FA Cup Preview - Second Qualifying Round 2017/18
Fri 15th September 2017 | FA Challenge Cup | By Martin Fallon
1874 Northwich v North Ferriby United
1874 Northwich's best ever run in the Emirates FA Cup continues this Sunday with a home tie against National League North side North Ferriby United. It's a tough tie for 1874, but given the form of both teams, the Hallmark Security League side will go into it believing that they have a realistic chance of progression.
For those who don't know, North Ferriby is a small village just outside of Hull, with the football team playing at their Grange Lane ground since formation in 1934. They played in the East Riding and Yorkshire League's before being founder members of the Northern Counties East in 1982. They reached the Final of the FA Vase in 1997, and achieved promotion to the Northern Premier League (Evostik) in 2000.
They were again promoted in 2004, and remained in the Premier Division, becoming a good midtable team. In recent years though they have progressed massively, winning promotion to National League North in 2013 and then winning promotion to the National League Premier in 2015, the first time they had ever played at the top level of English Non-League Football.
Last season was mainly spent near the bottom of the National League and they were eventually relegated back to the National League North after finishing bottom of the league, winning just 12 league games out of 42. And this season, the hangover from that continues, with Ferriby currently sitting bottom of the league again, with one win from eleven league games this season.
That win came on 19th August with a 1-0 away win at Blyth Spartans, and in the six games since that tie, they have lost four and drew two. Their main problem is goals, as they've scored just three goals all season, failing to score in eight of their eleven games. On Tuesday they got hammered 6-0 at home by Spennymoor Town.
In contract 1874 Northwich have had a great season. Currently unbeaten in the 2017/18 season, they currently sit in 10th place in the NWCFL Premier but only because they have played just three games in the league, with two wins and a draw the outcome of those games.
This will be their SEVENTH FA Cup game of the season, and nobody in the country has played more than them this season in the competition. In three previous rounds, they won in replays in each of them against Northwich Victoria, West Didsbury & Chorlton and Mossley.
Unlike North Ferriby though, 1874 have no problem finding the net. They have scored 25 goals in their 10 games so far, with Scott McGowan scoring eight and Adam Whitlock four.
56 league places separate these sides, but it should be a very close game at the St Luke Barton's Stadium.
Albion Sports v Ashton Athletic
Like 1874, this is the furthest that Ashton Athletic have ever got in the Emirates FA Cup, equalling the record that they set last season, and they will see this as a great opportunity to progress. With National League North sides entering and a host of EvoStik League sides still in, they drew another team at the same level as themselves in Albion Sports, who play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.
Albion Sports are a side from Bradford who were formed in 1974 as 'U Save Albion'. Their first season saw them crowned Division Four Champions in the Bradford Amateur Sunday League, and they have come a long way since. They progressed up to the Premier Division before joining the East Riding Amateur League in 2007.
The following season they were renamed Albion Sports, and after finishing as Runners Up in 2011, they stepped up to the Northern Counties East League after agreeing a groundsharing deal at Bradford Park Avenue's Horsfall Stadium. They won the First Division in only their second season in the league, and after switching home games to Farsley Celtic's Throstle Nest, have played for the last four seasons in the NCEL Premier Division where they have finished between 6th and 11th every season.
They have also reached the Final of the National Sunday Cup twice, being awarded Civic Receptions by the City of Bradford in both years. The last of these was in 2005, a season that also saw them win theie league and two cups which led to them being crowned ‘Ambassadors of West Yorkshire’, beating the likes of Patrick Stewart (Star Trek actor) and the late Richard Whiteley (Countdown presenter) into 2nd and 3rd place respectively!
Ashton find themselves in 19th place in our Premier Division at present, and like 1874 they have played just three league games due to their progress in the FA Cup. With last weekend's game postponed due to the weather, they will come into this game fresh. Albion on the other hand have played twice a week since the start of August. In seven league games this season, they have won just two and drawn one, a return that sees them in 15th place in their league.
Neither of these two teams have ever progressed beyond this stage. In the FA Cup, Albion's best run came in their first season in the NCEL when they beat North Shields and South Shields on their way to the First Qualifying Round. They had only won one match since then though until this season. Ashton reached this stage last season, losing to FC Halifax Town at home, and they will be keen to progress.
Whatever happens, it will be an historic day on Sunday, with Albion or Ashton reaching the Third Qualifying Round for the first time in their history.
FA Cup Preview - Second Qualifying Round 2017/18
Fri 15th September 2017 | FA Challenge Cup
By Martin Fallon
1874 Northwich v North Ferriby United
1874 Northwich's best ever run in the Emirates FA Cup continues this Sunday with a home tie against National League North side North Ferriby United. It's a tough tie for 1874, but given the form of both teams, the Hallmark Security League side will go into it believing that they have a realistic chance of progression.
For those who don't know, North Ferriby is a small village just outside of Hull, with the football team playing at their Grange Lane ground since formation in 1934. They played in the East Riding and Yorkshire League's before being founder members of the Northern Counties East in 1982. They reached the Final of the FA Vase in 1997, and achieved promotion to the Northern Premier League (Evostik) in 2000.
They were again promoted in 2004, and remained in the Premier Division, becoming a good midtable team. In recent years though they have progressed massively, winning promotion to National League North in 2013 and then winning promotion to the National League Premier in 2015, the first time they had ever played at the top level of English Non-League Football.
Last season was mainly spent near the bottom of the National League and they were eventually relegated back to the National League North after finishing bottom of the league, winning just 12 league games out of 42. And this season, the hangover from that continues, with Ferriby currently sitting bottom of the league again, with one win from eleven league games this season.
That win came on 19th August with a 1-0 away win at Blyth Spartans, and in the six games since that tie, they have lost four and drew two. Their main problem is goals, as they've scored just three goals all season, failing to score in eight of their eleven games. On Tuesday they got hammered 6-0 at home by Spennymoor Town.
In contract 1874 Northwich have had a great season. Currently unbeaten in the 2017/18 season, they currently sit in 10th place in the NWCFL Premier but only because they have played just three games in the league, with two wins and a draw the outcome of those games.
This will be their SEVENTH FA Cup game of the season, and nobody in the country has played more than them this season in the competition. In three previous rounds, they won in replays in each of them against Northwich Victoria, West Didsbury & Chorlton and Mossley.
Unlike North Ferriby though, 1874 have no problem finding the net. They have scored 25 goals in their 10 games so far, with Scott McGowan scoring eight and Adam Whitlock four.
56 league places separate these sides, but it should be a very close game at the St Luke Barton's Stadium.
Albion Sports v Ashton Athletic
Like 1874, this is the furthest that Ashton Athletic have ever got in the Emirates FA Cup, equalling the record that they set last season, and they will see this as a great opportunity to progress. With National League North sides entering and a host of EvoStik League sides still in, they drew another team at the same level as themselves in Albion Sports, who play in the Northern Counties East League Premier Division.
Albion Sports are a side from Bradford who were formed in 1974 as 'U Save Albion'. Their first season saw them crowned Division Four Champions in the Bradford Amateur Sunday League, and they have come a long way since. They progressed up to the Premier Division before joining the East Riding Amateur League in 2007.
The following season they were renamed Albion Sports, and after finishing as Runners Up in 2011, they stepped up to the Northern Counties East League after agreeing a groundsharing deal at Bradford Park Avenue's Horsfall Stadium. They won the First Division in only their second season in the league, and after switching home games to Farsley Celtic's Throstle Nest, have played for the last four seasons in the NCEL Premier Division where they have finished between 6th and 11th every season.
They have also reached the Final of the National Sunday Cup twice, being awarded Civic Receptions by the City of Bradford in both years. The last of these was in 2005, a season that also saw them win theie league and two cups which led to them being crowned ‘Ambassadors of West Yorkshire’, beating the likes of Patrick Stewart (Star Trek actor) and the late Richard Whiteley (Countdown presenter) into 2nd and 3rd place respectively!
Ashton find themselves in 19th place in our Premier Division at present, and like 1874 they have played just three league games due to their progress in the FA Cup. With last weekend's game postponed due to the weather, they will come into this game fresh. Albion on the other hand have played twice a week since the start of August. In seven league games this season, they have won just two and drawn one, a return that sees them in 15th place in their league.
Neither of these two teams have ever progressed beyond this stage. In the FA Cup, Albion's best run came in their first season in the NCEL when they beat North Shields and South Shields on their way to the First Qualifying Round. They had only won one match since then though until this season. Ashton reached this stage last season, losing to FC Halifax Town at home, and they will be keen to progress.
Whatever happens, it will be an historic day on Sunday, with Albion or Ashton reaching the Third Qualifying Round for the first time in their history.
