UP FOR THE CUP

The Football Association Challenge Cup, was first competed for in 1871-2 season, by 12 clubs, pruned by withdrawals and byes, to involve 13 matches, including the Final. Wanderers beat the Royal Engineers 1-0 in the Final at the Oval on March 16th 1872. Wanderers played three matches to get the final and the RE, 4 incuding a First Rd tie v Hitchin that was only played for 50 minutes.

I watched local Stocksbridge Park Steels FC open their "account" by beating Golcar Utd 3-0, in their Extra Preliminary FA Cup Round yesterday.

The modern day version involves a knockout competition with 124 teams taking part all trying to reach the Final at Wembley in June 2023. The competition consisted of the 92 teams from the Football League system (20 teams from the Premier League and the 72 in total from the Football League) plus the 32 surviving teams out of 640 teams from the National League (levels 5–10 of the EFL System) that started the competition in the qualifying rounds.

Essex Senior League club, Buckhurst Hill, in their first appearance in the cup, enjoyed a dream Emirates FA Cup debut, with an Extra Preliminary Round victory against Walthamstow, as the road to Wembley started on a bumper weekend.  With 208 ties scheduled for this first stage of the 2022-2023 competition, the Stags were one of the stories of the day in their first ever Emirates FA Cup match. After a rise through the ranks from grassroots football to the Isthmian League, they continued to make history with a 2-1 win thanks to goals from Jake Moss and Keaton Moore. Winners of this round secured £1,125 in prize money and there were plenty of celebrations up and down the country, with some big results.

Sheffield FC, the World's oldest club won through their Preliminary Round tie 4-0 away at near neighbours, Eccleshill United. They were 2-0 up withing ten minutes, scored another and then won a penalty. Chris Dagnall scored twice for Hanley Town in their 5-1 win at Hereford Lads Club. Hanley, who have former Stoke City left-back, Carl Dickinson as player-manager and his former Potters teammate Ryan Shotton in the first XI, recovered from Kiea Cowley’s 10th minute strike to ease through thanks to goals from Dagnall (2), Reece Jones, Jacob Twyford and Jake Avery. 

Several ties will head to a replay, including that involving FA Vase winners Newport Pagnall Town, who drew 2-2 away to Stotfold. Scott Piggott gave the hosts a 1-0 half-time lead but Albie Hall equalised for the Swans after a goalkeeper fumble. Mason Spence’s stunning strike put Stotfold back ahead but another goalkeeper error allowed Mo Ahmed to tap into an empty ned 18 minutes from time to secure Town a replay.

Spelthorn Sports FC will host Bearsted on Tuesday after they staged a sensational second-half comeback from 3-0 down to draw 3-3, while Ashford Town (Middlesex) enjoyed the biggest win of the day, as a Ricky Johnson hat-trick inspired them to an 8-0 win at 10-man Saltdean United FC.

Elsewhere, Leighton Town put on a show in their 9-2 success against Baldock Town and Stourport Swifts and Trafford FC both won 6-0 against AFC Liverpool and Hereford Pegasus respectively.

Friday evening’s nine ties featured a hat-trick for Trey Charles in St Neots Town’s 6-1 win away at Walsham Le Willows from the Eastern Counties League Premier.  Sad result, nice name and badge.

Walsham-le-Willows F.C. from Suffolk, was founded around 1890, and played at the Summer Road sports ground where there was a pavilion with a thatched roof. During WW2, the ground was ploughed up to grow food and was not returned to sports use until 1951.

There are seven ties being played today, including Wembley FC away at Stansfeld from Chislehurst, playing in the Southern Counties East Div 1. The Stansfeld, Oxford and Bermondsey Club was formed in 1897, when Dr. John Stansfeld, an Oxford graduate, visited Bermondsey and seeing the local poverty, decided to form the Club to keep the waifs and strays off the streets. At one time the organisation ran five Clubs in the Docklands, Southwark and Bermondsey areas, when the population and need was far greater than it is today. The Club's headquarters are now to be found in Webb Street, Bermondsey, where over 200 members enjoy various sections, i.e. football, golf, snooker, athletics, circuit training and drinking.