Ian Kirke struggled to watch his side's FA Cup first round match against Altrincham due to thick fog
For many football fans, an FA Cup win is the stuff of dreams. But for 690 Notts County supporters, thick fog meant they could barely see it happen.
Ian Kirke was among the Magpies fans whose view of Saturday's FA Cup first-round tie against Altrincham was obscured by fog, leaving many unable to see the League One side's penalty shootout victory.
The thick layer of fog provided chaos not just for the players and fans, but also commentators and camera operators at the J Davidson Stadium.
Kirke said fans had to rely on the cheers - or silence - from the home support during the shootout. "It's the most bonkers festival of football I've ever seen in my life," he added.
Heavy fog meant Notts County fans were unable to watch the penalty shootout that took place at the other end of the pitch
Lifelong fan Kirke, who lives in Berkshire, said the weather at kick-off was "like any normal match".
Before fog descended over Greater Manchester, Jacob Bedeau had given Notts County the lead just before the half-hour mark.
The hosts, who play in the National League, hit back as Lucas Weaver and Lewis Banks scored to give Altrincham a 2-1 lead.
With the conditions worsening, referee David Rock opted to continue with the tie, which saw the camera often unable to pick up the ball.
The referee's decision to continue the game paid off for Notts County, who levelled the tie at 2-2, when Callum Roberts scored from the edge of the box.
"It's like a fever dream" - commentators struggle through fog
"I can just about see the bright white numbers on their shirts, but I am struggling to see what is happening on the far side of the pitch," said BBC Radio Nottingham commentator Adam Hassell.
Former Notts County striker Mark Stallard was also commentating on BBC Radio Nottingham, and said: "We're looking around, and here in the press box no-one knows where the ball is! It's like a spot the ball competition.
"We genuinely cannot see the linesman or the players on the far side. It's slightly farcical having to commentate for radio listeners."
Lynda Lally said the fog got worse during the second half
Fellow Magpies fan Lynda Lally, from Beeston in Nottinghamshire, said the weather got "worse and worse" after half-time.
"For the other 45 minutes, we could only see what was happening once players emerged from the fog," she said.
The weather became "a cross between an eerie Christmas nativity gone horribly wrong - and the 1980s film called The Fog," Kirke said.
Kirke added the fog that led to an FA Cup third-round replay between Notts County and Wimbledon being abandoned in 2001 "wasn't as bad" as it was at Altrincham.
"I don't know what on earth had to happen for the referee to call it off," he said.
With the game going to penalties, Lally had hoped the shootout would take place in front of the Notts County fans so she could finally see the ball.
"Once we found out it wasn't, we were thinking what is going to happen because we can't see anything," she said.
"There was a deathly silence amongst the Notts fans when Altrincham fans at the other end were excited, and when they went silent, we went wild."
Kirke said his friend, who was struggling to see the action on TV, texted him updates during the penalty shootout.
"The only way we could ascertain what was going on was the reaction of the Altrincham fans," he said.
The sound of disappointment echoed around the stadium as Altrincham missed the target three times, before Rosaire Longelo slotted home the decisive penalty to seal a 3-2 shootout victory for Notts County.
"We heard the silence and we went into a massive roar knowing we had won," Lally added.
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