A magnificent achievement by Wigan Athletic to win the FA Cup yesterday. A place in Europe to boot.

One more illustration of the unpredictability of football – and the romance of the FA Cup.

Wigan join a long list of Lancashire clubs (including Blackburn Olympic, the first to do so) to win the trophy. Congratulations to the Latics.

Given that Wigan were playing Moneybags United (sorry; Moneybags City*) they ought not to have had a prayer. Yet it’s there in the record books for ever now. And manager Roberto Martinez has won one more major trophy than new Manchester United boss David Moyes. It’s a funny old world.

Not least that, come Tuesday night, Wigan could be relegated.

There was another unlikely event involving teams named Athletic on Saturday. In the SFL Div 2 play-offs Dunfermline of that ilk eventually beat Forfar Athletic on aggregate over two games and extra time.

Yet by that extra time Forfar were down to eight men, thus giving Dunfermline an overwhelming advantage. I was listening to the radio reports coming in from the game. Forfar had taken the lead (4-1 on aggregate) and it struck me that with the one man down they were at the time, extra time was the most likely outcome. Given that Dunfermline were at home even that one man advantage would probably mean they would go on to win.

But how fair is it that Forfar would have to play extra time with a disadvantage in numbers? A football game lasts only 90 mins. In effect extra time is a new game, why should the sending-off extend into the 30 minute extension? I had an idle thought. Should not both teams be allowed to have a full complement of numbers for the extra period? (Unless there are further sendings-off, of course.)

When I discovered that Forfar were down to only eight players for extra time I knew it was curtains for them. But had they thought of it there was a way out. A way which goes against the spirit of the game – but so does any sending off really.

I believe there is a provision in the laws of football that should a team have fewer than eight men the game must be abandoned. I remember Neil Warnock, when he was manager of Sheffield United I think, – in exactly that situation of eight men remaining – encouraging his players to get themselves sent off to ensure an abandonment. Full marks to Forfar for not going down that road.

Dunfermline will be playing yet another Athletic – Alloa – in the play-off final.

*Wigan’s owner Dave Whelan is not short of a bob himself but the scale is a little different.

FA Cup, Round 1, Cressing Road,* 13/11/12

Since I lived in Braintree for two years Braintree Town is the English club nearest to what I could claim as a “local team.” While I lived there, though, the club was deep down in the English football pyramid and I never actually went to watch them. Somehow Saturdays were always spent going to Colchester or somewhere else to go round shops. I have continued to look out for their results in the intervening years and noted their climb to the Conference South and finally the Premier.

Last night was surely the biggest in their history what with a home First Round FA Cup tie against Tranmere Rovers and a live TV appearance thanks to ITV 4. My first time watching them in action. It was also my first time watching Tranmere for 90 mins.

The history I found on Wikipedia was interesting to me as they were for a long time associated with (as Manor Works and Critall Athletic the works team of) Critall Windows from where their nickname The Iron is derived.

They were playing in distinctive colours; shirts which were a shade of red that was close to orange (on Wiki it is orange) and light blue shorts. It was nice to see clips of their manager Alan Devonshire in his West Ham pomp before the game.

There was no doubt that Tranmere were the more accomplished side, stronger on the ball, quicker to it and generally more comfortable with it but Braintree had their moments and with some composure in front of goal might have scored. They were a bit unlucky with the first goal as the keeper made a great stop only for it to fall kindly for the attacker. Tranmere’s second and third were well worked and created though, the last coming in stoppage time and perhaps flattering the away team a touch. Braintree played some nice stuff, attempting to pass, spreading it wide but the gap in Divisions was obvious.

Comparisons are odious they say but as to how my beloved Dumbarton would match up I think that, presently, Braintree would come out on top.

*Sponsored as the Amlin Stadium.