The Gore, Burnham
Burnham FC vs. Tiverton Town FC
The Emirates FA Cup 1st Round Qualifying
The (Emirates) FA Cup. The world'sec oldest football game contest, sponsored by the Earth'second quaternary largest airline. Known all about the globe equally a ix calendar month romantic feast of cupsets, giant killings too god-awful replays. Where 736 teams all have eyes on lifting the historic cup at Wembley.
 |
| They actually brand you go to detect out who they're playing. The website as well doesn't take the fixtures on it... |
As football game fans, we all like to mean our squad has a shot, fifty-fifty if we know that Arsenal or Chelsea are pretty much going to win the competition anyway. I'm still convinced Reading had a real shot at winning the 2015 FA Cup were it non for the buttered gloves of Adam Federici. But ah well.
 |
| *You're. |
So here I was at the 3rd hurdle of this flavor's competition, nevertheless a million rounds away from the large boys (as well as Reading) joining. The latest end on my journey led me to the fantastically named 'The Gore', presumably non named subsequently everyone's favourite environmental activist, in Burnham, which I didn't even realise wasn't in Berkshire. We're off to a good starting time hither.
A quick glance at Wikipedia (since people have pointed I have shown an power to live able to read Wikipedia) showed me that everyone'sec favourite sports possessor, Mike Ashley, grew up hither, equally did patient cipher of why nosotros have thirty,000 seasons of The Simpsons, Tracey Ullman. So in that location we get.
 |
| Obligatory boot-off photograph. |
Burnham too Tiverton Town fans are slightly more than realistic. I'm certain they don't dream of a solar day out at Wembley (at least in this competition anyway), just instead of getting far enough to encounter their side take the hazard of existence beaten by Arsenal as well as Chelsea. Progress through the contest volition likewise stave off the threat of death for a few more years, at least.
I picked this fixture because there was a large gulf between the ii teams on paper as well as this is what the competition is most. Tiverton Town, at the top of the Southern Premier Division South (inwards case you lot weren't sure what part that league covered), playing Burnham, basement dwellers of the Hellenic League Premier Division, ii levels below.
 |
| Two players spring for the laurels of seeing who tin head the ball into the motorcar green behind the finish. |
Big boys playing the lilliputian boys happens fifty-fifty inward all not league ties. As Burnham had already knocked out a squad inward the league higher up inwards the previous round, I smelled upset. The brusk crusade upward the M4 may likewise accept had something to do with the option as well.
Some of my favourite memories every bit an attention sports fan accept come in upsets during loving cup competitions. There was Reading knocking out Matt Le Tissier'sec Southampton inwards the 3rd Round of The FA Cup inwards 1997. I was at that place when Reading beat out West Ham United on penalties inward the League Cup back in September 2001, on a day memorable for literally nada else important happening inward the earth. And of course in that location was the loving cup operate to the semi-finals, where I attended none of the games except said semi-final. Glory hunter.
 |
| Burnham took the atomic number 82. All fix for a cupset, until they gave away a penalisation. Nevermind. |
Admittedly, I wasn't actually expecting anything out of this game. I just wanted a shut game and or so drama. Plus the earth is pretty squeamish for a Hellenic League ground, and then I was more than happy to go dorsum.
What I e'er beloved nearly sports, particularly football game inward this state, is that y'all tin e'er guarantee there'sec at least about group of fans who volition follow their team everywhere. And the West Country accents I heard hinted that at that place were either away fans inward attendance, or I'd stumbled into an Ambrosia commercial.
 |
| Looking on towards the primary stand up, which is a lot nicer than many stands at league grounds. |
For much of the twenty-four hour period they were to be disappointed. Burnham, a squad that was inwards full costless fall last fourth dimension I was here and forthwith made upwardly of teenagers, were the much amend side. When they retook the atomic number 82 inwards the instant one-half, I was starting to actually become behind the thought of an upset.
But hope is a cruel mistress inwards any sport. Just when yous starting time to believe in the impossible, things starting time to go incorrect inwards such a, ordinarily spectacular, manner (I've barely got over the 1995 Division i playoff last or Green Bay Packers'sec spectacular in addition to incredibly predictable meltdown inwards the 2014 NFC Championship Game).
 |
| The covered terrace offering views of null just the dorsum of the visitor'sec dugout. |
And then it would live the case for Burnham. Two quick goals towards the terminate ensured that the away fans could relish their ii in addition to a one-half hr drive dwelling house together with non mean it was a complete waste matter of time coming all that manner.
It was really non helped past Burnham'sec keeper existence more than indecisive than I am, when choosing somewhere to get on holiday, too pretty much punching the ball into his own goal for the equaliser. Who doesn't want to lose a game inward the cruellest style possible? That was the departure betwixt losing or having a plum 2nd Round Qualifying necktie at abode to Bristol Manor Farm. Oh.
Useless information nigh The Gore
Address: Wymers Wood Road, Burnham, Buckinghamshire, SL1 8JG
Capacity: two,500
Pitch Type: Grass
Ticket Price: £eight
Programme: £two, twenty pages