Ammies Deadly Duo Prove Dab Hands...

And so to Moor Lane, and some more of that FA Cup magic. Today, Salford City - who progress with a thrilling 6-4 extra time replay win over the Bears of Congleton Town - against Nantwich Town.

NantwichTown was formed in 1884 and became a founder member of the North West Counties Football League in 1982. Having won the FA Vase in 2006, the following season brought promotion and a move to their new Weaver Stadium at Kingsley Fields in the town. Their inaugural season there brought another promotion to the current level, Evostik Premier, one step above Salford. Nicknamed 'The Dabbers' but no one is too sure why - the best guess being after the wattle and daub buildings in Nantwich, with daubers being corrupted to dabbers.

Past the AJ Bell, indoor skydiving (and how does that work, exactly?) and invisible workmen on the Smart Motorway it's an exit at Prestwich. Onto the A56, passing the renowned Railway and Naturalist pub and then St Marys Flower Park before reaching Kersal and Moor Lane.

Inside the ground it's a steep descent down the stairs to the pitch - indeed a cluster of people choose to spectate from the high vantage point by the turnstiles. Philip, Gary and Neville Neville are in attendance today, which explains the 3 TV gantries around the ground as filming of the Class of 92 takeover of the Ammies continues.

The ground is set in a residential estate but heavily screened by trees. Behind the near goal is a large grassed area, with several young children playing football and others bouncing on the giant inflatable giraffe - oh the magic of the cup !!
Next to a burger van, the main concrete stand is sat well back from the pitch; there is a small area of seats in one corner, but the rest is red and white concrete tiers - reminiscent of lower league European teams, but with a roof ! By the corner is a bar, refreshment area, shop and changing rooms - we are warned that since it is the cup, alcohol can only be drunk in the bar (definitely not magic !). The other entrance, appropriately on Nevile Road, is tucked in too.

At the top end is car parking including a cherry picker, behind which is a school, but the view is dominated by the church rising magnificently above the treetops. There's a wry smile or two at the BMW that has sunk into the turf..... Opposite the main stand is a small covered terrace displaying SCFC 1940 2014, steep grass banking and discarded advertising hoardings. The terrace is quickly monopolised by 20 or so singing Dabbers fans and their drummer, with SCFC covered by a 'Where there's Frank there's hope' flag....

Nantwich are in green shirts, proudly displaying 130 years of football, black shorts and red and black hooped socks. Salford in red and white start hesitantly, almost nervously, whilst the Dabbers display more confidence, but there are too many misplaced passes.

A ball breaks loose and Salford's Nicky Platt (no longer in Coronation Street !) has the first real chance but it hits the legs of Nantwich keeper, Aaron Ashley. For the Dabbers, Aaron Burns' header is tipped away by Jay Lynch and then Max Harrop hits the crossbar with a free kick. Ammies' Sam Madeley's powderpuff shot, when played in by Gareth Seddon, trickles through to the keeper.

At half time the Nantwich choir belt out 'Shoes off if you're wunderbar', with their trainers duly removed, and then both sides are kept waiting for a good few minutes before the officials arrive for the second half - prompting a rendition of 'It's nice to know you're here' from the Salford faithful.....

The second period is nip and tuck, with Nantwich just shading it, before the match changes in the final quarter. Salford take the game by the scruff of the neck, Seddon is denied twice and Danny Webber refused a clear penalty. Then with a quarter of an hour to go, Seddon gets free at a corner and nods home unchallenged.

The Dabbers, who have lost their shape, rally but their best effort, sub Vinny Mukendi's shot is straight down Lynch's throat. In injury time Salford break and Webber, instead of squaring, toys with the Nantwich defence before slamming in an unstoppable shot - pure class !

2-0 at the end and, on paper, a shock - but probably not too much of a surprise ☺

Comedy Keeper Seels Ammies' Triumph !

And so to Seel Park, home of Mossley AFC, The Lilywhites, for their eagerly awaited clash with much hyped Salford City, The Ammies.

Mossley AFC was formed in 1903 as Park Villa, changing their name to Mossley Juniors and then Mossley AFC in 1909. They moved into Seel Park in 1912, which at 850 feet above sea level is the fourth highest non-league ground in the country.

The club were non-league giants in the 1970s, featuring in the Granada TV show 'Mossley Goes To Wembley' but overreached themselves and only avoided financial oblivion by selling their ground to the local council, who leased it back to them. In 2009 two floodlight pylons collapsed and the rest were condemned....

Salford was set up in 1940 as Salford Central, becoming Salford Amateurs (hence the Ammies nickname) in 1963 and then to City in 1989. Earlier this year they were bought by five of the Class of 92, Butt, Scholes, Giggs and the Neville brothers - and not surprisingly changed the club colours from tangerine to red !

Over new tram tracks, past the Crystal Methodist's Pyramid and it's off the M60 at the sign for 'Tameside tourist attractions'. Skirting Staly Vegas and passing Frisky Meadows Cats Hotel, it's into Mossley with Seel Park on a tiny side street, next to the Highland Laddie pub, alongside the Bottoms area of the town.

There's an impressive tree house in the front garden of the property next to the ground, and a blue plaque commemorating the club inside. To the left is a small main stand, and on the right the boardroom, Bob Murphy Suite and a bar with balcony, from which several people sit watching the entire match.

The Park End is a covered terrace, but there is no sign of the Mossley Ultras - just one freeloader watching from the trees. On the far side is another part covered terrace, framed by panoramic hill views, and the top end is raised terrace, complete with one tangerine and black SCFC flag, and an emergency exit open into the local primary school. In the corner is a tractorway onto the pitch and a curious brick wall, the last remnant of a building pulled down.

The image is of a ground chiselled into the hillside, an undulating pitch and some quite glorious views. In keeping with the setting, the tannoy is no match for the church bells that start pealing before kick off !

Mossley, in white and black naturally, start on top and hit the bar twice early on, once from a downward header from a corner and the other a sweetly struck free kick. Salford, in change dark blue, cannot make head nor tail of the offside trap. Then completely against the run of play, the Ammies' Ashley Dunn scores low into the corner with a deflected shot from a partially cleared corner.

Salford then grow into an injury punctuated half and lead at the break. Half time sees several youngsters take the opportunity to take selfies with Gary Neville, there with his father, Neville Neville - brother Phil presumably on Match of the Day duty, although he was at the midweek game at Warrington.

The second half has the Lilywhites starting well again, although there are chances at both ends. And then Danny Webber, himself from the Class of 92 but largely overshadowed today by his much travelled strike partner, Gareth Seddon, has his moment in the sun. Andy Smart's clever ball holds up in the wind and Webber pounces on it, drawing the keeper and then deftly curling it into the corner, past three defenders on the line, for 2-0.

Salford think they have won the game and withdraw their strike force. This backfires when they concede a daft penalty that sub Douglas Carroll confidently sweeps home.

Hopes of a Mossley fightback come to naught however as with three minutes left that comedy moment arrives. The Mossley keeper attempts to launch a long clearance from by the corner flag - it goes all of 30 yards and straight to Ammies substitute, Jamie Rother, who rolls it into an unguarded net for 3-1 finalizado to leave Salford top.

Barlicked at the Barton...

And so to the Barton Stadium (formerly the Great Western Playing Field), and the home of Winsford United - the ground named after committeeman Mr RG Barton who re-established the club after World War 1.

The club share the ground with 1874 Northwich, set up in November 2012 as a supporter owned breakaway from troubled Northwich Victoria after their demotion, ground repossession and subsequent relocation to first Stafford and then Flixton. It is named after the date the original club - Northwich Hare and Hounds and Football Club - was founded. In their inaugural season they were promoted to the top tier of the North West Counties after Formby FC folded.

Today's visitors are Barnoldswick Town (Barlick) from the Silentnight Stadium, and formed in 2003 from a merger of Barnoldswick United and Barnoldswick Park Rovers.

The journey begins with roadworks on Chester Road (Deep Excavation) and is plagued with signs promising impending road closures. Good to see a pub, The Slow and Easy, making fun of itself on the blackboards outside (The Low and Sleazy!), then past the Witton Chimes and into that one way system - no problems this week ! Finally right at the pretty floral Road One roundabout, and the ground is next to the Top House pub, on the outskirts of a housing estate.

Through the car park and inside it is easy to see the ground once housed a greyhound track. Past Jake's Cabin and the tyres on the banking behind the goal, on my left are several closed buildings and then the 1874 club shop - 95 season tickets sold at this level is very impressive. Next to this is the Blues Refreshment Bar & Supporters Shop above the 200 seater main stand. Alongside also a wipeboard with today's teams, and the ubiquitous abandoned shopping trolley.......

At the top end a ball boy is dozing in the rough behind the goal (as soft as a Silentnight mattress ?), and there's plenty of tarpaulin and a shed that's seen better days. Down the popular side, behind the dugouts, is a covered terrace with low (very low actually - 6 feet tops) overhanging roof. The pitch is like a bowl, raised at the side and in the corners.

Both sides are festooned in green and white Union flags as, in warm sunshine but with a stiff breeze, 1874 take the pitch in traditional Northwich green shirts with white flashings and black shorts. Keeper Matt Conkie is in a deep pink, white and black affair.... Barlick are in blue with yellow sleeves.

Northwich start well, conjuring several chances which they shun, and it is against the run of play when Barlick hit the post. This galvanises the home team, who hit the bar and the inside of the post in the same passage of play, before centre forward Mike Brandon curls a free kick into the top corner on 36 minutes.

Half time sees a presentation and an observation from the announcer that 'the picture would look better without the two gentlemen with beards'. A couple of biplanes glide past to see what all the fuss is about, and sirens start wailing - but it's just coincidence.

Shortly after half time Matt Beadle volleys home a second, and you fear the worst for Barlick. However a free kick from Broderick keeps low and goes through Conkie's legs for an unlikely away goal.

This prompts an immediate response from Northwich, hitting the post and forcing Town's keeper into a magnificent tip over. Soon after Brandon is given time and space to hit home his second, and Northwich's third. Northwich then create a procession of chances which they contrive to miss, the nearest coming from a desperate Barlick clearance that hits the bar. Indeed desperate rather sums up the away side's performance.

3-1 at the finish with Barlick well beaten and looking to be in for a long season. Northwich pick up their first home points of the season, after Tuesday's floodlight failure and abandonment, and look forward to their first ever FA Cup tie next weekend. The crowd of 287 (three times what the Vics are getting) leave the ground believing another promotion is possible ☺