 |
| View from the stand at The Southchurch Park Arena. |
Since I'd started following non league football, I'd always tried to pick out FA Cup ties which looked liked producing shocks. The only one I'd actually seen was when Gainsborough knocked out Halifax at The Northolme many years ago. However, the all Essex game between Southend Manor and Romford looked promising. Romford were in the bottom half of the Ryman One North and Southend Manor were undefeated in the Essex Senior league. I'd seen Romford in cup action twice last season in the FA Trophy at Ware and Boreham Wood. In both ties they looked a decent attacking unit .
 |
| Kick off in the FA Cup First Qualifying Round. |
Romford take the lead from the first corner of the game within the first five minutes. Assisted by the very strong wind, a corner is drilled in to the box and the Romford player nods in from a couple of yards out. Despite the strong head wind, Manor aren't afraid to shot from distance and come close on a couple of occasions. They get the deserved equaliser when a free kick is headed back in to the box and the Southend Manor player smashes home on the turn. Manor continue to create and subsequently miss the better chances but do eventually take the lead. Another free kick in to the Romford box isn't cleared and the ball is eventually forced home. Romford have a great chance to equalise when the striker is sent clean through but he only manages to hit the post. The underdogs go in one up at half time.
 |
| The Romford player rises to put his team ahead. |
The start of the second half is quite scrappy as Romford try to get back in to the game. They lack the spark up front and the Manor defence cope with everything that is thrown at them. They extend their lead when a long kick from the goalie is allowed is bounce all the way in to the area and the Manor forward pokes the ball home. Things get even worse for Romford when a quick counter attack is ended by the Manor forward who slots the ball home. Romford now push even harder and score the goal of the game with around ten minutes left. The winger in allowed to cut inside and he smashes the ball home on the angle. This is as good as it gets for Romford as the hosts claim another Ryman League scalp on their FA Cup adventure.
 |
| The stands at the Southchurch Park Arena. |
I didn't actually go to a pub on the way to the ground. I walked along the seafront to get the ground and passed several pubs and chippys on the way to the ground. The closest station to the ground is Southend East but it is a bit of a faff to get to from London. I therefore went to Southend Victoria from Liverpool Street and the walk is around half an hour. Trains depart on the half hour and it takes around an hour. The club house is quite and cheap. It did have a TV but it wasn't working when I was there. Therefore, everyone was huddled around the radio listening to Blackburn vs. Arsenal!
 |
| The Romford stopper gets a Southend Manor free kick. |
No comments:
Post a Comment