Maidenhead
United 2
Hartlepool United 1
National
League
The phone call
was somewhat out of the blue, it was my mate Mark, he had a question for me.
“How do you
fancy a once in a lifetime opportunity?”
Intriguing,
and knowing Mark as I do, it wouldn’t be an over exaggeration, it was clearly something
worth listening to.
To cut a long
story short, Mark had acquired an unlimited travel railcard via a cushy little
job he’s landed, and consequently he didn’t need to use it the following
Saturday. Did I fancy it?
He didn’t
need to ask twice, of course I’d take advantage, I mean, anywhere in the UK
free of charge? Who wouldn’t want a piece of that? It did have a couple of
proviso’s though, I would have to collect it late on Friday night, but also, I
had to somehow get it back to him on the Saturday.
Like a kid
in sweetshop, I’d got the Non-League Paper on the table and National Rail
Enquiries up on the screen, the possibilities were endless, but then I spotted
that Maidenhead United had got a 12.30 kick off against Hartlepool United due
to live TV. So, the question was, could I do a double, but more importantly,
could I do it via train?
The answer
was an unequivocal ‘yes’, Slough Town were at home to Kettering Town, and due
to the proximity of the station to the ground in Maidenhead, it could be done.
The plan was hatched, the ticket was duly collected late on Friday and it was
time to set the alarm for silly o’clock the following morning.
With ticket
secured safely in the wallet, it was the 6.43 from Belper and then the 7.06
from Derby to Reading. Arriving in Reading at 9.40, it was pleasing to see that
the Three Guineas was open nice and early, in fact it was pretty busy due to
racing at nearby Ascot which had clearly drawn the crowds out for the day.
 |
| Bell Street End |
A short hop
to Maidenhead saw me entering the turnstiles at the Bell Street End (it doesn’t
get shortened to the Bell End so it seems), into what is recognised as the
oldest football ground n continuous use in the Country. It’s a charming ground
as well, the Bell (Street) End has a covered terrace on it with the rear wall
painted black and white with the clubs name picked out. Opposite is another small
covered terrace, and then to the right on the railway line side is a smart new
seated stand. To the left is a small area of terracing, the dressing rooms and
clubhouse, and also the undercover all weather pitch.
 |
| When Alan Met James |
It was in
this general direction I wandered to find the Stripes Bar and acquaint myself
with the local delicacies. Sat in the bar was James Richardson from BT Sport,
along with Adam Virgo and Chris Hargreaves who were doing the expert summarising.
It was in here that we had to stay silent for a brief while so Richardson and
his team could film an interview with Maidenhead boss Alan Devonshire.
Maidenhead United
is a great success story. We saw them at the start of last season when they won
at Whitehawk, and to be honest they never really looked back, winning the
National South, largely helped by the goalscoring form of the classy Dave
Tarpey.
They have
started the season with a draw at Maidstone United and a defeat at home to
Wrexham, but with the TV cameras in town and a Hartlepool United side that have
found going tough in their inaugural season after being relegated for the first
time to Non-League football, Maidenhead really fancied this one.
 |
| The Main Stand |
A crowd of
just under 1,500 pitched up and saw a determined home side take the lead in the
40th minute when Tarpey himself latched onto a through ball and
found the back of the net.
Hartlepool,
with around 250 followers, hoped for better in the second period, but a mistake
at the back let in Tarpey who finished with a thunderous shot off the crossbar.
With Hartlepool heads dropping, it was time for the Maidenhead support to
gleefully taunt the visiting fans across the segregation divide, it was all
good humoured and their version of ‘My Sister Belinda…’ brought a smile to my
face.
 |
| A Mixture Of Things |
In the 86th
minute Padraig Amond put a penalty away to reduce the deficit, and as the game
moved into injury time I made my exit and jogged the couple of hundred yards
for the train to Slough, which I just made.
As the train passed the ground I
could see the players leaving the pitch, it had been a historic day for the men
from York Road, and as for Tarpey, the question is I guess, can they hold on to
such a special talent?
“All Over
My Soggy Sombrero….” – I was still chuckling as the train pulled into my next
destination, and not many people can say that when they arrive in Slough!
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| Opposite The Bell End |
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