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County Claim FA Cup Replay With Posh

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County produced a fantastic backs-to-the-wall performance to claim a 1-1 draw with high-flying Peterborough United at Edgeley Park to take our FA Cup 1st Round to London Road.

Only 2001 turned up at EP to see Paul Simpson’s side host Gary Johnson’s League One United, The Hatters lowest ever FA Cup crowd at The Park.

With two consecutive 5-0 defeats lying behind us, many fans including myself gave it a miss today as ticket prices were the same as league matches, but the hardcore few who turned up were treated to a gritty, solid display and an end-to-end flowing match.

County started the game tentatively, but soon got over the nerves and went flying at our odds-on favourite visitors, missing several golden opportunities to take the lead.

As dangerous striker Craig Mackail-Smith was thwarted by a brilliant one-handed save by Matty Glennon after 9 minutes, Simpson’s men were straight up the other end with a corner as former Hatter Joe Lewis flapped at the ball into the box, and Mark Lynch’s first-time lobbed effort was hacked off the line by defender Ryan Bennett.

David Poole, starting his first match for County in a few months, missed the next one as Lewis again looked suspect, and Poole ended up with the ball at his feet and a defender on the line to beat, but the winger blazed his effort over.

County were piling on the pressure and the 1700 or so County fans responded, and soon we were in front.

Adam Griffin, arguably our best performer of the season, flicked in Robbie Williams’ fizzing cross with a neat header into Lewis’ far corner, and boss Simpson punched the air as he get the response from his men that he’d asked for after the past two bashings.

The lead was only held for eight minutes as the lively Aaron McLean beat Glennon to a first-time cross and nodded home, and the full-time result stayed at 1-1, taking us to a yet undecided replay at London Road.

That could yet lead to another spanking, but no matter, it stands us in good stead for the trip to Bury, undoubtedly to be fired up by a large travelling contingent – and the fans are back ‘onside’ as it were, and fully behind the gaffer.

A brilliant performance at EP and certainly not the leathering we were expecting.

Animo Et Fide.

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Animo Et Fide

1 comment

  • cropped says:

    Never expected that! Hope we make a few bob out of the replay but thoughts now to Bury away.

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