Last updated at 08:42, Saturday, 10 November 2012

THE sickening feeling from last Saturday’s last-gasp equalizing goal has just about gone now, and all the focus is on tomorrow’s massive FA Cup tie against Guiseley.

NEW SIGNING: Barrow AFC defender Matt Flynn in the Evening Mail office HARRY ATKINSON

The result at Nuneaton felt like a defeat. In the first half we didn’t play to the standards we’ve set in recent weeks.

But after a half-time rollicking from the gaffer, we knew we had to go out and get a result.

The gaffer made changes during the second half and the subs who came on, Danny Rowe and Joe Jackson, gave us that little bit of extra spice, with Rowey getting the opening goal.

Unfortunately we missed further chances and then Nuneaton grabbed an equaliser right at the death.

Now we are looking forward to the first round tie at Guiseley and what is a really important game for the players, the supporters and the club.

The gaffer has talked to us about how it is the memories gained from FA Cup runs that we will always remember as players – and he is right.

For me, one of those memories is reaching the third round with Macclesfield in 2008/09.

Stupidly, however, I picked up a fifth yellow in the league game before for a poor tackle and was suspended for the visit of Everton. I was only 19 and felt gutted.

A couple of seasons before that Macclesfield drew Chelsea away, but I didn’t make the travelling party.

Probably my most memorable moment in the FA Cup was when we (Macclesfield) played Port Vale in a massive second round local derby. We won 3-1 at their spot to earn the tie against Everton.

The game, to be fair, should never have been played because of the weather – it was unbelievably foggy.

Playing at right-back, I couldn’t even see the opposition’s goal. Myself, the other defenders, the keeper and the fans didn’t even realise when we scored one of the goals because we couldn’t see it!

However, it was an experience I will treasure and one I’d love to repeat.

This week on my day off from training I got to visit Evening Mail headquarters in Barrow. People may not know this, but as well as playing football I’m also doing a degree in journalism. Preparing for life after football is really important to me.

As players we know that we can’t all be millionaires like Wayne Rooney, so we have to think about the future.

The Evening Mail kindly let me spend the day shadowing Barrow AFC reporter Lee Procter. It was intriguing to find all out the hard work that goes into the newspaper’s sports section on a daily basis.

Back to tomorrow and a game we know we must get something out of.

We know it’s going to be a tough game and a real battle but we are prepared for that.

The away support this season has been brilliant and hopefully we will take a lot of fans over to Yorkshire to cheer the boys on.

Keep the faith and don’t stop believing.

Come on you BLUEBIRDS!

MATT FLYNN

First published at 16:09, Thursday, 01 November 2012
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk