wrote about Barnsley getting a 1-1 draw at Blackpool in 1910, so what do the Tykes do this year? Yep they score NO GOALS and the Seasiders matched them. So Blackpool should expect a drubbing when they get back to Oakwell. In 1910 the replay was a 6-0 win for the Yorkshire lads.

Plymouth AFC held Liverpool to stalemate and that might be held up as the greatest result of the weekend. Who said the FA Cup was dull?

This will cheer you up! Huddersfield had a comfy 4-0 win over Port Vale (the only FL club that does not exist at a place..what do you mean? There is no place called Port Vale).

Well I was alerted by James Taylor, a true Terriers fan, that the player for the future at Town is Izzy Brown. Below is a young England U16,17 and 19 international, on loan from Chelsea. He was born on 7th January 1997, so seeing his team beat PV was good for him as he assisted the first goal. I suspect Izzy might be celebrating in an appropriate way this weekend. (see below) Mourinho has said that "he should be blamed if Izzy does not make international standard", presumably meaning a FULL cap.

Here is Izzy and his young lady. Good lad.

For the rest of the weekend, Stourbridge went out with a bang, the Glassboys losing to the Chairboys (Wycombe W) only 1-2.
The Lions mauled the Cherries, Norwich got a 2-2 v Southampton, Ipswich have been taken back to Lincoln City's Sincil Bank (a game I hope to see at £5 a ticket), and the Wolves beat the Potters.
If your club is in the next round, the win was worth £67,500 and the next round victory is worth £90,000. Lovely jubbly.

The Hepworth United Junior FC U13s had their own cup tie today and went to Wyke FC near Cleakheaton in West Yorkshire....close match against a team a division above them...score L 0-9! magic