FA Cup Preliminary Round

Mid-August and already a second (or third if they had a replay in the Extra Preliminary Round) FA Cup tie for many teams with games taking place up and down the country this coming weekend.

Tie of the round, on purely personal criteria is Hallam FC against Atherton Collieries, not just because Sandygate is within walking distance from my house in Sheffield.

Atherton is also a place I know well through family but, much more than that, both clubs are very active on Twitter in their attempts to engage and increase their respective fan bases.

Hallam ply their trade in the Northern Counties East League Division One at present so will start as underdogs against a Colls team who were promoted to Step 4 of the Pyramid last season (two levels above their hosts) but they belied that status against Bootle in the last round and have the famous Sandygate slope on their side!

 

 

Usual admission prices of £5 Adults and £2.50 Concessions apply for this one but keep in mind that this tie is being played on Sunday at 3pm as cricket takes precedence at the ground in the summer.

That does give an opportunity to take in another game on Saturday afternoon.

Options in the local area include Sheffield FC against Ossett Town and Penistone Church at home to Litherland REMYCA who defeated fellow Merseysiders City of Liverpool FC in the opening round.

That tie was streamed live on the BBC, part of an admirable intention to televise at least one match from each stage of the competition during the season with South Shields against Bridlington the chosen game fro the Preliminary Round.