By Hatter-in-Macc
Given that my two previous reports for Cheadle End Punk - back in those lazy, hazy, crazy pre-season days of Summer - had carried news of County victories, I kept my fingers crossed for the continuation of a 100% personal record today. And it is probably just as well that I did!
The end-results were pleasing enough: a place in the FA Cup Third Qualifying Round achieved; and an unprecedented September exit from the competition averted. But, make no mistake, this match lived up to its billing as a tricky tie against a bold (as brass-band) Brighouse outfit that is currently showing impressive form in the Premier Division of the Northern Counties East League.
It was rather difficult to bring to mind higher-level Cup deeds by our favourites of bygone years, against the likes of Liverpool, QPR and Everton, as County took to the field in front of a sparse crowd, and a closed Pop Side. But we are where we are for good reason, and, for now, our chances of any kind of run in the competition lay with the Class of 2013/14:
Starting line-up: Ormson, Jacobs, Duxbury, Fagbola, Tunnicliffe, Charnock (Captain), Moses, Lofthouse, Turner, Jevons, Howard.
Subs: Jones, O'Halloran, Bateman, Verma (for Fagbola), Windsor (for Lofthouse).
Cheered on by a couple of coach-loads of their supporters, Brighouse made it clear from the off that they were going to give this a right good go. County, it has to be said, didn't help themselves with two worrying, 'after you, Claude' moments of hesitation involving Ormson and his defenders. Twice more, Tunnicliffe, following his successful return to central defence a week earlier in Stalybridge, saved his side's blushes with last-ditch tackles, but it has to be said that, had their strikers been just a tad sharper in front of goal, the visitors could very easily have been ahead by half-time. For the home team, there was possession a-plenty, and Turner's pace clearly unsettled Brighouse, but, with Dennis absent and Jevons playing deeper than usual, the young Myerscough graduate's forays all too often came to nothing. Fagbola, meanwhile, who had seemingly enjoyed his role as an attacking right back at Bower Fold, looked all at sea in the same position this time around, and was not to reappear after the break.
Half-time: County 0, Brighouse 0.
Verma's return, following his lay-off through injury, and to a midfield that today sorely missed the ineligible Gossett, was most welcome - helping as it did to give more balance to the side in the second half. Matters proceeded, just after the hour, to turn even further in County's favour, when the lively Windsor replaced Lofthouse, on his full debut, in an attempt to boost the effort up front. Within three minutes, a Windsor rocket-shot hit a Brighouse defender full in the face, and was cleared in something of a panic - but only as far as Jacobs, who unleashed an unstoppable long-range piledriver into the top corner. A wonderful strike, and worthy of winning a game at any level. But would it turn out thus...?
Four minutes of added time were announced - for the first time at EP this season, as it happens - and, at that point, Brighouse decided to go for broke, throwing the kitchen sink - and their 'keeper - at the home goal, and, in the process, putting County through the most agonising of closing stages, akin to those, earlier during September, at Vauxhall Motors. And none of us will wish reminding of how things ended there! Corner followed corner for the visiting side - the decision to award one of them, in particular, is up there with the most bizarre that I have ever seen given - and, in the dying seconds of the four-minutes-that-somehow-turned-into-six, Ormson almost gave the home faithful collective heart failure, when he looked to have had a David Seaman moment and come out too far for a looping lob that, by back-tracking, he just managed to gather safely.
Full-time: County 1, Brighouse 0.
Into the hat for today, then - and with a few extra quid to boost the Club coffers, too. But, my goodness, it was a tense and close-run thing...
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