FA Trophy final - Mansfield v Darlington

Both recently-league clubs face eachother at Wembley for the FA Trophy, the biggest competition in the non-league system. Both sides have little to play for in the league so this should be a fantastic match to help ease the boredom of otherwise average seasons for the pair.

Mansfield made it past one of the competitions' favourites Luton 2-1 on aggregate, a late goal in extra time from Louis Briscoe at Kenilworth Road enough to send them through to the final. The stags had a number of scares along the way, after comfortably disposing of NPL side Worksop Town and conference rivals Newport County, Mansfield were forced to play replays against BSN promotion hopefulls Alfreton Town and in the 4th round against minnows Chasetown (gaint-killers in recent years having beaten league sides Oldham and Port Vale in the FA Cup and giving a good show against Welsh giants Cardiff City).

Darlington booked their place in the final with a goaless draw away to on-form local rivals Gateshead having beaten them 3-2 at home. An edgey 3-2 win against Tamworth in the 1st round was followed by more comfortable wins against Bath City, recently promoted to the Conference (4-1) and an away trip to Conference North leaders AFC Telford (3-0). A 4th round scare from Zameretto Premier side Salisbury City which was eventually won 2-1 set up the Semi final draw against the Heed.

Darlington have arguably had a harder route to the final and currently in strong form should probably be considered favourites to lift the Trophy however we all know that is not how cup competitions always work! Having been dumped out of the competition in the 1st round in their last two outings, the Stags have a massive point to prove.

Whoever wins the final will be lifting the FA Trophy for the first time ever so regardless of the result, history will be made!

What are your thoughts leading up to the game? Who are you tipping to win?

 

Have been a Darlington fan for the past 50yrs but have not seen them
play since I left the UK in 1966. Will come from Australia to see them
at Wembley and hopefully win the Trophy. Have been to the old Wembley
once to see a Women's International Hockey game when a teenager so
look forward to visiting the new stadium for the first time.Hope we get
a large following coming up from Darlington.

 

Wow! I hope your trip is worth it in the end.

 

This trip will have all positive outcomes. Chance to again meet all my relations
and relations-in-law and my best friend who has been on holiday around
UK and Europe for the last 3 years,see the new Wembley and the Quakers
play again.A win would put the cherry on top of the already delicious
cake.
In 2002 I had planned to come to Hull with my husband who is a Hull City
fan to see the Tigers last match played at Boothferry Park.In 1946 he was
there for their first match played at this ground. Unfortunately illness
prevented us making the trip.The match we planned to come for...

Hull City v Darlington! (The Quakers won 1-0)

 

It's the only final and silverware you will ever see

 

Darlington will win this I think.

 

If you are talking about Darlington you are probably right. I am,however,going
to the Champions League final and maybe the FA Cup final so will see at least
one other final in my lifetime.

 

Both clubs over the last 50 years;

Hull
Championship Playoffs (2008)
Football League Trophy runners-up (1984)
Watney Cup runners-up (1973)
3rd Division Winners (1966)

1 Trophy, 4 finals.

Darlington
Durham Challenge Cup (2000)
4th Division Winners (1991)
Conference Winners (1990)
4th Division Runners-up (1966)

3 trophies, 4 finals.

Hull is roughly three times the size of Darlington.

 

But where are you now i am looking down but i can't see you (tit)

 

I'm not a Darlington fan but I think the answer to your question is Wembley.

 

I think Darlington will win this. With the off the field troubles they have experienced with the staduim, it would be a nice end to a difficult season for the Darlington fans.

 

Thank you for your moral support. My second favourite football team is Liverpool so that
may be a good omen for me and the team!

 

I remember Darlington coming to play Wycombe in the league and they were definitely one of the strongest teams to visit Adams Park. It was great pity when they dropped out of the league and I wish them all the best. I'm in France but I shall watch on tele and be cheering for Darlington.

 

Thanks for the support.My info though is that there is no TV coverage or even a
radio commentary on the game.

 

Your sympathies ought to be for Mansfield aswell as for Darlington.
We also have ground problems, only ours are currently more severe, we have already been evicted from the ground.
We need to reclaim the ground in order to be eligible for promotion, or we'll be forced to win competitions like
this for the foreseeable future. Snivel and weep lol

Anyway onto the match...
I'm going for us to win, but to win the "Mansfield way", 3-2 with us having Murray sent off.
We've sold 12,802 tickets so far, in contrast to Darlingtons 7,787, so happy days!

 

Sorry to hear about the Mansfield ground problems but great to see the good support
you will get for the final.The last time we had 8000 watching us at home was in 2007.The last home match I saw in 1966 before leaving the UK was against Mansfield.
A 1-1 result.

This season the results have also been draws in the league.
In Cup matches history and results are definitely with the quakers as in matches
between us you have yet to win having played 4 times beating you in 2 FA cups
a league cup match and an Association members tie.Hope it's not your turn to win!

If on Saturday you see 2 elderly ladies dressed as Quakers one waving an Aussie flag
and the other waving a Welsh one give us wave. I am the Aussie.

 

Yeah, it seems both Darlington and Mansfield have had ground problems lately. I still fancy Darlington because they have had pretty good league form this season. However, this is a cup game so anything can happen. Let's hope for a good game!

 

There is now a huge cherry at the top of the cake! Elation for Quaker fans and despair
for the Stags with a goal in the last minute of extra time.Really did feel for the Mansfield
supporters who outnumbered us in the 25,000 crowd.Our record of beating them in all cup
competitions played between the 2 clubs continued but this was a close one. Thanks
Mansfield Town for your contribution to an unforgettable day for me at Wembley.

 

Congratulations. I didn't catch the game but getting a goal in the last minute of extra time must have been brilliant. Good luck for next season. You have won the FA trophy this season and you could get promotion back to the Football League next season.

 

feel sorry for mansfield but very pleased for darlo,this is the biggy in non league cups,a trophy thats very difficult to win,well done quakers