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The fans at the FA Cup game no-one could see

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.

✦ Extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting•From 1 source•1 min read•Updated November 10, 2026, 6:00 AM UTC
Key points
  • More on this story FA Cup round-up: Upsets, disrespect, and a goal in record time Notts County beat Altrincham in incredible fog-filled spectacle Notts County progress in FA Cup tie no-one could see.
  • Ian Kirke struggled to watch his side's FA Cup first round match against Altrincham due to thick fog [Ian Kirke] For many football fans, an FA Cup win is the stuff of dreams.
  • Heavy fog meant Notts County fans were unable to watch the penalty shootout that took place at the other end of the pitch [Getty Images] Lifelong fan Kirke, who lives in Berkshire, said the weather at kick-off was "like any normal match".

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.

Additional details
  • "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!
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • 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.

How this summary was made: extractive summary — built from the sources' own reporting. It is drawn only from the reporting of the sources listed below — read the originals for full detail. How we summarize →

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Yahoo SportsNovember 10, 2026, 6:00 AM UTC →

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