It’s that time of the year again, FA Cup time! We have reached the first round of the FA Cup in which Badbury, of the Southern League Premier Division play host to Barrow who are in the EFL League 2. A sell out crowd is expected at the Spencer Stadium as Bandbury looks to cause a massive cup upset.
Bandbury manager, Adam Whing, is ready to put his sides 19 match unbeaten run to the test this evening in which it will be many of his players first time playing live on TV as the game is broadcasted on ITV.
They reached the first round again last season but failed to make it any further. Now, with fans back in stadiums, who knows what this game could hold for Whing’s young side. It is also the clubs first time playing a side in the football league since their goaless draw with Northampton Town in 1973, after which they lost the replay 3-2 away from home.
Barrow currently sitting 15th in League 2, three divisions above Bandbury, and have not won a single game in 6 competitive games.
Team news ahead of the game
Bandbury will be without first choice keeper Jack Harding after he dislocated his elbow during their 3-2 triumph over Leiston a fortnight ago. Whing made big changes to his side for their midweek cup victory over Thame United but is expected to revert to his strongest team for Saturday’s meeting with Barrow.
Barrow are set to be without Jamie Devitt after the attacking midfielder picked up a calf injury during training. However, front man Offrande Zanzala is expected to return to the Bluebirds team following an un covid related illness and Jordan Stevens is set to be declared fit after missing the defeat to Rochdale with an ankle problem. Ngosi Ntlhe and Dimitri Sea will both continue to be side lined with injuries also.
Lineups
KICK OFF
1′ – Barrow kick us off.
3′ – Barrow coming close as Stevens plays a ball into the box where the ball bobbles around but is eventually cleared away.
8′ – GOAL FOR BARROW, a lofted ball his played into Zanzala who flicks on into the path of Gordon who strikes it across goal and into the bottom left corner of Taylor’s goal, great start for Barrow!
11′ – Morgan Roberts latches onto a ball played down the line after the goal keeper came to claim it but spilt it, but luckily for Barrow their defenders got across to spare Farman’s blushes.
14′ – Connor Roberts drives with the ball and fires a shot, 30 yards from goal, high and wide.
20′ – The game has become very scrappy with no side really able to maintain a significant amount on pressure with many miss placed passes.
25′ – A brilliant run and cross from Hutton who picks out Gotts but sees his headed effort tipped over the bar.
28′ – GOAL SAVING CHALLENGE by Connor Roberts as it looked almost certain that Zanzala was going to make it 2-0 to the Bluebirds.
33′ – Banks flicks on from a free kick but is a comfortable save for Taylor in the Bandbury net.
38′ – Decent opening for Bandbury with nice link up play on the edge of the box eventually led to Acquaye gliding his effort well over the bar, but Bandbury have settled into the game and starting to have possession in some decent areas.
45′ – Bandbury now giving Barrow a real good run for their money getting into some dangerous areas but still unable to create any clear cut chances, sides go into the break with Barrow in the lead.
HT- Bandbury 0-1 Barrow
46′ – Bandbury get us back underway for the second half.
47′ – YELLOW CARD for Hutton as he looked to stop Bandbury progressing into their half with a rash challenge.
49′ – CLOSE A great cross from the resulting free kick by Connor Roberts which finds Langmead in the box who heads it goal wards but is saved by Farman.
51′ – Stevens bursts through the Bandbury defence and goes one on one with Taylor who makes the save from a tame effort by Stevens who surely should have done a lot better.
55′ – 2ND GOAL FOR BARROW, Langmead is caught asleep as he lets the ball bounce in the box not realising Zanzala is on his case who nicks infront of him and prods home his sides second of the game, a poor goal to concede from Bandbury’s point of view.
57′ – SUBSTITUTION, first change for Bandbury Henry Landers comes on to replace Jack Stevens.
63′ – Claims for a penalty as Morgan Roberts drives into the box and clashes with Barrow defender but Rebekah Welsh only points for a corner.
69′ – Stoppage in play as Sharpe was caught in the face when challenging for a header so as a result went down and is now receiving treatment.
74′ – Bandbury beginning to lose their spark as we get closer to the final whistle its looking unlikely they’re going to mount a comeback instead it seems to be fizzling out.
78′ – SUBSTITUTION for Bandbury Ethan Johnston comes on for Sharpe.
80′ – PENALTY FOR BARROW, Zanzala is brought down by Taylor and the ref points to the spot.
81′ – GOAL FOR BARROW, Banks converts the resulting penalty placing his effort into the bottom right corner and puts the game to bed for Barrow.
82′ – SUBSTITUTION, double change for Barrow as Josh Kay and Luke James come on for Josh Gordon and Offrande Zanzala.
83′ – IT’S FOUR, Stevens is slipped in down the right by Kay who has just come on and coolly slots away his effort into the bottom left corner, Barrow are making this look easy now!
87′ – SUBSTITUTION, another double change for Barrow, Tom White and Jason Taylor on for Robbie Gotts and Tom White.
89′ – SUBSTITUTION, for Bandbury Harry Reilly on for Morgan Roberts.
94+4′ – And the referee blows her whistle to end this encounter.
So a potential banana skin game made to look pretty comfortable by a composed Barrow side who asserted their dominance early on in the game and they never really looked back. As for Banbury, they gave absolutely everything and getting to the 1st round was a great achievement on its own but the difference in quality was too much for them in the end.
FT- Bandbury 0-4 Barrow
