Drig

Drighlington  0  Route One Rovers  0

Yorkshire Amateur League – Supreme Division

Having thoroughly enjoyed my evening up at Calverley, I was looking forward to another venture into the Yorkshire Amateur League.

With a couple of fixtures to choose from, I plumped for Drighlington, a large village almost equidistant between Leeds and Bradford, nestled right at the side of the M62.

Drig, as it is known locally, is more famed for it’s rugby league than it’s football. Drighlington ARLFC are members of the National Conference, playing in Division Three alongside the likes of Gateshead Storm, Hunslet Warriors and Dewsbury Celtic. This is, of course, oval ball heartland.

I’ll be honest, prior to the merger between the YAL and the West Riding County Amateur League, like lots of the new clubs I was about to become acquainted with, I’d never heard of Drig. In fact my only knowledge of the place was the fact that I used to see it on the Sat-Nav as I toddled along the M62 on a Saturday afternoon.

So, with a sense of the unexpected, I made what should have been a steady hours journey up the M1, only it became apparent via the matrix signs that the entrance onto the M62 was indeed closed. No bother thought I, the wise one of the road network, simply get off at Ardsley, cut through the village and re-join the M62 at the Dewsbury turn.

Good idea, in fact so much of a good idea, everyone was doing it, so the hour ended up being getting on for half an hour longer than it should have done. But such are the trials and tribulations of football travelling, and remember, I coped with Hyde Park Corner, Park Lane and Marble Arch the other week, so I’m not going to moan too much about a little delay to proceedings.

Arriving in Drig I spotted a couple of pubs that looked tempting, along with the rugby league clubhouse, which incidentally is at the other end of the village to the actual ground itself. However it was upon turning right down the drag that takes you past ‘The Moor’, the home of Drighlington AFC, that I stumbled upon the local cricket club by the junction at the top end.

With space in the car park, and signs promoting the junior section of the football club on the walls, it looked as good a place as any for a swift one, and just a short walk round the corner to watch the game, oh happy days.

The cricket was taking place, but I didn’t fancy the live stuff, I settled with the test match in the bar to while away the time before the action started round on the Moor. It seems the cricket and football work together and have a good relationship, but I would be interested to know, especially in a small village, where the rugby league fits into this? I suspect they may fly solo but I stand to be corrected.

So, the Moor, or Adwalton Moor to give it the proper name. It’s a big old expanse of grass that sits between two roads, with enough room for two football pitches, both of which are railed down each side. Drig play on the pitch nearest to the main road and in terms of viewing spots, a narrow piece of elevated banking runs between the railing and the road, and this seems to be the ‘popular side’ so to speak.

The players change behind the goal in a community building that also serves as a library, while between this and the pitch is small car park. The pitch itself was grassy but bobbly, and that was to have an impact on the game itself.

The season is young, and up until the game, Drig had won one, drawn one and lost two, while Route One Rovers, a side who applied for Step 6 a couple of seasons ago, had played three games and recorded a win, a draw and a loss. Looking at the table it looked as though it could be an even game, but time would tell.

It wasn’t a great game. It was very even and goal scoring chances were at a premium. I said to myself at half time that it had the makings of a 0-0, and I turned out to be right. Lots of endeavour on a tricky surface, but end product was lacking somewhat.

Saying that, another very enjoyable day out in the YAL, I’m really liking what I’m seeing, especially getting to visit new towns and villages in the West Riding. It’s Alwoodley next week if all goes to plan, North Leeds, looks a bit posh, and with the weather starting to get that bit chillier, it might be time for the flat cap and the Barbour jacket.

Anyone got a spare lurcher?