The FA cup doesn’t just begin when the Premier League teams enter in the 3rd Round proper. It began in summer with the First Qualification Round and one pre qualifying round before.

In the truest traditions of the grassroots tournament, we are following a side from the outset and hope to stay with them and be at their games, or those of the side who eliminate them, all the way to Wembley.

This site already sponsors the manager of Carlisle City, James Nichols. So in the interests of geographical balance, we selected a club at the other end of the nation, Portsmouth’s own Moneyfields FC. Our assistant editor Conor Smith claims to have played against their reserves for Netley which may have influenced our choice. 

The decision was cemented by their opposition Aylesbury United. The Ducks are a club with an FA Cup pedigree, who currently play their home games in Chesham, agonisingly far from their own Buckinghamshire home town, but agonisingly close to Wembley which is where this story ends next May.

So we started our series, “Moneyfields to Wembley“ with their visit to Aylesbury United, the Ducks, now playing their home games at the Meadows, home of Chesham United.

The Moneys however lost to London’s oldest club Cray Wanderers. Wanderers went to the West Country on October 17th and won through on penalties against Bristol Manor Farm.

Photo: Cray Wanderers FC c/o Jon Hilliger, www.HilligerPix.com

Bristol Manor Farm 3 : 3 Cray Wanderers

[Cray win 4-2 on penalties]

Cray Wanderers surrendered a two goal lead at the Creek but were saved by their prowess in a penalty shoot out.

They stormed into a two goal lead in just 11 minutes. Tom Phipp had already hit the post before Ben Mundele was set up by Rhys Murrell-Williamson to open the scoring.

Freddie Parker then doubled the lead direct from a free kick and seemed to have buried the tie early. Wanderers were entitled to believe so as that was two minutes fewer that it had taken them to go 2-0 up in the previous round at Moneyfields.

They won that game 6-2 but Manor Farm proved more resilient and Marcus Day pulled one back almost immediately also from a free kick.

Murrell-Williamson was again the provider as Parker restored the two goal margin on the stroke of half time but that was possibly overshadowed by the double dismissal of the Bens in the aftermath by referee Stacey Pearson.

The Farm’s goalkeeper Ben John was dismissed for a headbutt and Cray goalscorer Mundele went with him. Even more troublingly, Murrell-Williamson seemed to be affected by a seizure and had to be taken off. As an update, the club physio Ally Maloney tweeted later that he had suffered severe anaphylaxis which required emergency treatment.

She added that he took two doses of adrenaline to settle the initial reactions and they managed to get him back to London.

All at Prost International wish him a speedy recovery.

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Moneyfields to Wembley

Seven minutes after the interval however, Michael Bryant converted a Stuart Tovey cross narrowing the gap to one and Cray’s worst fears were realised in the 70th minute when Leroy Vowles equalised on 70′.

This ensured the game would go to penalties where the absence of their first choice keeper may have made a difference to Bristol Manor Farm. But Luc Rees had been the shoot out hero in the Farm’s last round.

It seemed otherwise though as John’s replacement Rees saved Cray’s first effort from Parker.

But Vowles became the second goalscorer to miss after Lewis Carey saved his effort. Joe Taylor finally scored with Wanderers’ second before Leigh-Gilchrist missed for Bristol with a Panenka that went over the bar.

Mitchell Nelson, Williams and and Rodrigues Alves all scored for Cray and there was no way back for the underdogs from the West Country thereafter.

A full crowd of 392 went home disappointed but proud of their team who so nearly caused a shock. Many tweeted their pride.

Outstanding evening of football @ManorFarmFC. So unlucky to go out on pens. Absolute cracker. Superb little club. pic.twitter.com/qpacS2Ag0q

— Chris Cooper (@ChrisJCooper92) October 13, 2020

What a night supporting @ManorFarmFC ❤️ gutted we are out of the FA Cup but that second half was superb. Atmosphere and the performance was brilliant.✌️⚽

— Hadyn ⚽ (@hadyncity) October 13, 2020

Wanderers are now through to the 4^th Qualifying Round of the FA Cup for only the second time in their history.

Having been drawn away in Hampshire and Bristol in the last two rounds, they may feel they are due a home draw when the balls come out of the hat on Thursday

Cray Wanderers: Lewis Carey, Ben Mundele, Jay Leader, Mitchell Nelson, Tom Carlse, Rhys Murrell-Williamson (Barney Williams, H/T), Tom Phipp (Charlie Allen, 76), Bradley Pritchard, Jerome Federico (Herson Rodrigues Alves, 72), Freddie Parker, Joe Taylor: Subs:  Lee Lewis, Martin Onoabaghbe, Kyron Richards, Roman Hall

Bristol Manor Farm:   Ben John, Tyler Ashmead, Stuart Tovey (Jamie Bird, 90+2), Jamie Turner, Steven Kingdon, Jamie Adams, Marcus Day, Michael Bryant, Lucas Vowles, Lewis Leigh-Gilchrist, Lewis Bamford (Luc Rees, 45+1): Subs: Dan Spencer, Nyall Gray, Llewellyn Ntihemuka, Kieran Ireland, Mihal Constantinou

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