After finally defeating Northampton in the second round of the FA Cup back in the 1971/72 season, Hereford United were drawn away at St James' Park, the home of Newcastle United in the third round.
The tie was due to be played on January 21st 1972 but had to be postponed because the pitch was waterlogged. It took place the following Tuesday.
Ricky George remembers the game in his book 'One Goal One Horse'.
The first thing we did was to go out and look at the pitch recalled George on the teams arrival at St James'.
There was no twenty-minute warm up in those days, so when we emerged from the tunnel it was into the cauldron that is a full house of passionate and knowledgeable Newcastle United supporters.
We kicked off amidst a deafening roar. The ball went back to Alan Jones who struck a long pass downfield. It skimmed off the head of Newcastle's Pat Howard and into the path of the running Brian Owen. Without halting his stride, Brian cracked the ball with his right foot straight into the top right hand corner of the Newcastle goal.
We were one nil up - in precisely seventeen seconds.
As 5000 Hereford supporters celebrated, so the Geordies recovered from the shock to produce a noise so loud it made the hairs on the back of your neck stand up.
For the next twenty it was like the proverbial charge of the Light Brigade. John Tudor equalised and when Macdonald smashed home a penalty five minutes later, I thought the roof of the stand would collapse with the noise.
Almost imperceptibly, we took control. Minutes before half-time Colin Addison took a pass from Ken Mallender and moved forward into space, looking for a colleague to give the ball to.
No Newcastle player approached Colin; those who were defenders backed off. The tactic proved fatal.
Sensing his chance, the player-manager struck, right-footed, from twenty-five yards. The ball never rose above knee-height and before McFaul moved, the net was dancing.
We had delivered the psychological blow and although they didn't know it at the time, Newcastle United were on the way out of the FA Cup.
It was all in the mind, that second half. We grew in confidence, theirs drained away.
I had sat on the bench knowing that I had more chance to take part if we were losing. I desperately wanted to get on and experience this living dream if only for the memory.
With twenty minutes to go and the match finely balanced at 2-2, I came on. As excited as I was, I was surprised. The team had been outstanding and, if anything, we were on top.
It could have been that Colin sensed an incredible victory because I found myself with a constant supply of passes delivered with shouts of encouragement, urging me to attack David Craig.
In the dying minutes, Billy Meadows' diving header was turned around the post by McFaul. Newcastle United, sixth in the top division, six times winner of the FA Cup, had survived the newcomers. The sporting Geordie fans applauded us from the pitch.
As we sat, savouring the moment, in the big, circular bath in the visitor's dressing room, we were visited by the West Ham United manager, Ron Greenwood. He congratulated us on a fine result and then turned to Billy Meadows, whom he had known from their days at Arsenal.
Text at top (next game etc)
Next Game: Scarborough In The League At Edgar Street On Tuesday 19th November At 7.45pm