Match Report

FC Through to First Round Proper of the FA Trophy

The Reds progressed to the First Round Proper of this year’s Isuzu FA Trophy after a 2-0 over Workington in the delayed Third Qualifying Round tie.

Originally slated for Saturday afternoon, the match was called off early in the day on safety grounds due to damage caused to the stands at Borough Park by the strong winds of Storm Amy.

That meant a second Tuesday night trip up to the Cumbrian coast in less than a month for FC - but the long journey home will have felt a lot better for Mark Beesley’s side as they came home in the knowledge they are through to the next round against Bamber Bridge in a couple of weeks time.

Beesley made a number of changes from the side that started against Prescot Cables, with Adam Sudworth, Jan Palinkas, Ruben Grewal and Ron Sithole all named in the starting XI.

FC had an early chance through Jay Fitzmartin, who cut inside and drew a save low down on the near post from the Alex Mitchell. Ruben Grewal’s shot from range on 20 minutes had the ‘keeper worried briefly but flew wide of the post.

Ron Sithole had a couple of bites of the cherry as he found space in the area on 25 minutes, but was closed down well on both shots by the Workington defence. He had another chance a few minutes later as he latched on to a through ball, but dragged the shot wide, before Charlie Munro drew a good low save shortly afterwards.

FC finally broke the deadlock on 38 minutes. Fitzmartin burst into the box from the left, and was felled by the leg of Jake Allan - the referee showing no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Fitzmartin himself stepped up and sent Mitchell the wrong way, raising a finger to his lips to shush a boisterous home element who had gathered behind the goal to try and put him off.

Things went from bad to worse for the hosts three minutes later. Grewal was brought down by Ashley Barnes, who, in his frustration at giving away a free kick, lashed at the loose ball which hit the prone Grewal. Barnes immediately held his hands up suggesting it was accidental, but the referee quickly brandished a red card.

Despite their dominance in the first half, FC’s lead remained a single goal as the sides went in for the break.

The ten men of the hosts had a decent spell to start the second half, but it was FC who got the next goal to effectively put the tie to bed.

On 54 minutes, Sithole beat the offside trap down the left. His cross in didn’t have much power behind it, but it fell to Matty Thomson who side-footed it home from 10 yards.

Ten minutes later, it probably should’ve been three, as a Matty Grivosti cross found and unmarked Sithole, but his header was right at the goalkeeper.

The pace of the game had slowed by now, giving Beesley the opportunity to make some substitutions, with Adam Le Fondre and Andre Wisdom both coming off the bench. With about 15 minutes to go, Le Fondre had a good sight of goal just inside the box but his show was wide, and a free kick in the dying minutes just wide of the top corner.

FC almost coughed up the clean sheet with a defensive lapse in injury time. A loose pass was intercepted by the hosts about 30 yards out, with Dan Atherton off his line, but the attempted lob went over.

That was the final action of the match, with Mark Beesley’s side now having a First Round Proper tie against Bamber Bridge at Broadhurst Park on October 25th to look forward to.