A non-league football team has expressed its gratitude to supporters after almost the entire village turned out to watch the club triumph in a disputed FA Cup replay.
The first match between Mulbarton Wanderers and Woodford Town attracted worldwide attention when the Football Association (FA) took the unusual step of ordering another game following a refereeing mistake.
A club-record attendance of 806 watched the fixture in Norfolk, where Wanderers secured their place in the next stage with a 2-0 victory.
The result earned the club £3,375 in FA Cup prize money and set up a home match against Gloucester City in the third qualifying round of football’s oldest competition.
Mulbarton joint first-team manager Danny Self said the club was thrilled to give its fans a reason to celebrate and described their backing as outstanding.
A win in Saturday’s next round would put Mulbarton just one victory away from a potentially profitable first-round tie against an EFL club, with teams such as Sheffield Wednesday and 2021 FA Cup champions Leicester City entering at that stage.
The club’s other joint manager, Ben Thompson, urged supporters to return on Saturday.
He described it as the most important match in the club’s history and said the team would once again need its fans to act as a 12th player.
Following extensive media coverage and exceptionally high demand, Mulbarton introduced advance ticket sales for the fixture.
Ashley Jarvis, who scored both goals for Mulbarton, praised the lively atmosphere and said the team was delighted to win in front of a turnout that appeared to include the whole village.
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