MARINE ARE THE REAL WINNERS
Of course it’s Spurs in hat for fourth round, but selling thousands of programmes and virtual tickets ensures non-League club’s survival
THERE is a notice in the gents beneath the main stand at Rossett Park that sums up life in the Northern Premier League, Division One (North West).
It concerns the need to keep spare toilet rolls off the sodden floor. ‘Any problems,’ it reads, ‘please let a club official know. They’re the ones looking glum and wearing a club tie.’
And maybe they were after this, too. A flood of goals — rather than a flood that necessitates a fresh delivery of Andrex — including four in the first 37 minutes, swiftly dampened fantasies of the greatest upset in FA Cup history.
Yet, in all truthfulness, who expected that? This was the competition’s biggest mismatch — 161 places separating the sides, and the idea that Tottenham might lose was simply unfathomable.
Even the BBC cameras were not here to record a contest, but an occasion, a match that encapsulated the spirit of the FA Cup, and lifted the mood in troublesome times.
And that’s what they got. When Marine had the first good chance of the game it felt like a victory; when they reached the 24th minute with the scores still level, it was a cause for celebration.
That four went in over the next 13 minutes, including a hat-trick for Carlos Vinicius, did not feel particularly special or upsetting. It was like watching Tiger Woods find the green on a municipal pitch and putt, or Usain Bolt winning the dads’ race at school sports day.
Taking nothing away f r om Tottenham but they will have known it was a kick into nothing coming here. They could only lose because they couldn’t really lose. So Marine won. Not in any way that placed them in the draw for the f ourth round. They won because the club is on the map now, which is good for business going forward, and because the revenue from this single game insures them against the financial ravages of the last 12 months, and those to come.
Marine’s programme usually has a print run of 80, or 100 for a big match. They sold 3,000 for this match and it could have been more. When Tier 4 and the third lockdown struck, it ended any hope of gate money. So Marine gave out virtual tickets — and 30,000 have been sold at £10 each, many more than would have got inside the stadium, now renamed the Marine Travel Arena. No doubt that is one sponsor who will also be renewing next season after this.
The club even found a one- off investor to cover the numbers that adorn the perimeter fencing, corresponding to the houses in the adjoining streets. Marine have to retrieve the balls f rom their neighbours’ back gardens and this helps with location.
The game was only minutes old when a block sent the ball trespassing. Due to the placement of
the numbers, the long-suffering club official would have known to knock at 11 Rossett Road. Now who doesn’t find that utterly charming?
Not that there would have been any reply. Everyone on Rossett Road appeared to be out in their gardens, watching the game. They stood perched on purpose-built platforms, above where Jose Mourinho sat, or sitting on the roof of garden shed.
A chap at No 9 had brought an air horn along, which he sounded regularly. At 29, a banner wishing Marine good luck also wished Deb a happy birthday. A large yellow arrow pointing downwards indicated which one she was.
Outside, prior to Tottenham’s arrival, the scenes were rather less genteel. A large crowd gathered to greet the coach — the one carrying the local heroes as much as their marquee-name visitors — and while this was hardly unexpected, it was certainly not within current guidelines on social gathering.
So much so that Merseyside Police were forced to issue a statement on their handling of the situation. ‘The vast majority of people present were adhering to social distancing measures,’ they fondly imagined. Someone should tell them that cameras have been invented. The funny thing is that many of those present would be Everton or Liverpool supporters, whose teams have faced Mourinho many, many times.
Yet this was different. This was the day Mourinho came to town, to Crosby, and took his place, not in an expansive technical area, but on plastic seats in a space so tight his feet almost encroached on to the pitch.
He took it seriously, though, gave Marine and the competition the respect due. No Harry Kane, and Son Heung-min on the bench in case, but he started Dele Alli, Lucas Moura and Toby Alderweireld and brought on Gareth Bale in the second half. Marine played Tottenham, not their kids, as the scoreline suggests.
So, the game. Well, plainly, Tottenham were on top. But not before Neil Kengni, rejected by Rochdale’s academy, had come within inches of a place in FA Cup history. His shot from 35 yards out caught Joe Hart off guard and struck the crossbar, before the England man recovered and flicked it over. At the other end, Moura had tried a similar effort. That one nearly killed the chap from The Guardian.
So, the goals. These came at a rush, mostly, towards the end of the first half, Tottenham getting the game won and then approaching the second half at a respectfully leisurely pace that allowed Marine to escape, dignity intact. Vinicius was the big winner on the night. He took his chance and his chances here. He got the ball stuck under his feet for the first but recovered to smash Alli’s cross into the net from close range. He even had the gall to pose, arms folded, in celebration. A little silly.
His second came from another Alli cross which Matt Doherty almost put in at the far post. Bayleigh Passant saved, but Vinicius turned it in. No posturing this time. He’d clearly found some context.
Moura scored directly from a freekick for the third, before Vinicius completed his hat- trick with an exquisite chip, good enough to grace any game, against any opponent.
Even so, the goal of the night was the last, simply because it belonged to 16-year-old Alfie Devine, who cut inside, struck a low shot and became the youngest player to score for a club in the top four tiers since 2011.
‘Ah well,’ said vice-chairman Dave McMillan, ‘I’ll have to send my Wembley suit back. Still, always next year.’ So it was a happy ending all round. Not too many of those these days. All the more reason to cherish it.
MARINE (5-4-1): Passant 6; Solomon-Davies 7, Raven 7 (Shaw 81min), Miley 6, Hughes 6 (Howard 46, 6), Joyce 7.5; Kengni 7, Devine 6 (Strickland 75, 6), Barrigan 7, Hmami 6 (Doyle 67, 6); Cummins 6 (Wignall 75, 6). Subs not used: Mendes, Ellison, Lynch. Booked: Joyce. Manager: Neil Young 7. TOTTENHAM (4-2-3-1): Hart 6; Doherty 7, Rodon 7, Alderweireld 6 (Tanganga 46, 6), Davies 7 (Reguilon 71, 6); Sissoko 7 (Devine 46, 7), White 7; Fernandes 6, Alli 7.5 (Bale 65, 6), Moura 7 (Clarke 65, 6); VINICIUS 8. Subs not used: Gazzaniga, Sanchez, Ndombele, Son. Scorers: Vinicius 24, 30, 37, Moura 32, Devine 60. Booked: None. Manager: Jose Mourinho 7. Referee: Michael Oliver 6.