This past Sunday saw not only a chilly wave of cold but a flurry of goals at the Tameside Stadium.
The FA Cup ‘spirit’ was brought to the fans of Curzon Ashton alongside flourishing league one opposition, Mansfield Town.
The game stood out to the media and capacity crowds as a David vs Goliath bout which sadly didn’t follow that exact tale.
The final whistle blew on a 4-0 win for the away travelling Mansfield Town, an expected win but one denying the magic of the FA cup for Curzon Ashton.
However not all losing is bad. Here are 4 reasons why the board, players and fans should all lift
their heads despite the disappointment.
- Financial impact
The financial benefit the FA Cup prize fund provides cannot be overstated. A £15,000 bonus for losing in the first round for a club like Curzon Ashton, can massively make a difference.
Oliver Newall, Club Director explained: “The money will go towards a range of things, general bills, improving stadium facilities, 4G pitch renovation funds in the future and obviously some towards the playing budget.
It’s all about keeping the club sustainable and continuing to spend within our means.”
This wasn’t the only financial gain from the day either. The sheer 2500+ supporters in attendance brought in over £40,000 for the club. This is 10 times more than what the club earns on a regular match day.
2. The coverage from the BBC
With press vans and trucks taking up half of the car park, the occasion felt special. The fixture was originally scheduled for a Saturday alongside several other first round games. It was moved for highlights purposes by the FA with the BBC broadcasting the match. Three cameras were set up around the ground with an interview board hosting chats with Nigel Clough and Craig Mahon.
The game highlights have already hit over 7000 views on Youtube.
3. Focus now on the league and avoiding injuries.
Curzon Ashton currently sit 4th in the National League North, pushing for promotion despite being a part-time status club. The confidence and learning curve Mansfield Town offered will certainly be put to good use. An exit out of the competition helps with fitness and focus on the marathon of league play.
Players such as Isaac Buckley Ricketts and Stefan Mols are expected to start every possible game this season. The less games, the fitter they will be for the league.
New signing, David Worrall, on loan from Barrow, made his appearance in the game. This substitution was made whilst 3-0 down. In an interview player/manager, Craig Mahon said, “We knew at that time when we were putting lads on, the lads that were coming off, we’ve got another big game Wednesday. We didn’t want to risk anything.”
Playing against such a quality side in Mansfield requires the absolute most out of every player, avoiding a repeat of that extreme work ethic is vital.
4. Fan engagement at its finest.
Sunday saw over 2,500 fans from both sides visit the Tameside Stadium. This scale of attendance was not only a financial boost but a slice of context for how the community of Tameside can come together to support Curzon Ashton in major games.
This shows plenty of progress from the start of the season when the attendance was sub-par to what it should be, and the club had urged for fans to come out and show their support. Oliver Newall spoke in an interview earlier this year: “We had a crowd of only 236 and even though we won the game, I just left feeling really deflated.”
Curzon Ashton will next play Kidderminster Harriers tomorrow night in another important league tie to help add another 3 points to Tameside’s league total.