Prescot Cables saw off Horsham Town 2:0 in the first round qualifying of the FA Cup on Saturday afternoon. The result gives the home side a foothold in the competition when the draw could have gone either way. By then, both teams had already shown what they were capable of in recent outings.
Prescot Cables arrived with mixed colours. They had beaten Wroxall Motors 4:1 in late August before dropping points against Marine and Macclesfield. A 2:1 win over Gistley and a 2:0 victory against Lancaster rounded out their run. Horsham Town's recent picture was starker — a 0:0 draw with Wombwell Town followed by a 0:4 defeat to the same side.
and here's the thing about cup matches like this: the scoreboard tells only half the story. Prescot Cables turned to the kids and showed they could grind out a result when form has been uneven. Horsham Town ended a barren spell in a sense, but not the one they would have wanted.
What matters now is the progression. Prescot Cables move forward in the tournament while Horsham Town must regroup. The gap between the two sides in recent form is something the result reflects, not hides.