There can be few finer places to finish the qualifying rounds of the FA Cup than the historic town of Nantwich. Fate had delivered me what I had secretly been hoping for since I began my cup exploits at Boldmere, a trip away from the Midlands, one that would promise a new experience, a new scene, maybe a different style of football.Though for a while I was flirting with the dull prospect of a home tie at Nuneaton, I was glad to be driving up the M6 to Cheshire and I was not disappointed by what I found there. I decided to set off a bit early for this one, not merely to allow for traffic, but I set my sights on taking in all that Nantwich had to offer.
Nantwich today stands aloof from the bigger economic powerhouses of the North West, namely Manchester and Liverpool, and thus retains much of its market town character. The town is mainly associated with two events in English history. It was the scene of a "Great Fire" in 1583, superceded only by London's calamity almost a hundred years later. Even more prominent was the role Nantwich was to play in the battle for power between Parliament and the Royalists during the Civil War. Nantwich was the only town in Cheshire to support Parliament and was the scene of a siege lasting 6 weeks in 1644. Today you can still visit the sight of the battle, and it is reenacted annually.
Back to more important matters, and after sampling some of the local culinary delights it was time to take one's place inside the Weaver Stadium. On asking a local where the best place to stand would be, I was swiftly whisked away through some doors and tunnells, past the officials and into the club shop, where I was given a ticket which allowed me to sit undercover. Nice. It turns out that Nantwich and Nuneaton are fairly matched on the football field, the first half was an entirely cagey affair, with few chances for either side. Nuneaton fans, though few in number were extremely vocal in their support, and it certainly looked like the home side would have a tough task ahead of them.
The referee was certainly not helping matters, dealing his first yellow card of the game just 2 minutes in, and attempting to stop the game at every opportunity. It was cold. It was breezy. And for almost the entire first half, it was quite boring. How often it is though, that goals change games. Though neither side had had many chances, though it was clear that the Dabbers were the better team on the ball, more composed, more creative than their opponents, and a spell of possession soon worked a chance to cross the ball from the right hand side. A fine cross it was, though evading everyone except the Nuneaton goalkeeper who will no doubt be forever cursing his moment of tragic horror. It was an error worthy of mention alongside that of Mr Enkelman, the keeper failing to get a sure grip on the ball, spilling it, and looking back in anguish as its momentum carried it over the line into a gaping net, prompting the eruption, the spilling of hot coffee, the clapping of hands from roughly 800 Nantwich fans. Neil Collett, take a bow.
Instantly, the game changed. Both teams realised that this was the moment, this was their time, and Nuneaton to their credit wasted no time in galvanizing themselves, coming ever so close on a number of occasions. This game was finally turning out to be the spectacle we had all imagined it could, and then....enter our card happy official. A fifty fifty ball near the halfway line resulted in a challenge which the referee was clearly not too pleased about, but few Nantwich fans foresaw the straight red card that was to follow. Still, the unsavoury dismissal made the situation all the more desperate for the home side, who were now surviving constant Nuneaton attacks and were clinging on to their advantage. The Dabbers themselves could have made it 2-0 moments before the end but Danny Mitchley's shot smacked the woodwork, bouncing out for a throw.
It was with much relief that the whistle eventually came, and it wasn't until that moment, as I witnessed the jubilation, that the true scale of this tie hit me. Nantwich Town had just made it to the First Round draw for the first time in their 127 year history. For the players, fans, and anyone else connected with the club, today was surely the biggest game of their lives, it was their cup final. Or maybe not. We have already learned today of Nantwich's opponents in the first round, an away tie at MK Dons awaits them.
We have only just finished the qualifying rounds, still 3 rounds before the prospect of a Premier League giant killing, yet already the FA Cup has demonstrated its ability to captivate, enthrall and surprise thousands of fans throughout the country with days like this.
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