South Liverpool secured a 2:1 win away to Prestwich Hayes in the 1st Round Qualifying Replays of the FA Cup on Tuesday evening. The result follows a 2:2 draw between the same two sides just three days earlier. Both clubs met again at a venue that does not appear to have decided the tie the first time around.
There were no goalscorers or match events supplied for this fixture, so the narrative rests entirely on what the result means. South Liverpool took all three points from the replay. Prestwich Hayes paid for a sloppy opening, as the old saying goes, though without knowing the specifics of how they did.
Prestwich Hayes have struggled for consistency in recent months. Their last five matches read 2:2, 0:2, 4:2, 1:2 and 0:6. They drew against South Liverpool on Saturday, then lost on Tuesday. That is two results from three games, and by then the pressure was already visible in their form.
South Liverpool's recent record shows 2:2, 0:6, 1:3, 1:1 and 2:0. The 0:6 away at Beri was a heavy defeat, but they have since found a way to get something from their games. The win at Prestwich Hayes gives them a result to build on.
The replay is now over. Both sides move on to whatever comes next in the qualifying rounds. South Liverpool can take confidence from winning the second match in the pair. Prestwich Hayes will have to find a way to change their pattern.