Nostalgia: Wisbech Town win in front of 8,000 fans
1958: There was an enthralling game at The Eyrieon November 1, as 8,000 spectators watched an injury-weakened Wisbech Town side, then reduced to ten men through an injury to Bobby Langton, hold out against Bedford Town to progress to the first round proper of the FA Cup with a 4-3 win.
Wisbech made an encouraging start, taking the lead after seven minutes. Len Adams, who had previously headed into the goalkeeper’s hands, sent over a well-judged cross and
Terry Marshall smartly nodded home.
Then came Langton’s injury. After 35 minutes, however, Wisbech increased their lead. Bedford’s defence let Jesse Pye get through and he easily slipped the ball home past the home keeper.
Three minutes later they scored again, Terry Sewell rounding off an Adams- Marshall move to make the score 3-0 at half-time.
Only a minute after the interval, Bedford reduced the arrears when Easton converted a cross from Bull.
Wisbech were putting up a tremendous performance with virtually 10 men, Langton limping on the left-wing. Gerry Lowery in goal, and full-backs Tommy Deans and young Eric Porter were playing really well, and with the midfield giving nothing away as the home side pressed hard to cut the deficit.
However, with Lowery drawn out of position, Winter coolly netted Bedford’s second goal after 62 minutes.
Then, a few minutes later, Marshall, receiving a clever flick from Pye, dashed through to score Wisbech’s fourth goal.
Bedford’s chances of forcing a replay faded, but just before the final whistle Craig scored their third.
Eric Porter
A great favourite with supporters of Wisbech Town and King’s Lynn.
Started with the Fenmen in 1956/57 through to the start of the 1964-65 season. However, he refused the terms the Fenmen offered him, giving Lynn the chance to take him to The Walks. He stayed with the Linnets until the end of the 1970/71, making 325 appearances, plus six substitute appearances for them, scoring two goals.
He returned to the Fenmen under Mel Harnwell for 1971/72 and was an integral part of the team that did the Eastern Counties League and Cup double.
He made a total of 309 first team appearances plus two as sub and scored seven goals.
He still attends games at the Fenland Stadium and has probably lost count of the number of grounds he has played on and visited.
1965: Wisbech beat Kettering Town 6-1 on October 16 to again win through to the first round proper of the FA Cup.
The draw for the fourth qualifying round gave the Fenmen, then lying third in the Southern League Division One table, a home tie against Kettering Town, who were in second place, and were then managed by well-known ex-Arsenal goalkeeper George Swindon, who took Peterborough United to three Midland League titles and then managed Arsenal, Norwich City and Cardiff City.
Supporters expected a hard-fought tussle, but things didn’t go as expected as the Fenmen served up a brand of power-packed soccer which had the 2,499 fans roaring their delight.
And their hat-trick hero was Brian Moore, the man who had at last recaptured his goal touch after several weeks of miserable, luckless effort.
Taking their chances in devastating fashion, the Wisbech attack scored six of the best goals ever seen in 90 minutes at Fenland Park, and their masterful defence did not relax and concede a goal until it was virtually all over.
Moore opened his account in the 16th minute, racing past two men to lash in a perfect low shot, and six minutes from the interval stabbed in a second when David Jennings nodded a Graham Lawrence cross down to him. Dennis Woods then cleverly headed the Town into a 3-0 interval lead,
But it was Moore’s third goal which stole the show. Woods cleverly chipped the ball over centre-half Pacey and as the ball dropped Moore sent it screaming into the top corner of the net with his left foot from fully 25 yards.
In addition to calmly placing his third penalty in two games, Malcolm Devitt also scored a peach of a goal, his last-minute shot from the edge of the box thundering into the top corner with young keeper Gordon Livsey again helpless.
The Poppies scored a consolation goal at the end through Ralph Ramshaw.
Brian Moore
Started with Glentoran and Dundalk, playing one game for the Irish League v English League. Signed by West Ham for £4,000, he played nine games, scoring one goal, before a freak accident on Boxing Day 1955 which resulted in him losing the sight of an eye, and just before he was due to make his debut as a full international for Northern Ireland.
Paid a meagre £500 compensation by the Professional Footballers Association, he drifted from job to job.
In December 1956 he was approached by Cambridge United to play part-time with a job at Pye Limited, Cambridge.
Unfortunately, the PFA underwriters took him to court to recoup the £500, but the High Court allowed him to keep the money after he stated he bought a television for his parents and couldn’t pay the money back.
When Alan Moore took over as player-manager in December 1959 he persuaded the United directors to go full-time to compete successfully in the Southern League and Brian Moore moved across to Cambridge City where he was very popular for four years, winning a Southern League Championship medal in season 1962-63.
He then moved to Wisbech Town in 1965-66, making 62 appearances and scoring 21 goals. He then moved to Newmarket Town, where he ended his footballing career. However, he managed the Pye FC in the Cambs League for six seasons.
Born Belfast on December 29, 1931, died Cambridge on September 8, 2006.
2002: The last-ever fourth qualifying round tie to take place at Fenland Park saw Wisbech lose 2-0 to Harrogate Town on October 26.
Before a gate of 1,061, a goal in each half to give the Northern Premier League premier division side their first-ever appearance in the first round proper.
The Fenmen played well but against a very experienced defence their attacks were soon nullified, with Harrogate looking very dangerous on the break.
After 32 minutes, another Wisbech attack was halted, the ball was pumped down the left wing and from the resulting cross, Robbie Whellans fired past Pledger.
The second goal came after 70 minutes, a defensive slip allowing Scott Bonsall to double the visitor’s lead.
Wisbech pressed forward, with Andy Furnell leading the forwards but without that good fortune to turn a match.
Andy Furnell
Another popular striker for the Fenmen, Furns had two spells with the club. The first five seasons from 1999/2000 and the second one season – 2010/11.
Also played for Peterborough United, Rushden & Diamonds, Nuneaton Borough, Soham Town Rangers and is currently manager of Yaxley.
His record for the club is 231 appearances plus 16 sub appearances and 117 goals.
2006: The last occasion Wisbech Town reached the FA Cup fourth qualifying round was on October 28 that year and they created a record. With three away wins over Bury Town, Redditch and Solihull Borough, all playing at a higher level, they are the only club to have done this in the competition.
Their opponents were Fleetwood Town, then playing in the Northern Premier League, and a good number of Wisbech supporters made their way to Lancashire for the 3-0 defeat.
Wisbech had started the game well enough, forcing a couple of early corners, but the home side took a 25th minute lead through a controversial penalty given for handball against Chris Dear, who had appeared to chest the ball.
Manager Dick Creasey said: “Chris had a clear imprint of the ball on his chest but the referee thought it was a penalty. No-one else appealed on the pitch or in the crowd.” Fleetwood’s Jamie Milligan made no mistake, sending keeper Nick Conroy the wrong way with his shot.
Wisbech missed chances to equalise, then after 79 minutes Fleetwood found the net with two goals in two minutes through Milligan and Bell.
Chris Dear
A no-nonsense defender who always gave 100 per cent for the Fenmen, Chris worked his way from the youth team to the first XI with good performances.
Would have made many more appearances but for lengthy suspensions. Was assistant manager to Steve Appleby from February 2010 to September 2013 and made 245 appearances plus 21 substitute and scored five goals.
Stat Attack
The Fenmen have played 15 seasons in the fourth qualifying round, playing 19 games, winning nine, drawing four and losing six, with 39 goals and 36 conceded.
