The following article appeared in the programme for Racing Club Warwick v Tipton Town on 30th September 2006.
The early part of the season for clubs at our level traditionally features an appearance in the FA Cup. When I say “an” appearance I am choosing my words carefully. For the past seven seasons our FA Cup record had been dire with a losing sequence as follows:
1998 Preliminary Round Lye Town Away Won 1-0
1998 1st Qualifying Round Willenhall Town Home Won 1-0
1998 2nd Qualifying Round Stourbridge Home Lost 0-1
1999 Preliminary Round Blakenall Home Lost 1-2
2000 Preliminary Round Stourport Swifts Home Lost 1-2
2001 Preliminary Round Barwell Away Lost 0-2
2002 Preliminary Round Arnold
Town Away Lost 0-1
2003 Preliminary Round Stafford
Town Home Lost 0-1
2004 Preliminary Round Shepshed Dynamo Away Lost 2-3
2005 Extra Preliminary Round Oldbury Town Away Lost 1-2
Saturday 19th August – Ford Sports Daventry v. Racing Club, FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round
The draw at Soho Square pitted us against Ford Sports Daventry of the step five United Counties League (same level as the Midland Alliance) in the battle of the clubs with treble-barrelled names. The short trip to Daventry gave us the opportunity to visit a new ground, situated behind Ford’s Sports and Social Club in Royal Oak Way. My first impression upon arrival was that there were an awful lot of people about but this turned out to be a rather well attended dog show on land adjoining the Social Club. We were to be treated to a cacophony of barking throughout the match and the opportunity to make some awful puns: “Come on Rovers”, “Wonder who’s going to take the lead” and others that you can make up yourself in the unlikely event that today’s game doesn’t hold your interest throughout.
During the first half the two sides were fairly evenly matched. Speaking to a couple of the home side’s supporters I understand that, like Warwick, Ford Sports are also bedding in a brand new side with one or two players having come in from Rugby Town during the close season. Early in the second half and disaster struck. Ford Sports’ John Crockett put his side into the lead and I remarked that this would be an interesting test of the team’s spirit and determination – could they come from behind? The answer was a resounding “Yes!” as the referee awarded our boys a rather soft penalty that was smartly dispatched by Michael Hayden. The gods were clearly angry however as the heavens opened and a dramatic thunder-and-lightning-style deluge ensued. But things just got better with another penalty award to the Racers in the 84th minute, this time kosher, and with Michael Hayden already substituted, up stepped Ubo to slot home his fifth goal of the season. Surely now we were going to win an FA Cup tie? Sadly not! With 88 minutes on the clock a dreadful piece of Racing Club defending was rewarded with a goal for Matty Cox for the home side. So it was a draw and a case of see you all again next week for the replay. At least we had arrested our eight game FA Cup losing streak.
Tuesday 22nd August –Racing Club v. Ford Sports Daventry, FA Cup Extra Preliminary Round Replay
Ubo’s hot-streak showed no sign of coming to an end when he latched onto a through ball courtesy of Ben Clay to put Racing Club one-up after only 6 minutes. Six goals in the first four matches of the season will surely have the scouts flocking down the Hampton Road to add a few more to our gate. There was to be no further scoring in the first half but it was pleasing to see our boys clearly on top and it was no surprise after 59 minutes when Ben Clay scored our second. It was a cushion that we clearly needed because Ford Sports reorganised, going three at the back in order to throw more bodies up front. Their reward was almost immediate with Chris Trill (not very intimidating being named after budgie food is it!) scoring for the visitors on 62 minutes. Racing Club had to soak up some Ford Sports pressure but are very comfortable playing on the break and held their nerve to score one of the scruffiest goals you’ll ever see after 72 minutes, courtesy of Michael Hayden at the third attempt following a dreadful piece of net-minding from the Ford keeper Leeson (whom I had nicknamed Dracula on account of his being afraid of crosses!). With the clock ticking down to 90 minutes, Racing Club were awarded yet another penalty, our fourth in three games, dispatched with aplomb by Michael Hayden for his fourth of the season. 4-1 to the Racing Club and we had rid ourselves of our FA Cup albatross, earning ourselves the reward (?) of a trip to deepest darkest Herefordshire to play Westfields in the Preliminary Round. Break out the cider!
Saturday 26th August –Racing Club v. Rocester, Midland Football Alliance
Another Saturday and it’s another team who acquired a new manager in the summer. Rocester (it’s near Uttoxeter and Alton Towers for those of you who never venture away from Warwick) are one of the teams that Racing have played more than any other over the last few seasons having been regular opponents in Racing Club’s last few seasons in the Southern League. This Rocester side were certainly “passionate” if passion can be measured in the decibels emitted from players and management alike as the match progressed. It is very pleasing to report that, whilst Racing Club are equally passionate, our players and officials keep their opinions to themselves far more often than has been the case in recent seasons. Let us hope that this is taken into account by officials when they are deciding whether to award yellow cards and penalties. Sadly it sometimes seems like the man in black can be pressurised by sides who whinge and nag their way to free kicks which is irritating to us admirers of fair play to say the least.
Racing Club had the better of the first half but the sides went in at half-time goalless. After the resumption, Rocester came out of the traps the stronger and put our boys under considerable pressure without really troubling keeper Tom Farmer. With 20 minutes to go Ben Clay received a through ball and appeared to have knocked it too far forward under pressure from a Rocester defender before snaking out a long leg and hooking the ball along the ground and into the bottom left hand corner of the net beyond the despairing dive of the Rocester keeper Paul Wood. Racing Club were one-up albeit a little against the run of play. During the course of the second half Warwick had by far the better chances despite being under pressure and when Rocester had what looked like a perfectly good headed equaliser disallowed, you wondered whether our early season luck was in once again. Sadly the Romans were to carve out one final chance that was dispatched by Nick Ward on 89 minutes providing the game with the one-all score line that it probably deserved.
So after five games of Jose Ascensao’s reign at Warwick I’m sure that there’ll be one or two of you who are wondering how his managerial record compares to that of his recent predecessors Marcus Law and the duo of Wilson and Beadle. Let the statistics speak for themselves:
|
|
Played |
Won |
Drawn |
Lost |
Goals |
Goals |
% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
For |
Against |
Success |
|
Jose
Ascensao |
5 |
2 |
2 |
1 |
12 |
7 |
60.0% |
|
Marcus
Law |
5 |
2 |
0 |
3 |
4 |
8 |
40.0% |
|
Mick
Wilson & Pete Beadle |
5 |
0 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
11 |
10.0% |
Keep the faith!
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