h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

...and in my case, it was at Throstle Nest, home of Farsley Celtic, for their FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round tie against Gainsborough Trinity.

Farsley Celtic were by no means overawed against higher-Division opposition. In fact, they were unlucky not to take the lead. Eleven minutes in, Andy Shields hit a beautiful curling lob from 25 yards out, which agonisingly bounced back off the angle of the goal with the Gainsborough keeper beaten.

So it was Trinity who struck first, Lee Ellington heading home past Tom Morgan from a right-wing cross. Then came the turning point of the game - Wes Freeman went off injured, and manager Lee Sinnott brought on big Damien Henderson at the back, which allowed Celtic's classiest player, Amjad Iqbal, to move into his natural position in central midfield.

And four minutes into the second half, they were level - Iqbal turned in the box and placed his shot perfectly, through a packed defence and into the bottom right-hand corner. Andy Shields could have wrapped it up for Celtic on the hour mark - he found himself presented with a shooting chance after a spot of pinball in the box, but his effort from 18 yards fizzed just the wrong side of the post.

And that was about it for the rest of the game, bar a crucial reflex save by Tom Morgan in injury time from Gainsborough substitute Curtis Bernard. So it finished Farsley Celtic 1, Gainsborough Trinity 1 - and it's back to Northolme for a replay on Tuesday night. A trip to Second Division Brentford awaits the winners. On this showing, Farsley will fancy their chances.

(I now have a bit of a difficult choice - I was planning on going to Leeds v ManUre in the Carling Cup on Tuesday night, but I rather fancy volunteering to go and do the replay)

Hurrah for No.6!
I almost wish I could see some of the coverage, but I suspect it would be on in the middle of the night here.

Sad to say, Gainsborough matches rarely get televised.

Sorry - 'never get televised' would be more accurate wording.

B

Ahhh the delights of low league footy.

I am begining to feel the lower the level the more I like it. There is something so distant and artificial about Premierleague football now me thinks

P.S. Six what do you think about the lofty peak of the division two table?

I worry we've hit it a little too early... I'd rather be there or thereabouts and challenging. I don't like the feeling of being there a the top to be knocked off - not this soon, anyway.

Well we have been knocked off the top now ...

I lost £20 to my QPR supporting mate as well dagnamit. Still he should not start Crowing just yet, it will be a long and hard season me thinks.

I rather think the best we can realistically hope for though is playoffs

I think we were never going do more than draw starting with Adams and Hodges in midfield, and we'd lost as soon as we'd gone a goal down - that team line-up was one going out to try and not to lose, rather than score goals.

There may be a silver lining - we're out of the media spotlight, so people will forget about trying to pinch Luggy or our better players. Also, now we've lost a couple, perhaps the team will stop believing its own hype, start playing again and maybe we *will* come back for automatic promotion.

We're never any good when we start to think that we're good...

I just found this thread again by accident. Seems so long ago now, although it was a mere three years. I think the 'me' that I was then would be very happy to have done all the things I've done professionally, but probably a bit disappointed to have done it all while moving around the BBC sideways rather than having gone upwards in any meaningful way.

Yes, the glass is half empty tonight.

Still, I think I'll get there sooner or later.

Rest assured Six, one day you'll say something as memorable as "Some of the crowd are on the pitch... they think it's all over. It is now - it's four!". Something that British football fans will recite over and over again with a wistful look in their eyes

No, not so much memorable, as iconic.