Fog makes FA Cup tie at Altrincham difficult to follow even for commentators

Notts County beat Altrincham on penalties in an FA Cup tie played through thick fog at Moss Lane, leaving BBC commentator Steve Bower struggling to see the action he was describing.

Bower, whose career spans about 35 years, said the conditions were worse than those at a similar fog-affected match he had commentated on around three years earlier. From the commentary position opposite the dugouts, he said, he could no longer tell which team had the ball once play moved beyond the centre circle.

Altrincham, a National League side, led 2-1 against their League One visitors before Callum Roberts equalised late for Notts County. The match went to extra time and then penalties, which County won.

Bower said the game had been a compelling cup tie for its first hour, but the poor visibility made it difficult to describe. Radio Nottingham commentator Adam Hassell said he could make out the bright numbers on players’ shirts but struggled to follow play on the far side. Former County striker Mark Stallard said people in the press box could not see where the ball was.

The managers also had difficulty assessing the match. Bower said Notts County manager Martin Paterson could not see the second half, while Altrincham manager Neil Gibson told him he had been unable to judge whether County had changed formation after substitutions.

Bower said the match came close to being abandoned. Some players told him they could not see both goals or the corner flags from the centre circle. During the shoot-out, he said, he relied on the crowd’s reaction to know what had happened before watching replays.