Skip to main content

University of Manchester v University of Warwick

3pm  22 November 2017

BUCS Trophy, Last 32
University of Manchester 3 University of Warwick 1 aet (att 15)

I last saw a game at Manchester University's Armitage Centre sports ground in pre-blog 2003. The grass pitch used by Old Mancunians that day is still there, but the university's men's first team use a more recently installed 3G.

It's a typical artificial pitch that's floodlit and enclosed by a high fence, and part of a multi sports venue that's busy with student sport on a Wednesday afternoon. The Fallowfield ground was even busier in 1893, when it (or a site within a few yards of it) staged the 1893 FA Cup Final between Everton and Wolves.

It wasn't exactly a cup final crowd for this tie in the main British Universities and Colleges Sport cup competition, but those of us standing along the touchline saw Manchester eventually progress after throwing away a lead in the 87th minute.

They'd been ahead thanks to an early goal, and in a game between two sides both in need of a goalscorer it looked like being decisive. But in the closing moments the home side tried to use a corner as a way of running the clock down, they gave the ball away and Warwick broke forward and equalised.

Extra time was compressed into two 10-minute halves, presumably as Manchester's second team and their opponents MMU were waiting to kick off at 5pm, but it was long enough for Manchester to score twice, and have a penalty saved, as they booked their place in the last 16 of the BUCS Trophy.








Comments