The FA Cup is the world's oldest Association Football competition. First played for in 1872, it was the brainchild of one Charles Alcock. Initially only twelve teams had entered the competition and even this number was reduced to nine before the first round was due to be played. However a further six teams, including Queen's Park from Scotland, were persuaded to enter.
So on 11th November 1871 a total of 4 fixtures were played - Barnes defeated Civil Service 2-0; Hitchen and Crystal Palace (not the current club of the same name) both advanced to the next round despite a nil nil draw; Maidenhead beat Marlow 1-0 and Clapham Rovers won 3-0 against Upton Park. The scorer of Clapham's first goal, one Jarvis Kenrick, is credited with having scored the first ever FA Cup goal! Three games were not played - Queen's Park and Donington School could not agree where to play their game, so both advanced whilst Royal Engineers and Wanderers both received walk overs against Reigate Priory and Harrow Chequers respectively. Hampstead Heathens received a bye due to there being an odd number of entrants.
In the second round of matches, the remaining ten teams managed to play 4 of the scheduled 5 games. The only one that didn't take place being the tie between Queen's Park and Donington School, who still couldn't agree where to play after being drawn against each other again. Consequently, Queen's Park advanced to the third round. In the games that were played, Barnes and Hampstead Heathens drew 1-1 with Barnes progressing after a reply; Crystal Palace beat Maindenhead 3-0; Hitchin were royally stuffed 5-0 by the Royal Engineers and Wanderers enjoyed a 3-1 victory over Clapham Rovers.
The third round was played on 20th and 27th January 1872 when Royal Engineers defeated Hampstead Heathens 3-0 and Wanderers and Crystal Palace played out a goalless draw - due to the fact that Queen's Park had already advanced to the semi finals with a bye, these two were not required to replay. So, on 17 February at Kennington Oval, Crystal Palace and Royal Engineers played out a goalless draw before Queen's Park and Wanderers did similar on 5th March at the same venue. On 9th March 1872, Royal Engineers won through to the final with a 3-0 replay win. Bu who would they face? Well, as it happens, it would be Wanderers, Queen's Park having withdrawn because of the prohibitive cost of their travelling back to London for a replay.
On Saturday 16th March 1872, Royal Engineers and Wanderers met at Kennington OVal to play the first ever FA Cup Final. Obviously enough, the game was played according to the rules of the day which did not allow for cross bars or goals nets. The pitch had no centre circle or halfway line and there were no free-kicks or penalties. Also, in an oversight which would take almost 100 years to rectify there were no substitutions allowed either. This helped Wanderers more than Royal Engineers as after just ten minutes they lost Lieutenant Creswell with a broken collar bone. The only goal of the game was scored on just 15 minutes by one Morton Peto Betts playing under the pyseudonym of A.H. Chequer. At the end of the game it was perhaps fitting that Wanderers' Captain, one C.W. Alcock should be the first man to lift the FA Cup.
This article is just one in a series about the FA Cup. Visit I Want Football - you won't be disappointed. Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Simon_J_Lewis |
No comments:
Post a Comment