Step This Way... Mr Lynam by Francis Ponder

Author:Francis Ponder
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Football, history, diary, newspaper, reporter, Colchester United, Layer Road, Weston Homes Stadium, Essex, Author, Gazette, sport, The U’s, Col Utd, David Gregory, Lua-Lua, Steve Wignall
ISBN: 9781911476177
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2016
Published: 2016-09-06T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20

FA Cup Horrors

‘HUMILIATION - TERRIERS SAVAGE UNITED’.

That was how I described the U’s diabolical FA Cup rout at the hands of virtually unknown Bedlington Terriers.

“Bedlington who?” we all asked when the tiny Northumberland part-time minnows came out of the hat to host Steve Wignall’s Football League, Second Division men in mid-November 1998.

I’ve witnessed some absolute horrors in my days covering Colchester United, but this easily ranks as the worst ever. To be beaten 4-1 in the first round by a team a good five divisions lower in football’s pyramid was total annihilation and embarrassment and, furthermore, we had to travel almost the length of the country to suffer it.

I knew the boys were in for a hard time when the already muddy, Terriers’ Doctor Pit Welfare pitch was made even worse by heavy rain during the pre-match warm-up. Many of the same U’s team had already given manager Wignall two Wembley finals, but on this day they simply weren’t at the races.

“Not one individual performed in my team, while the Terriers players lived up to their name and all played stormers,” groaned a deeply disappointed and humiliated U’s boss. “While we slipped and slid around they chased everything down and, credit to them, they won with total endeavour. There’s an old saying that you’re only as good as your last match and right now we are the mugs.

“To be beaten one-nil by non-league opposition is just about bearable, but to be beaten four-one is a major embarrassment,” choked the red-faced, visibly shaken, U’s boss.

Twice before in Wignall’s reign his team had come unstuck against non-league opposition, but they in no way were expecting what was about to be hurled at them.

The reigning Arnott Insurance Northern League Division One champions were about to celebrate the eve of their half-centenary with a perfect fairy tale result. They snapped around the ankles of the shell-shocked U’s players like tireless and mischievous puppies and on a cramped, sticky and undulated pitch they set about creating the greatest chapter in their FA Cup history.

Undefeated at home in their league and cups since the previous February, Bedlington didn’t have to wait too long before they hit the goal trail again. Disaster struck for the Essex visitors when Terriers’ central defender Tommy Ditchburn glanced a Martin Pike free-kick past U’s keeper Carl Emberson with only sixteen minutes gone. The roof was lifted off the tin-shack stand again just seven minutes later when the ball broke kindly for John Milner to side-foot number two into an empty U’s net. The northern minnows pulled even further ahead when Mickey Cross floated a cross-cum-shot over Emberson’s head into the net. Milner then added insult to injury when he got up from a rash Paul Buckle tackle to send Emberson the wrong way from the penalty spot with just four minutes left. Four-nil ahead and soaking up every minute of their success, Bedlington relaxed just long enough for late substitute Tony Adcock to strike for the U’s with an 88 th minute header.

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