The Magic of the Cup
Punjab United 1 - 2 Westfield FC
20th August 2022
The Steve Cook Stadium
The FA Cup preliminary round
Entrance £8
I love the culture of football. If there is one thing I love even more than that, it's football multiculturalism, especially when it's one of the most underrepresented in our game. Welcome to Punjab FC in the badlands of Kent.
Immediately at the turnstiles, there is a very friendly, warm welcome. Programme issued, and it's time for some sustenance to get me through the next hour and a half of cup action. I opt for the Samosa Chaat, which may have been unwise on such a warm day, but when in Gravesend.
Taking a walk around the charming ground, there are the self proclaimed Punjab Ultras warming up with their drum, and they look neither Punjabi, nor particularly like Ultras. The venue is a mix of stands, scaffolding, a four tier Curva brilliantly named The Willy Miller stand, as well as something indescribable, but best attempt is blocky!
Kick-off is two minutes late, and met with shouts of "straight from the off", the non-league phrase du jour, and both teams are only *checks notes* 12 matches from Wembley. Punjab look much more dangerous in the opening minutes, with the Gravesend Giroud up front causing issues with his physicality.
I enjoyed the Westfield manager dressing like Julian Nagelsmann, who was celebrating his team taking the lead on 30 mins
Towards the end of the half, Punjab show their fighting spirit, unfortunately between each other as 2 and 6 nearly come to blows. Punjab scrap an equaliser on the stroke of half time, and it's the least they deserved.
As an aside, one of my favourite things at non League is spotting bins that don't belong, a great example of this theme here, a London borough of Hounslow bin, in Kent...
The second half was mostly an obdurate affair, with nobody wanting to commit with a reply looking likely. At least until Westfield FC scored a last minute winner and heartbreak for Punjab, no magic of the cup here.
This club can only be a good thing. It doesn't exclude anyone, everyone is welcome, but it certainly encourages, and offers a safe space to young Asian men & women to watch, and get involved in our beautiful game.
Pride Passion Punjab!
