#3 The curl of the wind
The preliminary round FA Cup tie between Guernsey and Thamesmead in August 2016 was notable for two reasons. Firstly, because Thamesmead’s two goals in a 2-0 victory were the first FA Cup goals ever to be have been scored off of the British mainland and secondly because the second was a goal that proved the strong influence climatic conditions can wield.
When Scott Kinch let fly with an ambitious long-range effort he probably had visions of glory in his head. He was imagining the ball nestling in the top corner and earning him and his team a brief spot on the evening news.
Instead, his terrible shot proved to be a wonderful assist. As it flew towards the corner flag, it was caught by a strong gust of wind, which dragged the ball back from the outskirts of the pitch towards goal. A teammate’s header came off the crossbar before Jack Mahoney pounced to prod home the rebound and see Thamesmead through to the next round.
