2pm 1 February 2020
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League, Rhodes Cup Second Round
Irlam Tiger 1 South Manchester 1, 3-4 on penalties (att 11)
This cup tie wasn't my first choice but, not for the first time this season, my plan to recomplete the Manchester League at newcomers FC Unsworth was scuppered when their match was postponed.
Irlam Tiger's Twitter account confirmed the game was on. When I arrived at Irlam and Cadishead Academy I was a little surprised to find it was on grass, as I'd assumed they'd use the adjacent 3G pitch.
The grass surface wasn't the best, but it was playable, and it coped well with 90 minutes of committed and feisty football and the penalty shootout that followed.
Irlam Tiger are going well in the second tier of the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League, so the visit of top division strugglers South Manchester promised an interesting tie. There wasn't much between the sides, and it looked likely that South's first half goal would decide the outcome.
But the home side threw everyone forward as the game went into stoppage time, and were rewarded when a high boot that cleared the ball was deemed dangerous by the referee, who gave a penalty as a result. It was scored, so more penalties were needed to settle the tie.
In the moments between the equaliser and the final whistle South Manchester were reduced to 10 men. The forward who'd scored their first half goal was dismissed for a second booking ... a red card that had been coming since early in the match.
No extra time in the Rhodes Cup, so the difference in numbers had little impact. Both sides missed two of their opening five spot kicks, before the Premier Division side triumphed as sudden death began.
Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League, Rhodes Cup Second Round
Irlam Tiger 1 South Manchester 1, 3-4 on penalties (att 11)
This cup tie wasn't my first choice but, not for the first time this season, my plan to recomplete the Manchester League at newcomers FC Unsworth was scuppered when their match was postponed.
Irlam Tiger's Twitter account confirmed the game was on. When I arrived at Irlam and Cadishead Academy I was a little surprised to find it was on grass, as I'd assumed they'd use the adjacent 3G pitch.
The grass surface wasn't the best, but it was playable, and it coped well with 90 minutes of committed and feisty football and the penalty shootout that followed.
Irlam Tiger are going well in the second tier of the Lancashire and Cheshire Amateur League, so the visit of top division strugglers South Manchester promised an interesting tie. There wasn't much between the sides, and it looked likely that South's first half goal would decide the outcome.
But the home side threw everyone forward as the game went into stoppage time, and were rewarded when a high boot that cleared the ball was deemed dangerous by the referee, who gave a penalty as a result. It was scored, so more penalties were needed to settle the tie.
In the moments between the equaliser and the final whistle South Manchester were reduced to 10 men. The forward who'd scored their first half goal was dismissed for a second booking ... a red card that had been coming since early in the match.
No extra time in the Rhodes Cup, so the difference in numbers had little impact. Both sides missed two of their opening five spot kicks, before the Premier Division side triumphed as sudden death began.
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