When National 3 side FC Challans were drawn at National 2’s Angouleme it was nailed on that I’d be going along. Although there was a nearer tie in the Coupe de France, having featured both sides in previous pieces I set off knowing one of them would progress. My Facebook pal ex-Limoges midfielder Cedric Leandro (now at Challans) was free of suspension and hoped to return to the starting line-up for the swans from the north west of France.

Knowing the route better I arrived in lots of time to hear that Cedric had not made the line-up. Following a time out there was I suppose merit in not changing the starting eleven but as every player would be he was annoyed. This however meant we were able to catch up – which may have made his evening even worse! He was wrapped up like the locals – not that I thought it was cold – despite him having had a spell not so sunny jockoland.

As the sun set I was surprised that Moke had made the ACFC starting eleven after his poor performance in the last round. Having been surprised that he made the line-up for Angouleme, a minute in your trusty correspondent nearly keeled over! He, to my amazement, took a lay-off at the edge of the D and got himself space before firing a low shot into the far corner. It was a pretty good goal and not what the visitors had planned on happening after 1 minute 37 seconds. However, they settled in quickly to a good passing game with two men up top and had more of the ball.

This led to a couple of half chances in the first 15 minutes but both times they failed to hit the target. Challans are a good footballing side – at first I was surprised how readily the ball was played back to the goalkeeper, but the brilliantly named Pierre Mainguy took each pass well with either foot like a sweeper. The Angouleme keeper – Chaumet – is decent but in contrast has to contort himself to get his good foot on the ball as it approaches.

Angouleme were at times sloppy and had difficulty retaining the ball long enough to get anywhere near taking control of the game, Lacroix dropping deeper to try and get on the ball. Challans’ front man Kevin Rouet almost robbed the Angouleme central defender Maga as the home side had to work much harder than against St Flour in the last round, before Challans’ Quarshie headed just over with the keeper beaten. It took ACFC until the half hour to threaten, again with a shot over.

How, I hear you wondering, did the rejuvenated Moke do?  Well his first touch after scoring put the ball directly out not particularly near any teammates. I would be interested in watching an experiment featuring him, a docile tethered cow and a stringed instrument between a ukulele and a guitar in size – I fear he’d need more than one go to hit the target. Later he fired a shot up and over the terracing behind the goals and out of the ground – something that gave me an incredible feeling of deja vu… Forgive me for mocking Moke but I don’t think I’m being harsh, I’ve watched enough Scottish football to recognise a player having a mare when I see one.

Enjoying a brief spell of play ACFC nearly lost a goal on the break but Josue shot tamely at the home keeper. In the 39^th minute Chaumat made a great save touching a shot just past the post but as the clock ticked towards half-time Challans’ left wing back Hugo Connan picked up a loose ball and from the edge of the D put the ball in the bottom corner. It was no more than the visitors deserved having had much the better of the play.

At the break Cedric and I agreed that his lot were the better side and saw Kevin Zinga warming up. He’d faced Cedric last season at Lille legend Rio Mavuba’s Merignac-Arlac in the last game of Limoges FC’s N3 campaign, the last time the three of us were in the same place.

Switching from a three with wingbacks to a flat back four at half-time, Angouleme pushed a big centre back Gomis into midfield and ACFC got more of the ball but FCC continued to play good stuff even if possession was more even. The dangerous Zinga had come off the bench. In the 55^th minute the Challans fans had a minute plus of “Ole-ing” successful passes as the N2 side struggled to match them.

On the hour the home 10 Lucas Franco hit a delicious first-time chip into the far corner of the net from sixteen yards. Two-one up, but the home side were still struggling to play as well as their lower league opponents. Moments later Challans’ Giraudet shot too close to the keeper. In the 72^nd minute Angouleme had their third chance of the game, Moges heading wide, before Moke was replaced with cramp in the 74^th.

Challans were still threatening and Maga was booked for a desperate lunge in the 85^th minute. His colleagues defended the free kick with everyone and got the ball away. In the 89^th minute Angouleme put together their best move as Challans looked tired for the first time. As time ran out ACFC broke up field and Zinga took a pass and despite the attentions of a defender, got into the box firing a good shot low past the Challans keeper.

3:1 certainly flattered the home side and they celebrated like they’d won much more easily, gleeful at being in the next round.

Kevin Zinga is a good player and has twice done more off the bench than Moke did starting – if he doesn’t start in his place for the next Coupe game I will be checking out what seasoning is required to make hat eating more palatable.

As a personal aside – having seen my mate Cedric play half a dozen times – including against Angouleme late last season, I feel he’d have been able to use his experience, ability and size well in the second half when the midfield was more congested. I am a little biased but I hope that he and his team mates will look back positively on a campaign with many more highs than lows – and are already wondering if they can do even better next time.