The drama of the FA Cup!

The FA Cup, the most dramatic cup competition of them all. It has a worldwide following. It produces plenty of giant killing shocks that will be remembered for generations. The third round draw is eagerly awaited by the minnows who had made it that far. The hope and expectations of drawing a Premiership Giant. It was Latics turn this year. An away draw at Goodison Park, the home of high flying Everton.

Oldham Athletic have had plenty of good memories in this competition. The great cup run culminating in the fantastic Maine road semi final clashes with Man United during the Royle "Pinch me" season. The FA Cup semi final at Wembley although I won't dwell too much on "that" goal. Outplaying Man City at Boundary Park and beating them 1-0 will stay in the memory a long time. Singing "1-0 in your cup final" to the massed ranks of the City faithful in the Rocky Road end, sweet!

Nerja is gripped with cup fever.

Everton. Only beaten by Man Utd and Arsenal in a 17 game stretch in the Premiership. Now they can add the name of Oldham Athletic. A thoroughly deserved 1-0 victory enjoyed by the 5,500 travelling blue army. Sadly, as an exile, I missed the game. Still, the victory was well received and the name of Oldham Athletic reverberated around Nerja well into the night.


Goal hero Gary MacDonald celebrates in front of the Blue army.

OK, I admit it! I never gave the lads a cat in hells chance of getting anything from the game. But there is always hope. I did my usual exile trick of trying to forget about the game. I cannot stand listening to Latics World, my nerves just can't take it. As per the norm, I can only forget about the game for the first half. I always try to have a peek at the half time score on football focus if indoors.

So there I was, 4:45pm guiri time, the score came across on the ticker "Everton 0-0 Oldham". I was ecstatic. "We've held them till half time" I shouted, Monica gave the usual "Yes dear", I'm not interested response. "But its the FA Cup!". She doesn't get it. Ecstasy with Oldham is usually a short thing and reality came crashing down when the reporter announced that the game had been delayed by over half an hour due to a chip shop fire.

A medicinal can of cerveza was required as I sat on the sofa, transfixed with the football focus show. My eyes not knowing where to look. Which ticker shall I concentrate on. Each shout of "Goal" and I was preying "Not Goodison!". Until the unbelievable happened. A 20 yard left foot screamer from MacDonald. Latics go in to the half time break 1 up!

As the final scores came in with news of giant killings around the country, I was looking for omens as our result was another 45 minutes away. The omens were good. Ex Latic Ian Dowie's Coventry had beaten Blackburn convincingly at Ewood Park. Legend Andy Ritchie had pulled off a cup shock with Huddersfield at home to Birmingham.

Shez celebrates 7 wins in a row away from home at Everton.

Football focus drew to a close on BBC1 to be replaced by MOTD Live, some no-mark teams from the Prem were playing apparently. What about Latics? Should I switch to the interactive channel to follow football focus, or would Motty keep me up to date whilst trying to keep himself awake watching Aston Villa and Man U try to bore us all to death? I tried both. It was Motty that broke the news to me. The rest of Nerja soon found out too!