The Semi Finals are upon us and, although they are played at Wembley Stadium, it is the penultimate step of the ultimate road. The Road To Wembley so farââ¬Â¦.. Extra Preliminary Round: BROCTON 4-4 Coleshill Town Replay Coleshill Town 2-1 BROCTON Preliminary Round: Heather St. Johnââ¬â¢s 2-3 COLESHILL TOWN First Qualifying Round Evesham Utd 1-3 COLESHILL TOWN Second Qualifying Round: COLESHILL TOWN 5-1 Lincoln Utd Third Qualifying Round: Nuneaton Town 6-0 COLESHILL TOWN Fourth Qualifying Round: Workington 1-1 NUNEATON TOWN Replay NUNEATON TOWN 1-0 Workington Round ONE Lincoln City 1-0 NUNEATON TOWN Round TWO Hereford Utd 2-2 LINCOLN CITY Replay LINCOLN CITY 3-4 Hereford Utd Round THREE Wycombe Wanderers 0-1 HEREFORD UTD Round FOUR Sheffield Wednesday 4-1 HEREFORD UTD Round FIVE Birmingham City 3-0 SHEFFIELD WEDNESDAY Round SIX BIRMINGHAM CITY 2-3 Bolton Wanderers SEMI FINAL BOLTON WANDERERS v Stoke City Focus on Stoke City: The Potters are looking to reach the FA Cup final for the first time in this, their 4th Semi-Final. They last reached this stage in 1972, a season in which they won the League Cup. They were beaten by Arsenal after a replay. More recently, they won the Auto Windscreens Shield in 2000. Stokeââ¬â¢s cup run so far: Round Three STOKE 1-1 Cardiff Replay Cardiff 0-2 STOKE Round Four Wolves 0-1 STOKE Round Five STOKE 3-0 Brighton Round Six STOKE 2-1 West Ham Last Season Stoke went out in Round Six, going down 2-0 against the eventual winners, Chelsea. Random Fact Stoke were the last team to win the Watney Cup, a pre-season competition involving sides from all four divisions in the early 1970s. The Watney Cup witnessed the first Ever Penalty Shoot-out in English football. The outstanding result in the four years of the competition was undoubtedly in 1971, when a full strength Man Utd side, including Bobby Charlton, Denis Law and George Best was beaten by Halifax Town! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dsFx4ADvfE8 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNDieW02kwg&feature=related
I think Stoke have the method to grind this one out. It's another fascinating trail which has given us, what is an unlikely semi final. I would have loved to see an all Manchester final however. This would have given the FA cup a much needed boost, back towards it's rightful place in the scheme of things. I miss the old cup final, gradual build up days, of years ago.
