Escaping to Bloomfields

Needham Market  2  Leiston  2

Southern League Premier Division Central

With Beth Chatto’s stunning garden having been visited, and Clacton-On-Sea pier traipsed up and down on a wild and wet Sunday afternoon, the visit to Suffolk was nearing its tumultuous conclusion.

It wasn’t going to be straight to Needham Market from Ipswich though, oh no, we had a date with the Escape Rooms to keep. We managed to escape with a minute and a half to spare, a result if you ask me, I wasn’t aware of what the consequences were for not escaping but I had no intention of missing kick off….

It was August Bank Holiday Monday and it was the big one, I don’t know if has a nickname like ‘El Classico’ or something equally cheesy, it probably does, but as far as I was concerned Needham Market v Leiston spoke for itself. It was the Suffolk Step 3 Derby, reputations and pride were on the line, forget Ipswich v Norwich next week at the tractor pen, this was the game that really mattered!

The recent history of both clubs has something of a parallel, Leiston’s story is detailed in the previous blog, but very much like them, the Marketmen progressed to the Eastern Counties League from the Suffolk & Ipswich League in 1996, and then progressed from Step 6 to Step 5 in 2005.

Life in the top tier of the ECL was pretty fruitful and in five seasons they never finished outside of the top six, culminating in the championship being won 2009-10, and with it promotion to the Isthmian League. An FA Vase semi-final was also reached, as were the quarter finals on two other occasions.

Their first season in Isthmian Division One North saw them finish runners-up, but promotion was not achieved following a play-off semi final defeat. The play-offs were reached on a further two occasions, and lost both times, again at the semi final stage. However, in 2014-15 it all came together and the club were crowned Champions.

So, with the Isthmian League Premier Division reached, it was time to consolidate, and in two of the three seasons they’ve competed at that level, they’ve managed to evade the relegation trap door. Of course, along came restructuring, and just like Leiston, they find themselves in the ‘Central’ division which involves some arduous journeys to the Midlands.

The Bloomfields ground is set on the very edges of the small but pretty market town (he says, stating the bleeding obvious!). Accessed via an estate, the ground in itself is set in a large complex which also houses a brand new 4G pitch which is a very smart facility with floodlights and seated stand. I guess when it comes to the winter, the reserves, who compete in the ECL will be able to take advantage of it.

The football ground is a very tidy facility indeed. A two story building houses the clubhouse, dressing rooms and a boardroom, while the pitch, set on a plateau, rises up from the clubhouse. The old seated stand with a steep rake sits on the half way line, while a smaller Atcost type seated stand is perched directly behind the North goal. Two areas of cover run down the side opposite the main stand, separated by an elevated press box, while behind the South goal is a sizable area of covered terracing that looks very new.

With lots of structures and features, combined with a very nice playing surface, it’s a welcoming venue and clearly a lot of time, effort and money has been invested in the facilities at the same time as the team has progressed on the pitch, which is just how it should be in my opinion.

The Marketmen were hopeful of a crowd in the 650 region, and whoever does the estimating is bloody good because the announced crowd was 657. It was a nice atmosphere around the ground, with a good number having travelled the 27 miles West, mingling freely with the homes supporters.

The game was an entertaining affair, and it was the visitors who took the lead in the eleventh minute when Cemal Ramadan found the bottom corner of the goal with a low shot.

The hosts battled back though and scored via a Joe Marsden penalty kick following a foul by Joe Jefford. Within minutes, Market had turned a deficit into a lead when Adam Mills angled the ball past the impressive Marcus Garnham in the Leiston goal.

The first half had been pretty even, but once Chris Henderson had notched a 65^th minute equaliser, the balance of power swung towards Leiston. They had plenty of possession but couldn’t find a way through though, and ultimately both sides had to settle for a point.

Another cracking afternoon’s football in Suffolk, and just a steady three hour drive back home afterwards, but just think what might have happened had we not cracked that final code in the Escape Rooms?

Best case, we’d have struggled to get one of the remaining spaces in the car park, worst case, well, maybe its best just not knowing!

Suffolk Central

Leiston  2  Tamworth  2

Southern League Premier Division Central

The completest in me was torn when it was announced that the newly formed Step 3 League covering the ‘Central’ area of the Country would also include the clubs in East Anglia.

On one hand it gave me a couple of new grounds to visit, in the shape of both Leiston and Needham Market to complete the division, but at the same time, they were both just about accessible without a change of clothes.

However to do a virtually identical journey twice would involve nearly twelve hours of driving in total. That said, looking at how re-organisation was partly implemented to create an overall reduction in travel at all steps, these two clubs, plus Lowestoft Town, could argue they got a raw deal. 

Victory Road

Numerous away matches in the West Midlands involve 9.30am starts, so clearly my qualms about two trips is never going to gain any sympathy with the ladies and gents of Suffolk who are doing this on a monthly basis!

It worked well though in terms of the August Bank Holiday. Mrs H wanted a weekend away before she returns to work, and with Leiston being at home on the Saturday, and Needham Market on the Monday, it was a no brainer, I was taking the family for a couple of days in Ipswich!

Three and a half hours after departure time and we were pulling into the car park at the delightful coastal town of Aldeburgh, which is a mere ten minutes from Leiston. Aldeburgh ticked numerous boxes for the collective Hatt clan, they were happy with the first choice of venue and what it had to offer, so far so good in terms of a weekend based in Ipswich, I had a standard to maintain.

Seats

Leiston Football Club’s home ground on Victory Road was located well before kick off which allowed a meander into town. Lunch was taken in a quiet little park, but with the crowds swarming towards the stadium as kick off approached it was time to take up position.

Victory Road is a very pleasant and tidy non-league football ground. Once through the turnstiles in the North East corner of the ground, hard standing extends along past the North goal to the opposite corner where it continues down the West side until it meets a lengthy Atcost type stand, which is effectively two structures linked in the middle via a press box.

Behind the South goal is a small covered terrace while on the East side there is a club shop, tea bar, al-fresco drinking area, clubhouse, changing rooms, and indeed an older area of cover that extends from just beyond the half way line up to the corner flag.

Clubhouse

The crowning glory though is the pitch, with integral sprinkler system, it was in absolutely pristine condition, as good as you will see at any level of football, and an absolute credit to the ground staff.

But what you often don’t realise when you walk into Victory Road is just how far this remarkable club has come in a very short period of time. The club only joined Step 6 football in 2001 after previously playing in the Suffolk & Ipswich League, but they were at Step 5 within three seasons. So with the Premier Division of the Eastern Counties League reached, progress was a little slower but by 2010-11 they had been crowned as Champions.  However it was the 2008-09 season when they hit the headlines by reaching the First Round Proper of the FA Cup, drawing 0-0 at home to Fleetwood Town before losing the replay. At the time, they were the lowest ranked club to reach that stage of the competition in that particular season, something that the national TV coverage was eager to pick up on.

Their first season in Step 4, by way of the Ryman League, was a huge success with the title won at the first attempt, which then of course saw the arrival of Step 3 football.  In the six seasons they’ve spent at that level, they’ve never finished lower than the previous season, culminating in a Play-Off spot last season which ultimately faltered at the first hurdle against Hendon.

But, they enter new territory this season, and the start had been pretty positive with two wins and a defeat, but a game against one of the pre-season promotion favourites in the shape of Tamworth would provide a test, despite the visitor’s poor start.

The Best Surface Bar None

A crowd of 329 saw the hosts get off to a positive start and they took the lead in the seventh minute when Matt Blake flicked a long ball on for Jake Reed to slot the ball under Jas Singh. The lead was doubled in the 38^th minute when Blake was upended in the box, allowing Christy Finch to net a deserved second goal.

Leiston had been dominant, and with the hugely impressive Byron Lawrence pulling the strings in midfield, you could only see one outcome at the half time whistle.

But, football doesn’t work like that. A revitalised Tamworth came out in the second period and pulled a goal back through Chris Lait on the hour mark who converted with a low shot, and this was to be the catalyst for a positive spell from the Lambs. Akwasi Asante did score the equaliser after a neat dribble and finish, and as the game drew to a conclusion you felt Tamworth might have gone on to win it.

Dark Clouds

However, on balance a fair result, but as the BBC Radio Suffolk reporter said, Leiston had the game in a vice like grip at half time, but they let that grip slip in the second period and Tamworth were well worth the point.

So, a really enjoyable afternoon at Leiston Football Club to add to a very pleasant morning at the coast, it was time to head to Ipswich for our evening entertainment,  I’d set a standard and it was going to be hard to maintain it!

In all seriousness though, I was hugely impressed by Leiston on so many levels, not least the fact that they came across as a very welcoming and friendly club in terms of both the officials and the supporters.

What a great move putting them in the 'Central' Division....

Bury Paul

Walshaw Sports  2  Manchester Central  2

Manchester League – Premier Division

As is often the case in August, it’s that time of year when I like to have a crack at a few Manchester League grounds.

Friday night though, you don’t get many of them, and to get a pass out as well, especially with us going away for the weekend the following morning, it was a bit of an all-round result, even if I do say so myself.

Lush

I would have got to Bury based Walshaw Sports at the back end of last season, but due to the shocking weather we had and the fact they share with cricket, all scheduled home games during what is commonly known as ‘silly season’ were rescheduled for alternative venues.

On one of the worst  days of the year for travelling (August Bank Holiday Friday), the journey over the M62 and up the M66 into Bury was a relative breeze under the circumstances. And having only ever set foot in the town once, that being many years ago to watch FC United of Manchester in their inaugural season at Gigg Lane, I have to confess to not being very familiar with the roads or the locations of places.

Shadows

I say not familiar, our dear old friend Paul ‘Ernie’ Earnshaw (aka Bury Paul) who we lost a couple of pre-seasons ago now was a Bury lad through and through, and also a lifetime season ticket holder with the Shakers. He told us many a tale and talked about the local football clubs, Walshaw Sports being one he had something of an affinity with due to family reasons, but even so, it was something of a void in my travels.

Travelling around the edge of the famous Bury Market, I headed out to the West side of town and into the suburb of Tottington where the Walshaw Sports Club is located. Football and cricket play side by side at the Sports Club, and once parked in the small car park, it was time to assess the facilities. The clubhouse was a large and smart affair, while in one corner was a tea bar doing some tremendous delicacies, including a quite superb Lamb Hotpot which went down a treat.

Match

The cricket field sat in front of the club while the football pitch was to the very top of the complex, with a rail down one of the sides where the dugouts sat. The pitch was in fine fettle, and despite some heavy rain showers during the day it looked in pristine condition and is clearly a labour of love for the ground staff.

By kick off a healthy crowd had turned up, with a good number having travelled from visiting Manchester Central who based upon social media, seem to be a very progressive club. They have Bill Prendergast involved who I met a few years ago at Northwich Manchester Villa when he was Manager / Owner, and in recent times he’s also managed Radcliffe Borough, so that appointment in itself would suggest a club with ambition.

Clubhouse

Despite that, the visitors had not won a game yet this season drawing one and losing two, while Walshaw had won two, drawn one and lost one. What unfolded was a super game of football, of a high standard for Step 7, and not without its drama and excitement.

Walshaw took the lead with a superb effort from long range, and another very tidy finish saw them go in at half time with a deserved two goal lead.

Central looked to be lacking somewhat in confidence, but that confidence would have been done a World of good by the performance they put on in the second half. A headed goal just after the break saw the deficit reduced, and then in the 82^nd minute the pressure they had been putting Walshaw under paid off when they forced home an equaliser.

Crowd

The last ten minutes could have seen the result go either way as both sides went in search of a winner, but the drama took another twist deep into injury time when a late challenge from a Central player lead to a confrontation between members of the two dugouts. This very quickly escalated and before you knew it, every man, dog and passing stranger jumped in for a bit of a rumble!

The referee decided the best course of action was to blow his whistle incessantly, not that it made the slightest bit of difference as Prada handbag met Mulberry, however it soon calmed down and it was time for the three officials to spend an age discussing the best course of action to take..

The conclusion was simple, do absolutely nothing (probably due to not having a clue who did what), allow the game to re-start with a free kick and then immediately blow the final whistle.

By now it was pretty dark and somewhat wet after the second half had been punctuated by further rain showers, but that didn’t really matter, it had been a cracking nights entertainment, and a night that had our mate Bury Paul been around to see, he would have enjoyed every minute of it.

Corner Flag

Sportscene Final

Netherseal St Peters  1  Castle Donington Reserves  0

Midlands Regional Alliance – First Division

It was a weekly ritual, we’d go back to my Grandmother’s in Mickleover after Dad and myself had been to the football, have a bit of tea, and then we’d head back home with my Mum and my little Sister alongside us.

Timings wise it was always the same when we set off, just prior to Sportscene Final starting up on BBC Radio Derby, presented by Alex Trelinski. The programme followed the same format every week, it would start with a match report from Derby County’s game, which was the legendary ‘considered opinion’ of Graham Richards, while a manager and player interview would usually follow.

After that the attention would move onto the two Northern Premier League sides of the time, Burton Albion and Matlock Town, with Steve Orme and Mick Tomlinson respectively providing the reports. 

After that it would drop into the lower divisions of non-league football, Ilkeston Town’s report would arrive courtesy of Rod Malcolm, Gresley Rovers via Brian Spare, Borrowash Victoria’s via Ian Collins and so on and so forth, it was very comprehensive and mightily informative for local football followers.

Netherseal St Peters

After the reports came the results round ups, which Trelinksi himself would typically read out, starting with the Central Midlands League, then onto the East Midlands Regional League, the Central Alliance and then finally the Burton & District League whereby as the final couple of results were read, the unmistakable theme tune would fade in and the programme would cease, by which stage we’d usually be very close to arriving back home.

BBC Radio Derby Sport has changed significantly since those days. I had a spell as the reporter for Belper Town and enjoyed it very much, I got paid ten quid for every game I reported on, but it didn’t come without its trials and tribulations. Dodgy phone signals, wind, rain, a complete lack of anything to talk about and the worst of all, the dry mouth and the tied tongue would all impact at some stage, but it was a laugh all the same.

Bobbly Pitch

It all changed though to a point now whereby it’s all about Derby County, a bit about Burton Albion and then the non-league scores from Steps 1-4 might get read out. It’s a shame, a great service was once provided and you felt like you knew the clubs and people involved, but not any more, as time moves on priorities change, they’d rather hear some pillock from Sinfin bemoaning Frank Lampard’s second half substitution than they would a report from Causeway Lane or Christchurch Meadow.

But, the Burton & District League results were always the final throes of the show, and I remember the names like they were yesterday. They included the likes of Overseal St Matthews, Drakelow, St Modwens, Pirelli, Robirch, Newhall Crown, Bass, Rosliston Albion, Yoxall United and of course Netherseal St Peters.

The Sports Club & Car Park

As time went by and Radio Derby ceased to update on the league, I lost all track of it, other than when I heard a couple of years ago that a once thriving Saturday league had been forced to fold due to a lack of clubs.

That was a shame, but a sign of the times, sadly. However, as we got into pre-season I went into research mode and decided to get in touch with Dan Bishop from the Midlands Regional Alliance to see what he might have for me in terms of new teams for the coming season.

It turned out that an old Burton & District League name in the shape of Netherseal St Peters were coming back to Saturday football, and not only that, Dan was going to be the Secretary following a move from neighbouring Moira United.

That was it then, first home game of the season and I was going to have a gander at this, the opposition were Castle Donington Reserves and by all accounts the local pub (The Seal) opened well before the kick off so pintage could be imbibed.

The Stand-Cum-Dugout

Netherseal, which is also spelt Netherseale,  is a pretty little village sat just off the A444 South of Swadlincote. The football pitch is located at the Sports club which lies right on the Northern edge of the village and it’s equipped with a smart clubhouse facility. There is ample car parking both to the side of the building and on a raised grass bank which runs up to the pitch.

The pitch itself is just that, no rail or rope, but, it does have a very small shelter which is effectively used as a dugout. You could go and stand in it as a spectator, but I suspect you’d get some very strange looks from the management team and the substitutes.

The pitch, again like many, was very hard and bobbly, but during a first half that was spent chatting all things local football with Dan, both sides really struggled to create any chances of significant note.

Burton & District - All Day Long

It did improve somewhat in the second half and it was the hosts who gained the initiative, creating a couple of decent chances along the way. As the game moved into its closing stages a ball was played over the top which Dante Edwards manged to get to ahead of the visiting goalkeeper and lob the ball into the net from the edge of the penalty area. It was three points to Netherseal and on balance of play they probably just about edged it.

While talking to Dan during the first half we half joked about a possible revival for a Saturday league in Burton-on-Trent given the number of clubs in South Derbyshire spread across other competitions. A pipedream maybe, but not as much as a pipedream as Radio Derby ever doing a complete u-turn and giving local football at grassroots level some much needed exposure on Sportscene Final.

I hear Frank Lampard has been spotted out jogging in Chad, now that is what you call a REAL public service broadcast.... 

Coventry's Unsung Hero

Coventrians  3  Shipston Excelsior  1

Midland Football League – Division Three

I’d got a proper day of it planned, get the train to Birmingham, head over to Coventry, drink my way round the City Centre and then catch the bus up to Holbrooks Park to watch Coventrians play in their first ever home game as a Midland Football League side.

It was early September 2015 but to be fair, the weather had not been so great, and also, the club had encountered a few potential issues with the local authority pitch, in the sense that decisions to postpone games were out of theirs and the match official’s hands largely.

Being slightly apprehensive, I sent a text to the club secretary, Jane Connelly, and got a very swift response which re-assured me sufficiently to trot down to Belper Railway Station and jump on board the next West Midlands bound train.

I’d never been into Coventry City Centre before and wasn’t completely au-fait with the geography, so when I stepped off the train, in the midst of a very heavy rain shower, the apparent distance to any kind of establishments perturbed me somewhat, and not only that, the rain was also a bit of a worry.

A Home Of Their Own

After a few sprints via various means of shelter I had discovered a vision of beauty, the first of two Wetherpooons that I was going to base myself in for the pre-match entertainment. With steaks on offer at a discounted price it was too good an opportunity to turn down, but, after sending another message to Jane explaining I was now in a ‘Coventrians or Bust’ scenario, she once again obliged, it was very much game on.

To be honest, I got somewhat merry after that, I had a wander round the bomb damaged cathedral, drank a wee bit more and then managed to navigate myself to the bus station, and actually contrived to catch the correct bus. As if luck would have it, as I hopped off at Holbrooks Park I found another establishment directly adjacent, and with a bit of time on my side, I concluded it would be rude not to.

The Twilight Zone - Complete With My Mate Dave!

It was while in this den of iniquity that I stumbled upon a ladies football team having a bit of a social, and crikey, they weren’t to be messed with, the language and the topics of conversation were blushing material for an innocent like me. I drank up and made my way to the building that served as a tea bar / dressing rooms.

As soon as I walked in I was welcome by a lady dressed in a Coventrians tracksuit, “You must be Neil?” was the greeting. Clearly I had the look of a bloke who had been pub hopping for the past four hours, and Jane had made the correct conclusion, I was indeed Neil….

We chatted for a bit, and what I can remember (I can actually remember some of it!) is that Jane apologised for the fact that she wasn’t 100% committal in her texts to me about the status of the game, explaining that she always had a fear that a call could come in from the council calling the game off, at short notice.

Anyway, I remember Coventrians lost 2-1 to Redditch Borough, and I also remember after that game when talking about the club to various travelling compatriots, I made a point of recommending they get in touch with Jane for any help or confirmation that they needed about going to a match at Coventrians.

Three years later and it comes down the wires that the club are on the move, this time to the Coventry Colliery ground which is on the very Northern outskirts of the City, very close to the M6. That of course means another visit, so with a midweek fixture against Shipston Excelsior on what promised to be a balmy night in the West Midlands, myself, along with several others of the fraternity, elected to pay a visit.

Fizzy Stuff Is Indeed Available

I managed to get a bit lost on the way in, I somehow found a Rugby Ground on Bennetts Road, and then a Cricket Ground, neither of which helped me much, until my mate Dave phoned to say he’d arrived and was sat in the car park. I’d been on Google Maps and got my wires crossed so he talked me in, and after meeting in the large car park, we made our way to the bar.

Serving behind the bar, as well as meeting and greeting spectators, match officials and visiting club representatives alike was Jane. But, while she remembered Dave from a previous meeting, she didn’t comment on remembering me, which may have had something to do with the fact that last time round my eyes were pointing in different directions and I spoke like someone who had just had a dental anaesthetic!

Numerous members of the fraternity turned up to watch and all were met and greeted in the same manner. All were offered the obligatory team sheets while any questions or queries were also answered.

The game itself kicked off at 6.20pm, which was twenty minutes after the scheduled start, largely due to the away team having delays to the get to the ground, plus the fact that the road outside the ground was actually closed, despite the fact several of us ignored the signs and just drove straight through!

Just A Cliff Richard Short Now......

As for the ground, well it’s a two pitch complex, and the one Coventrians use is railed on two sides with a third ready to be installed. No other furniture exists of note, but compared to Holbrooks Park it’s a different World completely. The club can charge admission, they can sell food and drink, and of course, if they so wish I’m sure they can develop it.

Game wise, Coventrians were the better team throughout and by half time looked comfortable with a 2-0 lead. They had a couple of players who I thought may well have played at a higher level and wouldn’t look out of place performing a few leagues higher now.

Shipston pulled a goal back in the second period but to be fair, that simply spurred the hosts on who went on to grab a third goal and make the points safe.

It was a very enjoyable evening in the midst of some very good company, the banter flowed and the stories, many of which have been heard before, were told once again, but that didn’t matter.

I really hope Coventrians make a success of the move, and can start to replicate at a senior level the success the club have had at a junior level, since forming in 2007, thanks to Jane and her husband John who were the driving force behind it.

Grassroots football relies heavily on the Jane Connolly’s of this World, most importantly to ensure it survives and thrives, but for the small minority like myself who do what we do, the service she, and other like her provides is invaluable.

Rightful Place

North Kilworth  4  Desford Development  2

Leicestershire Senior League – Division Two

For over ten years North Kilworth Football Club had been plying their trade in the Leicester & District League, having previously been relegated from the Leicestershire Senior League, a completion that they had been a part of since 1987.

They finally made it back this season, to a newly expanded LSL which now boasts three divisions. They finished runners-up to Cosby United, who have since gone belly up, and finished two places above Magna 73 who have also joined the LSL this season.

Cute!

This is where it gets a bit strange though, because higher placed North Kilworth have gone into the newly formed Second Division, while Magna go in one higher into the First Division. I asked the question while at Magna in the week and it appears it’s got something to do with the size of the dressing rooms at North Kilworth, but that is Magna’s version, not Kilworth’s so I stand to be corrected.

But back they are, and delighted to be part of it they very much proclaim to be, and in fairness, with the ground they have on South Kilworth Road, it’s a travesty that they haven’t been playing regularly at a level their facilities would warrant, but more on the ground shortly.

Clubhouse Etc

North Kilworth is a village just  a few miles from the M1, and to be precise it sits between Lutterworth and Market Harborough, not too far from the Northamptonshire border. This is the very Southern tip of the LSL, and driving through the village it’s clear that it’s a well sought after place to live.

The ground is situated on the West side of the village and upon turning into the car park it becomes apparent that the football club forms part of the North Kilworth Sports Club, and dominating the location is a large clubhouse and dressing room complex. The clubhouse area was smart and looked to be doing a steady trade, and I suspected not all of its inhabitants had come to watch a football match as this does seem to serve the wider community.

Floodlights

In front of the clubhouse running width ways is the man football pitch which is fully railed off, complete with a small seated stand on the halfway line, and floodlights! I’m not sure whether the floodlights are operational, but clearly they are a legacy of the days when they played in the top flight of the LSL and it was then mandatory.

It was a very smart ground, with a further full sized pitch adjacent that the reserves had played a friendly game on earlier in the day. The only slightly negative aspect was the pitch, which like many is suffering from the Summer weather, but to be fair the grass did look pretty long in places, notably in the top goal area.

Top End

The game pitched North Kilworth against the development side of Desford, or reserves if you want to use the more traditional name. The hosts got off to a strong start, taking the lead through Daniel Laywood who did look suspiciously offside, but then after dominating the play it was the home side who scored twice again in the final fifteen minutes of the first period through Jack Corry.

Desford regained their shape and pulled a goal back through Madison Murrell, but it was that man Corry who struck with Kilworth’s fourth and his hat-trick. Desford missed a penalty before substitute Jack Spence did finally reduce the arrears in the closing minutes.

A deserved victory for a confident North Kilworth side, but Desford could be pleased with elements of their play. It’s a difficult division to call with so many new teams, the bulk of which are second strings, but you would expect the likes of Kilworth and also Thringstone Miners Welfare to be in the mix given their recent successes and pedigree.

Let’s just hope for North Kilworth’s sake that the dressing room, quite literally, doesn’t hold them back in terms of progression!

Step 9 - As Good As It Gets

Tartan Through A Straw

Clydebank  2  Rossvale  1

Scottish Juniors Western Region – League Cup

Scottish football intrigues me.

You’ve got the Seniors, who are what we might term semi-professionals, and these can typically be found in the lower reaches of the Scottish Football League and down into the Lowland and Highland League’s, plus also the East and South of Scotland League’s.

You’ve then got the Juniors, who are operating under a completely separate jurisdiction, outside of the footballing pyramid, but, arguably in many cases you’ve got the better players, earning very good money, playing for teams that attract better attendances, albeit at stadiums that don’t fall under the same strict grading rules.

Juniors In Action

To try and put this into some context, the top Junior sides would include Auchinleck Talbot, Beith, Linlithgow Rose and Bonnyrigg Rose for example, they would attract better attendances than sides in Scottish League Two and Three, and since they’ve been admitted to the Scottish FA Cup, which only finally happened in 2005, they’ve had some impressive results.

Linlithgow Rose reached the Fourth Round in 2007-08, while in 2009-10 Irvine Meadow became the first Junior side to beat a League club with victory over Arbroath. Linlithgow went on to beat Forfar Athletic in 2015-16, while in 2016-17 Bonnyrigg Rose recorded a fantastic victory over second tier side Dumbarton away from home.

Bo’ness United have also recorded a couple of victories over League outfits, and to a certain extent these results are probably not huge shocks, and might explain why there was resistance to the Juniors mixing it with the Seniors on a national level.

Maryhill

The Juniors have re-organised over recent seasons and have now created something of a more structured system, based around three regions, namely Northern, Eastern and the strongest of them all, the Western. But that is where it ends, progression beyond winning the top tier of your Region was non-existent, but things are changing, especially in the Eastern Region where at the end of last season we saw an exodus of clubs move to the East of Scotland League, which in turns provides a potential route to the very top. Kelty Hearts for example have designs on reaching the Scottish Football League, and you wouldn’t bet against that. Is that likely in the Western Region? Not sure, but what I do know is that Clydebank, who currently top the tree, have made noises about applying to jump in 2019-20.

Elevated Viewing

Clydebank then, blimey, when I was a lad and acquired my first Panini sticker album, the boys from New Kilbowie Park featured. For two seasons in the mid-eighties they were a Scottish Premier League outfit, but it was pretty much downhill after that, losing the iconic all-seater ground and eventually being swallowed up into the entity that was Airdrie United. Airdrie United came about after Airdrieonians folded, but a number of years later and the former name was restored.

Undeterred, the faithful fans of Clydebank, and that included the lads from Wet Wet Wet, set about re-forming the club and for their first season, based out of Duntocher, they played in the Scottish Supporters League. The following season they joined the Western Region Juniors and playing in front of four figure crowds they started to progress. In 2008 they moved in with Yoker Athletic and reached the Junior Cup Final, taking almost 6,000 fans to Kilmarnock, only to lose out to Talbot.

The Covered Terrace

The top flight was reached in 2011, but relegation followed, only for them to return in 2015 where they remain. At the start of this season they moved across town to share with Maryhill while Yoker’s Holm Park undergoes improvements.

With my monthly trip to Glasgow in the diary, it was time to look at the fixtures and the game between the Bankies and Rossvale jumped out at me, simply because of the history of Clydebank FC, and of course, the fact they are still very well supported.

Maryhill’s Lochburn Park is easily reached by a train from Glasgow Queen Street, you alight ten minutes later at Gilschochill and after a ten minute walk you are at the ground. Surrounded by industry and commerce on the edge of the busy main road that leads into the City, the area around 

Lochburn Park is a busy place. I took refreshments in Harvey’s opposite the ground, where the site of an old fella drinking a pint of Tartan through a straw restored my faith in humanity!

Urban

What a belter of stadium it is. Like many Junior grounds, it’s trapped in time, but bursting with character. From the old ornate gates that sit aside the turnstiles, you walk in and what you’ve effectively got is a pitch that is almost sunken, with the terraces and buildings sat high above the surface. The Social Club is to the right, while in front of that and up the touchline is a section of elevated terracing the backs onto a building, the purpose of which I couldn’t tell you.

The top goal is out of bounds but attached to this is a rack of elevated seating in blue and red, uncovered, that’s clearly seen better days. Opposite is a covered terrace that is very unique in its construction, in the sense that the style of the cladding makes it look and feel like some sort of industrial unit loading bay! The roof shape as well is also not something commonly seen. The bottom goal is hard standing that slopes from the turnstile end down to the far corner flag.

Out Of Bounds

The ground also has something that isn’t overly common at Junior grounds, floodlights. Midweek football is relatively rare in the Juniors (apart from the opposite ends of the season), and come winter games kick off at 1.45pm. Again, this is something that very much distinguishes the Junior from the Senior.

As for the game, it was entertaining and of a very good standard. Despite it being a League Cup tie, I would estimate around 250 were in attendance, and the opening goal came in the eighth minute when Del Hepburn scored a screamer with his right foot.

Rossvale, another Glasgow based side from Bishopbriggs, who compete in the second tier of the 

Western Region having won promotion last season, were certainly not second best and having missed good chances in the first period, deservedly equalised in the 73^rd minute when Chris Zok converted a penalty. It was the least Rossvale deserved on balance of play.

Unusual

However, as the game moved into the closing stages a mis-placed back pass found Steven Higgins who poked the ball home for the Bankies winner. They managed to hold on and moved into the Quarter Final where they meet Petershill. In fairness to Rossvale though, they will be gutted because for me they matched Clydebank all the way.

So that was another very enjoyable night in the Juniors, and by making the first available train back at the station it was back into the centre of Glasgow for ten past nine. I’m not sure if I’ll be able to find any more Junior football now as we move into the darker nights, which will be a shame.

But, with change on the horizon and already under way in some cases, the Junior football landscape is going to start to look very different. That change does appear less likely in the stronger Western Region, but with Bankies one of the names believed to be keen on a jump to the Seniors, presumably with a view of a return to the Scottish League ranks, it’s very much one to keep an eye on. Talk suggests the top flight of the West could simply be re-named ‘en-masse’ the Seniors, and therefore join the Pyrmaid, but I suspect it’s not that simple.

It never is, is it?

Pushing The Boundaries

Magna 73  6  Magna 73 Reserves  1

Friendly

I can’t recall at any time in all my years of watching football, taking in a game where a first team played the reserves.

But there is a first time for everything, and I’m of the view that football has no boundaries, except of course women’s football and walking football, two activities that I simply have no interest in from a spectator perspective. Nothing against either, but I’ve made the choice not to view them. I did watch some dwarf football online once, purely because my mate Steve was interested and I wanted to check it out on his behalf, for research purposes, so I’m not a complete sexist / ageist / bigoted football viewer, just a man of narrow-ish tastes!

The Clubhouse

So, I saw newly promoted Magna 73, who will be gracing the Leicestershire Senior League for the first time this season after numerous attempts to get in, had a home fixture, against themselves, so I thought I’d go and have a look.

Playing at Meadow Park on Leicester Road in Countesthorpe, the ground is nice and easy to find, set in a very rural location. Meadow Park is a large complex, and works as an umbrella organisation for Magna 73, Oadby & Wigston Ladies and the local cricket club. They are blessed with three pitches at the complex and Magna generate revenue by hiring out the surfaces, notably on Sunday’s and during pre-season when other pitches are not ready for use, or simply not readily available.

They’ve played pre-season games so far away from the main pitch to protect it, but tonight, they were playing on the showpiece pitch which is a railed affair with newly built dugouts. The pitch itself is in superb condition but as the two gents from the club told me, they’ve invested in it and worked hard on it over the Summer, despite the tough conditions.

Dugouts - In The Distance

They have a large clubhouse on the complex which is available for hire, so in many ways Magna are blessed with a further source of revenue generation. Magna struck me as a well-run, prudent and sensibly managed club with a number of volunteers who have the club at heart. It’s a great model, and it seems to be working.

Magna 73, were formed in 1973 (I managed to work that one out without asking anyone!), so they are 45 years old this year, not unlike myself, almost! I’m not sure where the Magna bit comes from, as I’m struggling to find a place of the same name on my Leicester A-Z, but someone somewhere will know the answer. They didn’t win the Leicester & District League last season but they were successful in getting promotion anyway, so clearly tails are up and enthusiasm is high at Meadow Park, and so it should be.

One of the problems of watching a first team against reserves game is the fact that while the kits may be a different colour, they have the same badges. So it took me a while to work out who was who. To be fair though, in the opening fifteen minutes there wasn’t that much in it, but by half time the first team had a 2-0 lead and it was their finishing prowess that saw them in-front.

Lush

The goals came at regular intervals in the second period, a further four to be precise and the difference was the final ball and the finishing. The reserves certainly competed, but in the final third it was a very different story. The ressies did pull a goal back with almost the last kick of the game, but it was of no consequence to be fair.

So, a strange one to be truthful, two teams who obviously know each other very well, effectively team mates, taking each other on, but it definitely had a competitive edge, and while the referee had a very comfortable night of it, it was officiated by a proper man in black as opposed to a club representative.

Women - Kids - Oldies - Reserves - Friendlies - Dwarfs - It Takes All Sorts

I feel a bit bad now, I feel like I’ve taken a swipe at women’s and walking football, but it wasn’t meant to be a dig against either, it was purely me expressing my preferences. I know people who will quite happily watch ladies football, but won’t watch youth football of any kind, reserves or friendly games though, so I suppose it is each to their own. We all have our quirks and foibles

Steve and his passion for dwarf football though, now that is a bit special…………………..

Rock And A Hard Place

Glasshoughton Rock  0  Shelley Reserves  1

West Yorkshire League – Second Division

I’m not overly familiar with Castleford, or Cas-Vegas as it’s is more commonly known in West Yorkshire, situated just a couple of miles from its sparring partner of Pontefract which of course is better known as Ponte Carlo.

The first time I encountered the West Yorkshire town would have been back in the mid-Nineties when Belper Town played at Glasshoughton Welfare, and I seem to think we won 1-0 thanks to a Paul Gretton goal. The memories are a bit hazy and to be honest if you asked me to describe the place I would struggle.

About ten years ago I went through a phase of watching Rugby League, a phase that resurfaced again this Summer, and a mate of mine decided we ought to go to Wheldon Road to watch Castleford Tigers play. Blimey, I’ll not forget that in a hurry though, ‘The Jungle’ as it’s now known is a classic old school sports stadium and with a packed house in attendance they drew 22-22 with Wigan Warriors. The pubs before the game around the ground were heaving and the buzz was fantastic.

Since then, our paths have not crossed since, probably because that area around the M62 corridor is dominated by Rugby League, with football very much a secondary sport. That said, Pontefract Collieries won the Northern Counties East League last season and are now a Northern Premier League side, Glasshoughton Welfare still ply their trade in the NCEL, but otherwise you are talking a couple of clubs in the West Yorkshire League, namely Kellingley Welfare and Featherstone Colliery.

Ferrybridge Power Station

Another name entered the fray though over the course of the Summer, The Rock Inn, a pub side from the town, won the Wakefield League last season, were admitted to the West Yorkshire League, but to comply with league rules, they couldn’t be named after a pub, hence the name change to Glasshoughton Rock. They also found a new facility in the shape of the Townville Sports Club which had a football pitch and dressing rooms sitting adjacent to the cricket ground, and of course the impressive clubhouse. It was ready made for a side looking to progress.

With a limited choice of options on Saturday due to a number of leagues having not yet started, it seemed like the ideal place to go to. The club is very active on Facebook so the game was confirmed nice and early, and despite some problems on the A1, it was a steady hours trip North.

So, what is Townville all about? Located to the East of the centre of Castleford, it offers views further East towards the Ferrybridge Power Station which dominates the skyline in the area. The ground is on a housing estate and a good sized car park leads to a social club that appears to serve both the sporting clubs that play at the complex, and also the locality. A party was taking place as I arrived in a large function suite opposite the bar area.

View From The West Bank

A cricket match was taking place just outside, I have no idea what league or level it was at, but they had an electronic scoreboard so it must have been pretty decent! I’m useless when it comes to cricket by the way, I wouldn’t know the difference between Minor Counties and the local Scout Group so no point me elaborating on it!

Behind the cricket pitch, dropping off down a slope if the football field, which is roped down one side but banked on two sides offering a decent elevated view. No cover, and no dugouts are in place, but it meets the grading and it has separate dressing room area that sit adjacent to the clubhouse.

Parched Pitch

As for the game, well I didn’t quite know what to expect. Rock are newly promoted and on something of a roll (rock & roll eh, get it?), whereas the reserves of Shelley are the second string of a side that has just gained promotion to the North West Counties League.

After a promising start by the hosts, the game evened out and it was the visitors who took the lead when a Shelley player found the net from close range having been given too much time and space to finish.

The second half saw both sides put in plenty of effort, but efforts on goal were at a premium, and to be fair, in the end it was the away side who seemed to be in control of proceedings.

Rock will see this as something of a learning curve, West Yorkshire League football is tough, but they have enough quality to come again having gained from the experience. They won’t be far away when it comes to the crunch, sides used to winning invariably find a way, but it won’t be a walk in the park.

As for football in Castleford, the more the merrier, the egg-chasing dominance is due for a challenge after years of having it all their own way. But let’s be honest, there will only ever be one winner, and you'll struggle to get any odds on that in Cas-Vegas!  

Cricket Sits Above At Townville