Village team triumphs in FA Cup row replay

What the report says

Village side Mulbarton Wanderers beat Woodford Town 2-0 in Norfolk in a replayed FA Cup tie that had drawn unusual attention after the Football Association ordered the match to be played again because of a referee’s mistake in the first meeting. The original game, which Mulbarton had won 2-1, was challenged by Woodford after an incident involving a penalty decision and a restart that the FA later ruled had not been handled correctly under the laws of the game.

The replay brought a record crowd of 806 to Mulbarton’s ground, far above a normal turnout for the club, with advance ticketing introduced because of the demand. Mulbarton, who are based south of Norwich and are playing at step four of the non-league pyramid for the first time this season, now advance in the competition and receive prize money from the FA Cup fund. Woodford also collect prize money despite the defeat.

The result sends Mulbarton into the third qualifying round, where they are scheduled to host Gloucester City on the weekend of 3 October. The match highlighted how a rare officiating error can affect cup ties and how the FA can decide on a replay when the laws of the game are judged to have been applied incorrectly.