Footprints

Moulton  5  Rugby Borough  3

Spartan South Midlands League – Division One

The change in footprint of leagues at Steps five and six of the pyramid can be seen most starkly when it comes to the United Counties League.

Once upon a time when I started out on this ground hopping malarkey, and we are talking around 2004 time, the UCL covered an area that kind of started around the A14 corridor at the top of Northamptonshire going out to Peterborough, and worked it’s way down the M1 and A1 until around the Bedford area. For many a year this never changed, and also, it was one of those leagues that very rarely had any newcomers from Step 7. I can recall Oakham United (albeit they were Rutland), and I remember Harborough Town, but other than that it’s been a league that’s not really seen a great turnover of clubs.

Then it changed when the FA deemed the appropriate thing to do was to create additional leagues at the two steps. Effectively the UCL moved upwards, with two leagues at Step 5 stretching from Skegness, across to Mansfield and then down to Leicester in the North, and then below that again from the Leicester area down to Bedford in the South. At Step 6 though it was slightly different, whereby the UCL only had jurisdiction over a league that covered the East Midlands down to Leicester, and once you moved from Leicester downwards, what used to be traditional heartland had now become part of the Spartan South Midlands League.

I don’t really pay much attention to the SSML, only because historically it was a league that kind of sat North of London, and wasn’t on my spectrum (careful!). I’ve been to a few of the clubs over the years, but it’s not on a hit list so to speak.

But, bearing in mind any newcomers into Step 6 from Leicester down to effectively the M25 will now in all likelihood end up being SSML clubs, it does feel a bit strange to think that a club in say the Northamptonshire area wouldn’t be on my radar, when five years ago it absolutely would be. This is what has happened this season, in the case of Moulton who last season were promoted from the Northants Combination.

It kind of felt a bit weird, but, also, if they get promoted again to Step 5, they would go into the UCL Premier South, which is on the radar….yes, I know what you are thinking, and no, I didn’t really want to go out for a pint with you either…….!

Ok, so it niggled, and then by chance on a Monday night when I was really undecided about where to go on the following Tuesday, I happened to spot on a well known non-league forum that one or two fellow oddballs were taking in a game at said Moulton. Well, that seemed like a plan that could work as far as I was concerned.

I’ll be honest, I knew very little about Moulton, my brief research told me that they were a Northants Combination side for a number of years, and as far as I was aware, when they applied to join Step 6 mid-way through last season, it was the first time that they had thrown their hat into the said ring. One thing I did glean though was that their application was backed up in no small part by the fact they had seen significant development work take place at their Brunting Road home, with a 4G pitch, seated stand, floodlights and a smart clubhouse and dressing room complex all now adorning the site.

Moulton is a very pleasant village sitting on the Northern edge of Northampton. From the North it’s accessed via the A14 before heading South on the A508, and once arriving at the place you start to realise that it’s one of the more desirable locations in the area. The village centre looked nice, with pubs, amenities and some very smart residencies. It also seemed to host a number of educational establishments, but don’t let the prospect of students put you off visiting!

The ground is located as you leave the village on the South side, and sits at the end of a small housing estate. The narrow drive takes you to a sizeable car park, while sat in front of you raised on a plateau is the football pitch. A large cage surrounds the 4G arena, which feels more like a football ground than your typical cages that are found at schools and sports centres. For a start you’ve got a seated stand on one side, while you can walk round three of the perimeters to view the game if you so wish.

The dressing rooms and clubhouse are on the same level as the car park and having arrived reasonably early it was good to see that the bar was open and serving loudmouth soup at very reasonable prices!

Moulton had got the season off to a very good start, winning their opening three league games, scoring ten goals in the process, while visiting Rugby Borough had won their previous two fixtures, scoring seven goals in those two outings.

The formbook suggested goals, and crikey, the sizable crowd were not disappointed!

Moulton took a seventh minute lead through Joe Evans from close range, and then doubled it just after the half hour mark when the same player found the net from distance. The visitors pulled one back shortly afterwards, setting things up nicely for the second period.

Rugby equalised shortly after half time, but within minutes it was 3-2 to the hosts when Shad Reza found the net. The visitors came back again to equalise but then the game changed when Rugby defender Bradley Harris saw red with twenty minutes to go, with the resultant penalty being fired home by hat trick man Evans to make it 4-3. Moulton then went on to score a fifth through Cole Mason but not without further drama in the last minute when Evans night was tainted somewhat when he received a second yellow for a foul and then a subsequent red card.

A cracking game that had everything, and some wonderful entertainment for those who were present to watch it. So, four wins out of four for Moulton, very early days yet, clearly, but I wouldn’t bet against them being in the shake up for promotion at the end of the season on this performance.

Good job I went, because if I hadn’t, the chances are I’d be going next season anyway!

So, who fancies a pint with me while I explain how this hopping thing works again?

Anyone?