7.30pm 6 September 2024
Cheshire FA, Amateur Cup, First Round
Chester Nomads 3 Mersey Valley 3, 4-3 on penalties (att 27) at Blacon High School
It was only late on Thursday night that I spotted, on social media, that this county cup tie had been brought forward a day and switched to an alternative ground.
Chester Nomads' regular home is shared with cricket, which might explain why this fixture was switched to an artificial pitch at Blacon High School. It's a ground that's been borrowed by clubs previously, but as far as I can tell there's no current permanent tenant.
It's not bad as such venues go, with a spectator area along most of one side and a pair of good-sized dugouts opposite. The floodlights weren't the best though, as a couple of non-working bulbs meant one corner of the pitch was poorly illuminated.
In theory there are two divisions between Chester Nomads, in the top tier of the West Cheshire League, and Mersey Valley, in the third level of the parallel Cheshire League. On the pitch they were evenly matched.
The home side scored the first half's only goal, and doubled their lead soon after half time. A third home goal looked to have ended the contest, but Mersey Valley weren't finished.
Their first goal back gave them hope, their second gave them momentum. By the time they equalised the third goal had seemed almost inevitable.
With no extra time it was straight into a penalty shootout. The home side were first to see a kick saved, but two subsequent Mersey Valley misses meant Chester Nomads scraped into the next round.
Excellent entertainment provided by two good sides.
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