The Emirates FA Cup began this weekend, in fact on Friday evening. Yes really, not in January like the MSM would have you believe or even November when the First Round takes place.
This is where replays still exist, you know those things the pampered players couldn’t manage ten days after the original date but non-league Step 4 and 5 players expected to turn a game round in three days.
Not to mention all the volunteers producing some cracking programmes, giving up more free hours for the club they love around the ground or arranging travel or logistics for some facing a longer journey than usual on a midweek night.
The content below was originally paywalled.
In this part of the world, the FA Cup still means something to non-league clubs, players, managers and supporters. The money of course helps, no where near what it should be in terms of prize money given out. The winners cheque is pocket change, nothing more given they amount they cream off everything else in the game so why not increase the pot where it’s needed.
There are over 700 teams entering the competition since the pyramid has become more robust in shape, meaning an Extra Preliminary Round denotes the first game of the season as August begins.
So there’s plenty of choice and of course with these rounds there are stories to be had, Forest Row appearing for the first time in their 133 year history, Seaford Town in 114 years since their last campaign in this competition.
Opportunities for a place in the record books across the board including the earliest ever goal in the competition thanks to the 1st August date.
Instead of heading for The Hive and Barnet’s eagerly awaited return to the EFL I headed 40 minutes from home and to Steyning Town, the hosts of Lingfield FC for the next eight weeks or so.
A long time since they’ve been at their Godstone Road ground, two years I believe amidst huge drainage problems but under new ownership and seemingly light at the end of the tunnel.
That new ownership has also landed me a programme column for the season. Some of you are probably aware that I’ve offered a service for the last five years, it’s not free because they’re not bog standard articles.
Each one is created specifically for each game and each club, the total now runs to ten in total and potentially there might be more irons in the fire to increase, busy boy I can be.
This below is the column in the matchday programme created just for Lingfield.
Tough set of opponents for the afternoon too, the FA Vase holders Whitstable Town and also many people’s favourites for the Southern Counties East Premier Division having fallen just short last year.
I grew up in Kent, I follow so much of what goes on around the county and was there at Wembley in the Oystermen’s end, a lot maybe for Lingfield to do to spring a shock.
They did take the lead after 20 minutes through Jeff Duah-Kessie and having spoken to Lingers boss Dan Burnett before kick-off he did say they raise their game against good opponents and struggle against some teams to reach those levels.
Whitstable sharply equalised through Bradley Schaffer and were ahead less than three minutes later, the tie turning on it’s ahead as games can do of course. A third goal seven minutes before half time looked to be on the way to putting the visitors out of sight, but the Lingers reduced the deficit on 42 minutes through Duah-Kessie from the penalty spot.
The home side started the second half brightly and of the two sides looked the more likely to find the net, however Whitstable seemed to finally arrive into the game and a hat-trick from Dean Grant included in four second half strikes sent the visitors into a Preliminary Round tie at Edgware & Kingsbury.
There were times in this tie where the Lingers were well in the game, Whitstable already had a competitive 90 minutes under their belts. Certainly, they were more clinical when they went forward second half which got them through and no doubt they’ll sharpen up as the games come thick and fast in the coming weeks.
Lingfield if they can add some extra consistency to their game they’ll pick up a few results for sure and will look to get their league season off to a winning start at their temporary home against AFC Varndeanians this coming Saturday.
