FC United 1 - Chesterfield 4: Brave Reds tumble out of the FA Cup

<div style="text-align: justify;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-3MyZ04-fDXJrJ-ZEfPzyR_nZAsN3JXTiobf60z9eLtymsmWeton_AcE317Mm8bxLmJOrJuYglLuyPVFaWA9TwIk_bDH81FRVqFjUzi7opHskl6kMsWkWoYrThDTF9ZtQEQUTPVpnnw/s1600/FC+United+1+-+Chesterfield+4-+Brave+Reds+tumble+out+of+the+FA+Cup.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="FC United 1 - Chesterfield 4: Brave Reds tumble out of the FA Cup" border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgt-3MyZ04-fDXJrJ-ZEfPzyR_nZAsN3JXTiobf60z9eLtymsmWeton_AcE317Mm8bxLmJOrJuYglLuyPVFaWA9TwIk_bDH81FRVqFjUzi7opHskl6kMsWkWoYrThDTF9ZtQEQUTPVpnnw/s640/FC+United+1+-+Chesterfield+4-+Brave+Reds+tumble+out+of+the+FA+Cup.jpg" title="FC United 1 - Chesterfield 4: Brave Reds tumble out of the FA Cup" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jay O'Shea holds off the challenge of Rory Fallon</td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> IN the end, the quality of the football came up a little short. There was no lack of effort from the hosts but the superior skills and speed of Chesterfield’s League One players saw them comfortably overwhelm FC United.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> But if the match had been decided on the quality of the passion in the protest, there would be only one team in it.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> In fact, forget just tackling Walsall in the second round, this lot would be marching on to Wembley.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> FC United is a club founded on protest and anger, and a hatred of the Glazer’s vision of Manchester United. And a decade on it is clear that satisfying their revolutionary spirit shows no sign of dying.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> There were chants at Malcolm Glazer; persistent, indelicate but firm instructions for BT; banners about the FA leaving no scope for misinterpretation, protests outside the ground and more inside.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Halfway through a first half in which they were trailing 2-0, there were even taunts from the vocal majority on the terrace lambasting the Main Stand for failing to add their voice.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div style="text-align: justify;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody> <tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicETIS9kMrTdFkf13uwmSSaYAJ2UFSDoEDByC0uRb6xRWCciiMMA0mKJ-KCVIDoBQU9qOqCdU1uPa-_DEwjmuXT3a0N9pU7gpNMuKu7RYUDKuIL1hmHf_NTVYGK7I5YywFjBB0pgSdhww/s1600/FC+United+1+-+Chesterfield+4-+Brave+Reds+tumble+out+of+the+FA+Cup+2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img alt="FC United 1 - Chesterfield 4: Brave Reds tumble out of the FA Cup" border="0" height="378" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEicETIS9kMrTdFkf13uwmSSaYAJ2UFSDoEDByC0uRb6xRWCciiMMA0mKJ-KCVIDoBQU9qOqCdU1uPa-_DEwjmuXT3a0N9pU7gpNMuKu7RYUDKuIL1hmHf_NTVYGK7I5YywFjBB0pgSdhww/s640/FC+United+1+-+Chesterfield+4-+Brave+Reds+tumble+out+of+the+FA+Cup+2.jpg" title="FC United 1 - Chesterfield 4: Brave Reds tumble out of the FA Cup" width="640" /></a></td></tr> <tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">FC United protest against the fixture being rescheduled before the game</td></tr> </tbody></table> </div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> The focus for the ire of the locals was principally the scheduling of this match as a live broadcast on Monday night – something which goes against the grain of why this club was formed in the first place, namely the sanctity of the three o’clock Saturday kick-off for starters.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> That and not being told what to do by anyone, ever.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Smaller battles have been won like the £9 ticket price when the FA rules urge them to charge £10 and in manager Karl Marginson refusing BT’s request to place a camera in the home dressing room. With Chesterfield looking down from 78 places above them the size of the task was significant – especially with FC United having lost six straight in National League North.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Marginson had suggested the pressure of performing in their new home – the redevelopment here at Broadhurst Park cost £6.3million and was opened in May – has affected his players.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> The distraction of the Cup would help. If it did it was for only seven minutes before FC United went behind, shredded by the electric pace of Sylvain Ebanks-Blake who skinned Chris Lynch on the left flank with a searing burst and pull-back for Gboly Ariyibi.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;">  </div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Things got worse soon after when Chesterfield doubled their lead after 12 minutes. This time it was Jay O’Shea who sprung Dan Jones down the left flank, who whipped a cross to the near post for Lee Novak to score.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Going two-nil down did nothing to stem the volume from the terrace at the St Mary’s Road End with an endless chant to “Bring On United” echoing impressively through the break – the 200 or so extra protesters finally coming in from outside.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> But Chesterfield put the result beyond doubt after 68 minutes, Rai Simon’s latching on to a through pass from Sam Morsy and slipping the ball under goalkeeper David Carnell.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Ollie Banks added a fourth with the crowd barely skipping a beat in their instructions to the FA.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> But in the 90th minute a late consolation header from Luke Ashworth was exactly what they deserved.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Here there were corporate giants – even ones who had paid £67,500 for the privilege – to be baited live on their own broadcast. Passionate and admirable and free to concentrate on the league.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> FC United (4-5-1): Carnell; Brownhill, Stott, Lynch, Wright; Fallon (Daniels 46), Thurston, Sheridan, Ashworth, Lindfield (Patterson 46); Greaves. Goal: Ashworth 90.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Chesterfield (4-4-2): Lee; Talbot, Evatt, Wood, Jones; Ariyibi, Morsy (Raglan 72), Herd (Banks 55), O’Shea; Ebanks-Blake (Simons 56), Novak. Goals: Ariyibi 7, Novak 12, Simons 68, Banks 87.</div> <div class="storycopy" style="text-align: justify;"> Referee: O Langford (W Midlands).</div>

FC United 1 - Chesterfield 4: Brave Reds tumble out of the FA Cup

Jay O'Shea holds off the challenge of Rory Fallon IN the end, the quality of the football came up a little short. There was no la...

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