Morecambe - Saturday 7th November 2009

It might be the 7^th of November now but it's almost three months since the first matches were played in the Extra Preliminary Round of the FA Cup, six games pulled forward from the usual Saturday afternoon slot and taking place on the evening of Friday 14^th August. Three of those ties went to a replay four days later and it is at one of those where we start our trek through the 2009-10 FA Cup sponsored by E.ON.

Clicking on the match report on the Bacup Borough website for their game at home to Atherton Laburnum Rovers I fully expected a sixth minute Bacup goal to be the first goal in the FA Cup this season. But unfortunately for Steve Smith he was to be eclipsed at Hertford Town 1-2 Newport Pagnell Town by just sixty seconds, Richard Armstrong having headed in from a corner for the visiting Swans in the fifth minute.

That was the way the score remained at Hertingfordbury Park until midway through the second-half when the home side found a leveller in front of the 211 spectators when Adam Furness netted. Newport Pagnell weren't to be denied a Preliminary Round tie at home to Heybridge Swifts however and Vinny Shrieves regained the lead for the visitors only two minutes later to seal a win for the Swans.

That was the end of the FA Cup road for Newport Pagnell this year though as they went on to lose 2-0 against the Swifts, the attendance for the match being 179. It was another quick goal but this time it was against the Swans as they went behind just two minutes in when Ben Codling netted. The killer blow by Heybridge coming a lengthy 86 minutes later when Rhys Morgan made no mistake from the penalty spot.

Spot-kicks were even more the tale of the tape in the First Qualifying Round for the Swifts when they won a replay 4-3 on penalties at Stanway Rovers after the match ended in a dour 0-0 draw after 120 minutes. In the first game played at Heybridge's Scraley Road ground honours finished even at 1-1 when Ed Kirby gave the visitors the lead on 24 minutes and Nick Muir equalised for Swifts on 53 minutes.

Heybridge goalkeeper Ollie Morris-Sanders proving to be the replay hero at the Hawthorns as he first hammered home his penalty then saved the next Stanway spot-kick. Morris-Sanders therefore putting Heybridge through into the Second Qualifying Round, this time against Blue Square South side St. Albans City at home, sixth tier clubs now having entered the competition for the first time.

With two levels between the sides, Heybridge plying their trade in the Isthmian League Division One North, a potential cup shock was on the cards and that proved to be the case as the Swifts won through 1-0 in front of 201 spectators. Ben Codling once more finding the net for Heybridge, this time in the 77^th minute as the home side clung on for the win following a two bookings red card for Ryan Hull three minutes from time.

The Third Qualifying Round found Heybridge at home again, against Farnborough FC, a club formed after the demise two years ago of Farnborough Town and riding high in the Zamaretto Premier Division. The first game ended 0-0 with 295 fans watching on, Swifts tumbling out in the replay though 3-0 after extra-time at Cherrywood Road. The three Yellows goals, in front of 567 spectators, all coming from the 100 minute mark onwards through Bradley Bubb, Dean McDonald and Anthony Thomas.

That late glut of goals for Farnborough saw them drawn in a local-ish derby at home to Salisbury City of the Blue Square Premier in the Fourth Qualifying Round. Again, with a healthy crowd of 1,247 looking on, no goals were scored and Farnborough's tie went to a replay. Plenty of goals did come at Salisbury's Raymond McEnhill Stadium though as the Whites defeated The Boro' 4-2.

Matt Tubbs with a hat-trick and Chris Flood banging in the City goals while Farnborough, who had been 2-1 up at half-time, had a Nic Ciardini strike and a Luke Ruddick own goal to show for their efforts in front of 1,200 spectators. That loss for Farnborough being their first of the 2009-10 campaign after going a remarkable 17 league and cup games undefeated from the start of the season.

Salisbury march on though and like Carlisle today face a Lancashire outfit in the First Round Proper, the Whites are on the road at cash-strapped Accrington Stanley today however while we of course got the relative luxury of a home tie. Both Carlisle and Salisbury obviously hoping to negotiate the opening two rounds and perhaps get that big Third Round Proper payday away to Arsenal or Manchester United.