King’s Lynn Town have been given a bye into the first round of the FA Cup after their big game this weekend was cancelled.
Opponents Notts County announced on Thursday evening that they would be pulling out of the fourth and final qualifying round on Saturday because of a number of positive coronavirus tests at the club.
It means Lynn will go straight into Monday’s draw for the first round and will pocket the £9,375 that would have been given to the winners of this weekend’s tie.
“Two more of our players have tested positive for Covid-19 and as a result we have withdrawn from the Emirates FA Cup and postponed our upcoming Vanarama National League matches away to FC Halifax Town and Aldershot Town,” said a Notts County statement. “After four members of our squad tested positive for the virus last week, we scheduled another round of testing this Wednesday to identify any further infections. Unfortunately this has resulted in two more positive results and, following consultation with the FA and National League’s medical officers, we have taken the difficult but responsible decision not to travel to King’s Lynn Town on Saturday and to temporarily halt our league campaign.”
“Obviously we are delighted,” said Lynn assistant manager Paul Bastock. “It’s not the way we would have liked to have go through and I wouldn’t wish Covid on anybody. I hope they all have a speedy recovery and there is no serious illness.
“As for us, it is a great boost for the club to get some extra money in, Obviously we have done all our prep getting ready for Saturday, because you can’t beat playing in games, but what it means is we will get the boys in Saturday and we will prepare now for Wealdstone on Tuesday evening.”
Bastock admitted there had been an element of doubt in his mind that the tie would go ahead after the initial news last weekend.
”Definitely,” he said. “I heard after the weekend it had gone to seven, but we still thought with their resources that they had a big enough squad that they would be able to fulfil the fixture. But it is just one of those things.
“It would have been a magnificent cup tie for us to pit our wits against them and see what they are about.”
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