FA Cup First Round
Sunday 10th November 2019
Before this game, York City hadn't lost all season!
They're currently top of the National League North, in decent form, confidence is (or was) high and they were expected to comfortably beat an Altrincham side who languish near the drop zone in the same division.
Everything pointed to a home win... until I made a spur of the moment decision to book train tickets and head Bootham Crescent for probably the final time!
Given my uncanny ability to act as a 'grim reaper' the writing was on the wall for either a crap game or a 0-0 draw - usually the result when I pick out random matches to watch.
As it transpired, I got the turgid, rubbish and pretty drab display from the hosts whilst, for 80 minutes, it also looked as though I'd managed to pick only the third game in the entire United Kingdom this weekend which would be goalless.
The football on show wasn't good from either side; too many passes went astray, ball retention was close to terrible, it was bitty, scrappy, clumsy and careless, and it wasn't pleasant or entertaining for anyone.
Though Altrincham shaded things in open play and started positively - springing quick counter-attacks which posed some problems, in terms of clear-cut openings and opportunities, they actually created very little.
Instead, York will regret two huge set-pieces chances which they couldn't convert. Sean Newton's thunderous 20-yard free-kick rattled the upright midway through the first period, whilst Andy Bond's spot-kick was saved by visiting 'keeper Tony Thompson just after the re-start.
A 0-0 seemed ominous as move after move was wasted, until Tom Peers hammered a shot into the top corner with eight minutes remaining to send the 350+ travelling supporters into hysteria. Panic and desperation followed - complete with home 'keeper Peter Jameson going forward at corners late on, as York tried desperately to salvage a replay.
It wasn't to be though and the final whistle came with the realisation for everyone that this had been the last ever FA Cup tie at Bootham Crescent.
Based solely on their performance, you wonder just how on earth Steve Watson's side have opened up a four-point lead over Kings Lynn Town at the top of the National League North. It was drab, but no doubt a one-off considering their otherwise excellent form this term. I'm sure if the season ends in promotion to the National League, very few York fans will be bothered about the 'what might have been' story in this competition.
Credit has to go to Alty for executing a game-plan which made their counterparts look very basic and ordinary. They weren't silky or skilful - just organised and prepared to work that bit harder than what they were up against. Nevertheless, they'll be there for the taking if they're drawn against any half-decent Football League team in Round Two.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: only a member of this blog may post a comment.