County 4 Swindon 0
Seven changes are better than two, as Dave Challinor’s men comfortably nestle themselves in the second round hat
Dear County fans, Stopfordians and any other football supporters joining us - a very warm welcome to Sunday’s edition of The Scarf My Father Wore, which I write following County’s biggest FA Cup victory (excluding qualifying rounds) since Tooting & Mitcham were beaten 5-0 at Edgeley Park at the same stage, on the same weekend, 13 years ago. Yesterday’s game is the focus of our main feature today, as Pop Sider Sandy McGregor and Swindon podcaster Nick Smith look back at a 4-0 scoreline I don’t think anyone was expecting.
There’s also a couple of other bits and bobs, as well as a selection of photos from my travels yesterday, starting with a few Covid cranks in Mersey Square, and ending with the Stockport Sippers Society in the Bakers Vaults. Oh, and the photos of County fans with their favourite Celebrations? All will be revealed in a later edition this week!
Finally, I’d like to say a huge thank you to Benji and all the team at Bask for sponsoring today’s edition. With the World Cup now only a fortnight away, make sure you reserve your tables at Bask for all the big games at Qatar 2022. Full details below.
Whether you’re heading out for a roast dinner, or getting ready to settle down for the new series of I’m A Celebrity, enjoy the rest of your Sunday. If you’ve enjoyed this edition, please subscribe for free by clicking on the button below.
Des Junior
Yesterday’s match in one word:
Sandy - Dominant.
Nick - One-sided.
Pre-match thoughts:
Sandy - Really worried that we would make too many changes, lose the match and kill that momentum we have built up.
Nick - I thought it might have been a draw, with two fairly evenly matched teams looking at the form table.
Post-match thoughts:
Sandy - As strong a performance as we have put in all season. It shows our strength in depth. There are some very good players in our squad who are not first choice at the moment.
Nick - County could have had six.
Verdict on County:
Sandy - Could not have asked for more.
Nick - Comfortable.
Verdict on Swindon:
Sandy - They looked lost. I would have said they were the team who had made seven changes from last week.
Nick - Disjointed. Worst performance of the season.
Top Hatter:
Sandy - Ryan Croasdale. Only played an hour. Controlled the game.
Nick - Hard to say as it was all too easy. Sarcevic caused us a lot of problems.
Top Robin:
Sandy - Jonny Williams. Thought he was excellent in the league game here; yesterday he was the best of a poor team.
Nick - The manager for his honest assessment of the performance after the game.
Atmosphere:
Sandy - I have a season ticket in the Pop Side. It was relaxed after the first 30 minutes and became a matter of how many we would score. Who loses a cup tie when they are 3-0 up at home and totally dominant? County of course! I had flashbacks to the FA Cup match against FC United five years ago. That was never going to happen today. Swindon fans were stunned into silence. I think I heard one song all afternoon. End to end cup ties that swing one way and another (e.g. Bolton last season) are all very exciting, but there is something to be said about winning at a canter.
Nick - Good atmosphere considering there were just over 4,000 there. Didn’t like the drum though.
Hopes for the rest of the season:
Sandy - Get through to the third round of the FA Cup and do a bit of giant-killing. League-wise I want us to go up. Preferably automatic, but if we make the play-offs I think that would be a good season. I think yesterday showed that we have some depth to our squad which will hold us in good stead for the second half of the season.
Nick - Still play-offs as a minimum.
The British Library receives a copy of every book published in the UK. In the same fashion, Des Junior believes a detailed record of every County game should be preserved for the history books. So here’s the full story of our 4-0 victory over Swindon Town on Saturday 5 November 2022, as told from Des Junior’s three County-related WhatsApp groups…
9.43am: What a difference a year makes. Remember how excited we were 12 months ago about a trip to Bolton in the FA Cup? Today is a bit Ho Hum for me.
9.57am: Bolton was a big deal. 2 divisions above us. Swindon? Meh.
10.07am: I’m still excited for the game. I think when you’re 180 minutes away from a potential big boy there’s plenty to look forward to. Certainly beats the second qualifying round anyway against the Dog & Duck.
10.11am: Rushall Olympic at home remains one of many low points.
12.19pm: Andy my brother-in-law is at the game today. Please don't get him too drunk 🤣
3.13pm: 1-0 Sarce. Well worked, great little pass inside and lovely finish with the outside of the boot
3.18pm: 2-0 Wright. Free kick towards back stick. Headed across by Hussey, headed down and in by Wright
3.19pm: OMG 2 nil up after 15 mins. Stuff dreams are made of 🤩
3.31pm: 3. Sarce
3.32pm: Forwards are overrated
3.36pm: EP singing 🎶Swindon get battered everywhere they go🎶
3.38pm: I have just advised my eldest that it relates to the practice of putting batter on as you do in a chippy. Not sure she believes me…
4.18pm: Rydel. Beauty from 20 yards across keeper. Low at pace. He's been quality today.
4.49pm: We've been offside about 86 times this half.
4.55pm: Job done. That'll do 😀
5.19pm:
8.51pm: I see Bolton are still getting battered. Buxton through to the second round though.
10.07pm: What a turnaround we’ve had in the last month. It’s what I always hoped for but, if I’m being honest, I’d started to lose faith that it would happen. So chuffed it has.
11.52pm: Ball number 24 on Monday.
12.52am: This country is fucked. Will elaborate later.
Book a table at Bask for England’s World Cup games
Whether it’s tucking into a tasty treat from Ate Days A Week alongside a Stockport Gin before the game, or dancing to the tunes of DJ Gareth Brooks after it, many County fans have already enjoyed the splendid matchday experience created by the team at Bask. And now you can do the same for England’s World Cup games as well (plus all the other belters like Tunisia v Australia if you fancy it). Table reservations are now being made, which is certainly well worth doing, to follow all the action from Qatar on Bask’s brand new 75” screens. Email hello@thisisbask.co.uk to book.
Bits and bobs
2️⃣4️⃣ That’s County’s ball number to look out for in tomorrow’s draw for the second round of the FA Cup, live on BBC Two from 7pm. We’re just 90 minutes away from a potential trip to Anfield or Old Trafford, so let’s hope for another home draw against someone shite. (Sorry, Swindon.) Click here for all 40 ball numbers.
🎤 Best of luck to The Scarf Bergara Wore as they head to the Northwest Football Awards tomorrow night, nominated as a finalist in the category for Fan Media, Channel or Podcast of the Season. With similar-sounding names, you might think we have a rivalry akin to the Glasgow ice cream wars of the 1980s. But we’re good friends, big supporters of each other’s content, and here’s hoping they bring more silverware back to Stockport in 2022. Click here for further info on the awards.
✍️ Fancy a bit more reading material for your Sunday evening? Here’s a great piece on Luton’s Kenilworth Road ground, a place we haven’t visited since a Tuesday night in March 2013, when just 83 County fans saw us lose 1-0 shortly before our disastrous drop into the sixth tier. Click here to read.