Redcar Athletic 1-2 Macclesfield
19th September 2026
Redcar Athletic gave a decent account of themselves in this FA Cup Qualifying tie, against National League North opponents Macclesfield. This same Macc side who, just eight months earlier, had knocked out then holders Crystal Palace in the third round of the 2025/26 tournament.
Although, I noted, only three of the players who helped eliminate Palace (Sam Heathcote, Paul Dawson & Luke Duffy) were in the Macclesfield starting XI today. Which did appear to me to represent quite a turnover in playing staff. Perhaps this is normal at this level of the pyramid.
Headed goals from Danny ELLIOT (38th min) and Elliot OSBORNE (62nd min) put the visitors 2-0 up, and well in control. But a silly, and utterly unnecessary, shirt tug in the box by Sam Heathcoat presented Redcar with a lifeline, with 20 minutes to go.
After Louis JOHNSON had converted the spot-kick, the home lads enjoyed their best period of the match. And, in the 81st minute Joseph "JJ" Bartliff, biffed one back of the visitors' crossbar, when scoring actually looked easier.
Which, as it transpired, was as close as Redcar Athletic came to taking the match to a replay.
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| Christian is, of course, the son of former Welsh International 'keeper Andy Dibble. |
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The 19th of September 2026 was a big day football-wise in the town of Redcar, for the town was actually hosting two FA Cup ties this afternoon. For, at 12:30, three-and-a-half miles across town, Redcar Town FC had kicked off against Darlington FC.
And I had taken in the first half of this match.
The rather more accomplished looking Darlington side had taken the lead through Dylan STEPHENSON after 19 minutes, before Callum LUCK had equalised 10 minutes later, following a corner.
I could probably have stayed for the whole match, and still made the start of the Redcar Athletic tie, but I didn't for three very good reasons.
One, the ground was very busy and all the decent viewpoints were taken. Two - I was freezing. And three: that car park with it's single entrance/exit up a little lane, looked a good place to get out of early.
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Before going to Neeform Stadium, I had spent a few hours wandering around Redcar. I had enjoyed a number of family day trips to Redcar Beach back when I was a laddie in the 1960s. But, perhaps not unexpectedly, I recognised nothing.
I may cobble together a little YouTube vid covering the day. If so, will place the link below:
Red
