Saturday August 19th \\\ Emirates FA Cup \\\ Preliminary Round

West Didsbury & Chorlton 0
Prescot Cables 3
Sambor 4, 79
Murphy 64

West Didsbury & Chorlton
1 A. Jones (c), 2 Cook, 3 Graham (15 Hellawell 55), 4 Schofield, 5 Smyth, 6 Foulds, 7 Billingsley, 8 McKnight (19 Dickinson 85), 9 Elliott, 10 Davis, 11 Matthews (16 Eme 68). Not used: 12 Delaney, 14 Hampson, 17 Kirongozi, 18 Taylor.

Prescot Cables
1 Allen, 2 McNally, 3 M. Devine, 4 Koehler, 5 Gofton (14 Smith 68), 6 J. Devine, 7 Goodwin, 8 Foley, 9 Murphy (12 Pritchard 77), 10 Donaldson, 11 Sambor. Not used: 15 Owens, 16 Cain.

West's FA Cup journey came to an end for another season as Prescot Cables ran out comfortable winners in M21.

Making four changes to the team that kicked off at Ramsbottom United in midweek, West selected ten of the starting line-up that had done for Vauxhall Motors in the previous round.

Tom Schofield, Lewis Billingsley, Billy Matthews and Ben Elliott came in, while Liam Delaney, Rhain Hellawell, Zeke Eme dropped to the bench and Lee Grimshaw missed out through injury.

Cables lined up in the same sky blue and grey change colours their Merseyside neighbours Vauxhall Motors had also donned two weeks previously.
 

West, kicking towards the Shed having lost the toss, were soon under pressure with AJ called into action to save from Sambor inside the first minute.

It didn't take long for the breakthrough to arrive and it was that man Sambor again at the heart of it, powerfully sweeping the ball home from Foley's corner.

West sought to hit back immediately, with McKnight's destined for the top corner until Allen clawed it away and Billingsley couldn't keep his overhead attempt down after Foulds had nodded McKnight's corner back into the mixer.
 

Sambor was a regular threat throughout and Goodwin's superb deep cross gave him the opportunity to double Cables' lead but the sight of goal proved too difficult, the shot flying over.

West were very much in the game but couldn't craft any high quality chances and were restricted to speculative efforts. McKnight was the next to take aim, from near the centre circle this time, and although it drifted barely a yard over Allen looked to have it covered in any case.

Donaldson then had possibly the best chance of the game since the goal but he couldn't connect cleanly and AJ was able to gather without too much stress. Cables then bundled a high cross over the line but the flag was already up for offside in the build-up, though AJ looked to have fouled in the process too.

West ended the half strongly, Elliott and Matthews both getting round the back but on both occasions the ball wouldn't sit right and the danger was snuffed out.
 

The half ended with a rabona cross from Cables' Goodwin, appreciated as it was, nothing came from it and the two sides made their way back to the dressing rooms. It had been an even contest though Cables had undoubtedly the better chances.

The first action of the second half ultimately changed the course of the game - Schofield's challenge on Donaldson was judged to be overzealous to the extent of being dangerous, and West were down to ten men.

This prompted an instant reshuffle with Rhain Hellawell introduced and Callum Graham sacrificed. The shake-up almost had an immediate payoff as Hellawell clipped the ball over the top for Elliott, but again the ball just wouldn't sit and Koehler timed his block to perfection, killing Billingsley's chances of picking up the rebound in the same motion.
 

Any ideas that West's depleted numbers would grow into the remainder of the game were then extinguished as Murphy grabbed a second for Cables, lifting the ball high over the advancing AJ who had tried in vain to narrow the angle after the Bulls' #9 had been put clear. 

If the red card hadn't killed the game as a contest then the second goal certainly did, though West kept going and didn't switch to damage limitation mode.

With a quarter of the game left, Zeke Eme relieved Billy Matthews and Cables made a defensive switch as Smith came on for Gofton.

Lewis Billingsley worked a chance for himself but his stabbed effort was prodded clear by Allen and West, no longer attacking in numbers, had no-one coming in for the rebound.

Cables made their second and final change of the game, Pritchard replacing Murphy, and two minutes later the outcome was sealed, Sambor striking from close range after AJ had kept out Smith's free-kick.

The last ten minutes could've seen both teams score, firstly as substitute Pritchard clipped the top of the bar from outside the box as Cables hunted a fourth, before Zeke Eme headed straight at Allen when a yard either side would've done. However moot, it was West's best chance of the game.
 

The final scoreline didn't sit quite right - though it's not fair to say it flattered Cables as they deservedly led for 86 of the 90 minutes, it did feel somewhat harsh on West.

Cables have a strong recent FA Cup record, this their ninth win in the last four seasons, and only a home tie against North Ferriby United stands between them and a fourth straight appearance in the 2nd Qualifying Round.

Attendance: 774

Listen to Chris Adams' post-match thoughts here, sponsored by Steve Eckersley.

Your Burton Road Brewing Co Supporter of the Match was Natalie and Clarice and their Player of the Match was Matt Cook.

Pictures by Nathan Ashmall, Si Cook and Chris Michell.
Full match gallery available here.


Other NWCFL Premier Division clubs in action
Saturday 19th August 2023
The Emirates FA Cup Preliminary Round
Burscough 0-1 Albion Sports
Charnock Richard 3-2 Bury
Colne 1-3 Brighouse Town
Irlam 3-3 Goole
Mossley 1-0 Ramsbottom United
Ossett United 2-0 Wythenshawe
Padiham 2-5 Clitheroe
Penistone Church 0-2 Prestwich Heys
West Didsbury & Chorlton 0-3 Prescot Cables
Whitchurch Alport 1-1 Barnoldswick Town
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