Decision Time: The FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Weekend

OK, so my camerawork is a bit shoddy here ... but you're not bothered about the top of my head anyway, let's be fair (and I suppose the glare is reduced) but these decisions are genuine one-take moments in my random life.  With six FA Cup ties this evening at unvisited grounds, there was only one thing to do ...





So with Friday sorted, let's turn our attention to Saturday.  I am in the Midlands that day, and with 27 ties at unvisited grounds, I need a pack of playing cards with Jokers.  Fortunately, #2 son-and-heir is on hand, and he took a moment away from dissertation-writing to supply me with the necessary.  The table is a copy of the spreadsheet - and the Xs in the first column are simply ties I discounted because I have been to the ground before, and one tie is already known to be a walkover (sadly).

HOME AWAY CARD 1 Holbeach United v Lincoln Moorlands Railway A 2 Deeping Rangers v Spalding United 2 3 Holbrook Sports v Greenwood Meadows 3 4 Glossop North End v Boston Town 4 5 Dunkirk v Arnold Town 5 6 Radcliffe Olympic v Heanor Town 6 X Borrowash Victoria v Sleaford Town 7 Gedling MW v Louth Town 7 8 Shirebrook Town v Blackstones 8 9 Nuneaton Griff v Stratford Town 9 10 Rocester v Wolverhampton Casuals 10 X Southam United v Tipton Town 11 Coleshill Town v Brocton J 12 Highgate United v Willenhall Town Q 13 Westfields v Norton United K X Bustleholme v Eccleshall 14 Studley v Walsall Wood A X Boldmere St Michaels v Bartley Green 15 Bridgnorth Town v Ellesmere Rangers 2 X Atherstone Town v Cadbury Athletic 16 Tividale v Alvechurch 3 X Gornal Athletic v Shifnal Town 17 Stone Dominoes v Wellington 4 18 Cradley Town v Continental Star 5 19 Bloxwich United v AFC Wulfrunians 6 20 Pegasus Juniors v Bewdley Town 7 W/O Friar Lane & Epworth v Loughborough University 21 Oadby Town v Northampton Spencer 8 22 Rushden & Higham United v Cogenhoe United 9 23 Rothwell Corinthians v Wellingborough Town 10 X Bugbrooke St Michaels v Anstey Nomads 24 Long Eaton United v Huntingdon Town J X Long Buckby v Stewarts & Lloyds Corby 25 Thurnby Nirvana v Desborough Town Q 26 Rothwell Town v Raunds Town K 27 Barrow Town v Kirby Muxloe JOKER

So that's Saturday sorted.  Sorry about the little arithmetical error in my commentary - again it proves that these things are unscripted genuine one-takes!


Sunday is easy - the only tie I can get to is Malvern Town v Causeway United.


If you are at any of these three games please come and say hello :)