An extraordinary afternoon has been spent in the Manchester suburb of Whalley Range, a two-minute drive away from Moss Side. We have witnessed our first-ever 'live and exclusive' fly-tipping incident, 15 minutes into the game. I'm still chuckling away to myself as we shoot down the M60, jumping onto the M56 towards the Cheshire town of Knutsford, which forms part of the 'Golden Triangle' that includes Wilmslow and Alderley Edge - where the reality TV show 'Real Housewives of Cheshire' is filmed - don't start me off!
We check-in at the Rose and Crown, a beamed and panelled 17th Century inn. Ms Moon is on the bubbles in the cosy, warm bar. No real ales take my fancy. I shout up a BrewDog Punk IPA, which I've not tasted in years. 'The Princess' takes a stroll around the narrow streets of this quaint town, whilst I hunt down another bar. I sniff out a craft beer taproom, tucked away on a back street, called Project 53. I quaff a Mobberley Brewhouse ale called Illuminate, which goes down a treat at 6.2% abv.
Ms Moon and I are reunited on the upstairs, open terrace at the impressive Wine and Wallop bar. I sink a couple of Jesters from Oakham Ales, in Leicestershire. We spend the rest of the evening eating tapas and drinking wine at Evuna, a Spanish Restaurant.
There's the usual din and noise associated with sleeping upstairs above a pub. Folk are shouting and yawping in the early hours, on the terrace, which sits level to our bedroom window. The night porter gets a proper rollocking off Sticky Palms, as the perpetrators slink off into the night.
A full English breakfast and strong coffee is enjoyed the following morning. We check-out and head up to Tatton Park, a National Trust owned estate. We won't be enjoying the 50 acres of landscaped gardens because of a faux pas by Sticky Palms - how was I supposed to know you had to book a separate ticket? I wouldn't mind, but we're NT members, and the cheeky sods still had the audacity to fleece us of £7 to park the car.
The best part of the day comes with a surprise visit to my Godparents, who I haven't seen since my father passed over 20 years ago. They are overwhelmed to see us, as we enjoy coffee and biscuits on the patio in their beautiful back garden. My godfather, Tony, was a journalist on the Daily Express and Daily Star for over 40 years and is also a massive Man City and Lincoln City fan too.
It's Tuesday tea-time and deja vu. It's Pizza Express, in West Bridgford once again, but this time with my eldest lad, 'The Keyworth Georgie Best' - who has been in free-scoring form during pre-season. I wander down 'The Embankment', again, admiring the prowess and strength of the rowers who are heading west down the Trent.
I make the short three-mile trip up the A60, through town. I turn left onto Gregory Boulevard, driving past Forest Recreation Ground, where Goose Fair is held each year (but not this October). Tonight, the large, green, open space is alive and kicking with people of all cultures, enjoying games of small-sided football. I park up in Asda, Hyson Green, on Radford Road, an exciting, multi-cultural area of the city
I wait for a tram to pass by before crossing the road onto Selhurst Street. I absolutely adore Radford's ground. The terraced housing. Refurbished clubhouse. The programme shop. It smells of football. The people are for real too and no holds barred. Talking of which, I catch the eye of Pheasants' manager Big Glenn Russell who is seated by the bar. I'm 'called into the office.' He seems a bit subdued and distant at first; maybe it's pre-match nerves, as there's a lot at stake if you win this FA Cup extra qualifying round - £1,125 to be precise.
I stroll around the ground, saying hello to one or two folk(s) I come across. I stand with John Harris and wife Jackie - it's a no show from their daughter, Lucy, who is preparing for her first day back at school, as a teacher, since March. John's always good for a few strawberry bonbons.
Shepshed Dynamo are tonight's visitors - another club I'm really fond of. They are well represented by their away following. Radford are confident of breaking the 200 attendance this evening. The first 45 minutes takes my breath away. Dynamo's pocket rocket, Reece Morris, is causing havoc for the home defence. He scores a well-deserved goal. Radford are rapid on the counterattack. 18-year-old debutant, Buba Ceesay, sprints 75 yards, to latch onto a cross. He keeps his composure and finishes superbly.
The second half is scrappy. The visitors hold their heads in their hands as golden chances go begging the wrong side of the post. Radford see a point-blank header skim the top of the net. With no extra time, it's straight down to penalties. The young Radford winger telegraphs his spot-kick. Brennan, for Shepshed, hits a feeble attempt straight at the 'keeper. Radford miss another penalty and bow out of the competition. It's been an end to end game. Radford can count themselves unlucky to lose out on spot-kicks, having pushed Step 5 Shepshed all the way.
I have my second FA Cup pre-match walk of the week on Wednesday. Colwick Park is tonight's venue. Accompanied by my 'golfing' umbrella, I stretch my legs for an hour or so, with it teeming down with rain. I return to HQ and dash down a cut-through onto Carlton Road. It's a chippy tea at Oceans. I hoover up a 'fish special' before the five-minute drive down to Stoke Lane.
Carlton Town are playing Loughborough University students. There's an added interest to the tie with TalkSport Breakfast following the away team's fortunes. There's a queue of 20-30 folk snaking back from the turnstile. A club official, complete with a clipboard, collects the track and trace details to get the queue moving. It's £9 on the gate to watch my local team.
Carlton is a town two miles east of Nottingham city centre. It has a population of 6,881. Well known people from the area include the late, great actor Richard Beckinsale of Porridge and Rising Damp fame and the boxer Carl Froch, whose mother was a landlady at Elwes Arms, a ten-minute walk from my crib - credit SonofHicks1 on twitter for that gem.
A crowd of just under 200 have turned out, on an overcast but dry evening, now the rain clouds have blown away. There has been real excitement and a great vibe about the place since Tommy Brookbanks and Mark Harvey returned as Management. They have invested in youth, energy and legs, and last season it returned dividends until action was curtailed in March due to COVID.
The signing, last year, of Dunkirk crowd favourite, Oliver Clark, caught my eye. I've followed the 21 year old's progress for some time now. He can be a tough and uncompromising opponent to play against, as he snaps in the tackle, picks up the seconds and wins headers for fun - not forgetting his running off at the mouth which eventually wears down the official into brandishing a yellow card. He's had more bookings than Lee Cattermole. Having sponsored Gedling MW and Radford in recent years I've decided to sponsor 'The Carlton Cattermole' for the 2020/2021 season.
The students are fast out of the blocks. They sweep forward at a rate of knots and fully deserve to take the lead after a misplaced backpass falls short of the 'keeper. There's a sickening collision of heads for two of the visiting players with 'claret' pouring out of head and mouth wounds. Both players require hospital treatment. In another twist of fate, the Students make a third and final substitution due to injury before the half-time whistle.
The Millers are lacklustre and can barely string two passes together. Tommy and Mark will be getting stuck into them. One thing for sure is, that they won't just roll over and die. Carlton Town's DJ has the best playlist in the East Midlands. Tonight we're treated to a couple of tracks from Manchester's The Fall - not to be confused with the Netflix series about a serial killer in Northern Ireland which is currently causing Ms Moon a few sleepless nights.
The second half is littered with fouls, breaks in play and sub-standard refereeing. Carlton up the tempo but can't find that elusive final ball. Loughborough are dangerous on the break; seeing an effort bounce off the woodwork. The breakthrough comes for Carlton on 75 minutes. Niall Davie has been impressive since he switched flanks. He takes an inswinging corner that sails into the visitors' penalty box, it's met with a towering header from Clark, that hits the back of the net. Proud sponsor Sticky Palms raises a clenched fist as 'The Carlton Cattermole' sprints toward him in celebration, sheer relief and joy.
The game turns on a sixpence. Maddison finds his passing range, Davie skips past his full-back and a rejuvenated Clark eats up the ground with boundless energy; marshalling the midfield at such a tender, young age. His Dunkirk spirit, instilled as a junior for the Boatmen, refuses to accept defeat.
The tide turns again as Carlton are reduced to ten men with Dan Brown taking one for the team. The resulting free-kick crashes against the goal frame. Carlton are gung-ho in an incredible final passage of play. Loughborough prise them open. Steggles races off his line to block bravely. They hit the woodwork again. The referee blows the final whistle. For the second time in 24 hours, it's penalties again.
I've been chatting to a couple of lads who are trying to visit all 92 League grounds. Due to COVID they've turned their attention to the Non-League scene. "You'll never look back lads. The game at this level will pull at your heartstrings."
Jack Steggles is in the nets for Carlton. He's full of beans and the joker in the pack. There's no doubt in my mind that he's the man for the occasion; a showman. He saves two penalties to leave the skipper Tom Maddison, a lad who I blogged for Keyworth United Res over a decade ago, to blast home the winning penalty to put Carlton in the next round of the Cup away to Oadby Town, where they'll fancy their chances.
Attendance: 186
Man of the Match: Jack Steggles
Photo credits. Thank you to PA Media, Radford FC, Steve Mack, Lou Lardi and Carlton Town FC
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