CHURCH BEAT ABBEY BOYS

It is the First Qualifying Round of the FA Cup (the 137th year) and 737 teams will compete in cup ties as minnows are jettisoned from the Preliminary Rounds and the richer gradually get knocked out. It is, as you know, the dream of every footballer to play at Wembley Stadium, in the FA Cup Final and whilst these lower pyramid teams are miles away from the big one, the players dare to dream.

Arriving at the Memorial Ground this afternoon for the Penistone Church v Whitby Town game, it was clear that there was going to be a biggish crowd...496 to be accurate. Two coaches had come from the Yorkshire coast and the club had sold out of programmes already. £4 to get in (OAP) and I stayed away from the clubhouse which was heaving.

PCFC have had their issues so far this season, having just been promoted to the Step 5 North Counties East League Premier, a challenging division and suffering some vital injuries recently.

Whitby Town FC, in Step 3, the Northern League Premier, were favourites and it looked as though they might run away with the tie when early in the game they went 1-0 up and Church had their captain sent off from a vigorous tackle. Down to 10 men. An up hill task.

Whitby should look very carefully at their defending which let them down throughout the game and Church equalised. Whitby then went ahead, 2-1, as the 10 men waned but Church scored a second (2-2) and battled away despite tiring legs. The game went on in true cup tie fashion.

We tend to walk round the pitch as the game comes to its conclusion, heading towards the exit before the mobile "tunnel" is put in place blocking our route. So as I was near the rowdy lads at the clubhouse door, with the car park in view, in the dying minutes, Church scored their winner, another aerial goal. Whitby was all at sea.
The motto is "We have been and We are".

Brilliant! The "penguin" mascot lost his head and his foot, the Church players formed a ruck mid pitch with goal scorer, veteran, sub Andy Ring at the bottom and the relieved Richards' Boys (one a boss on the pitch, one a boss in the dug out and father, a boss on the touchline) looked forward to a celebratory evening.

Well done Church; making more history, more £££s from the Emirates and the excitement of another "balls in the bag", cup draw on Monday.

I have written about Whitby Town FC twice before-these might entertain you?
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/ups-and-downs-along-coast-road.html
http://baileyfootballblog.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/get-yer-teeth-stuck-into-this.html

Church's motto could be "We are and You have been"!! Next Qualifying Round 16th September.