Wedge

Bramhope  4  Bardsey  5

Harrogate & District League – Medal Cup Semi Final

Admission / Programme – No / No

Bloody hell, I’ll tell you what, there’s some wedge in Rugby Union!

More on that later, but let me tell you why I chose to make my first ever foray into the Harrogate & District League when I could have gone to say, Chesterfield v Notts County at Wembley, or maybe Dundee United v Ross County.

Firstly, Wembley is a ballache and the trains were on strike, and as for Dundee, well, the trains were on strike and as everyone knows, it’s almost impossible to get from Dundee to Derby on train after a game anyway, but they were on strike, so it was irrelevant anyway.

Right, Bramhope, some kind soul posted on the TK Forum recently that a number of clubs have been accepted into the West Yorkshire League for next season, and these lads were one of them. I’ll be honest though, Bramhope, nah, never heard of the place let alone the football team so I needed to do my homework.

Found the league, that was ok, found the place on the map, just North of Adel on the posh side of Leeds, not far from the airport, and as for the football club, well they played at the local rugby club. West Park Leeds RUFC, who from what I can see play in Yorkshire League 3, which given my basic knowledge of Rugby Union is I think the ninth level in England. In football terms it would be non-league Step 5, so Northern Counties East League Premier Division if we are drawing a comparison. I was, about to be a bit shocked at what I found….

So, it was game day, and to be honest I know nothing about the league, and more to the point, and I mean this most respectfully, how reliable it is and indeed the fixtures on Full Time. As a precaution I found a handbook online, sent a text to the Secretary and I have to say Eddie was extremely helpful, and also inquisitive as to my visit, so filled with confidence off I trotted to West Yorkshire.

I made the mistake earlier this season when I went to Leeds University of going through Leeds and then out up through Headingley to the North, it was an unmitigated ballache. The sat nav tried to get me to do it again but I told it to shove that and carried on up the M1 to the newly re-configured Northern Ring Road which is a much easier and quicker way to get to where the footballers and solicitors live!

I actually drove up past the home of Leeds University and within a matter of minutes I was turning into the drive of the rugby club, bloody norah, welcome to Southfork Ranch!

So you trundle down the long drive having seem the clubs name embossed into the stone wall as you enter, and then opening out in front of you is a vastness of greenery, a large car park, and the centre piece which is a massive two story building.

Ok, so you’ve got various pitches, one of which is a 4G surface and one of which is the main pitch complete with floodlight and a seated stand. But the clubhouse, wow! As you walk to the entrance the electronic doors slide open to let you in, and then taking a walk upstairs you’ve got a massive bar, offices, meeting rooms and probably a sauna room or something (I made that bit up). All of the dressing rooms are on the ground floor, but for the time being, I was very much top floor. The bar was lovely, and in it were the Bramhope players watching the Leeds United v Newcastle United game unfolding on the television. I started to think about just how much a facility like this must cost, and I can only assume an awful lot, but, just how much came centrally via the RFU?

The whole place was, as we say in Sheffield ‘reyt proper’, and it also seems that Leeds Tykes Rugby Union also share the facility as well. Anyway, I had a pint, the players departed, and I started to wonder what pitch the football might be on, so I asked the lad behind the bar and he advised me that the only place where football nets were insitu was on the 4G, but as kick off time approached a junior game was still taking place on the plastic.

Somewhat confused I had a wander down, but it was then that I spotted footballers through some trees, it appears that more pitches could be found over a brook, and it was on these that the game was taking place. I had to double back and find a crossing point but with that done, I was walking down to pitch side as the game was kicking off.

Right, where do I start with this game then?

At half time all seemed relatively calm in the hood, Bardsey (a blast from the West Yorkshire League past) had a two goal lead and despite all of Bramhope’s efforts, it looked like a Medal Competition Final place was going to elude them.

As the second half progressed, Bardsey extended their lead to 4-1 but then inexplicably while defending a corner the visitors goalkeeper took it upon himself to inflict some form of gbh on a Bramhope player and subsequently found himself at the receiving end of a red card.

This changed the game, Bardsey were forced to re-group and Bramhope sniffed an opportunity. The hosts got it back to 3-4 before Bardsey got a fifth on the break, only for Bramhope to go straight up the other end and make it 4-5. The last few minutes were somewhat chaotic as Bardsey were giving the referee all kinds of earache (which they did most of the game anyway) over his timekeeping, and Bramhope were waiting for the delivery of the kitchen sink to throw at the visitors along with everything else.

A valiant attempt by Bramhope came to nothing, but looking at the bigger picture, they look like they will be a great addition to the WYFL, a good side with an excellent base to play at.

Ironically, another of the Harrogate League members, Harlow Hill, were reported to be moving into the WYFL as well next season, along with Bramhope and indeed Bardsey. Three days later I would be heading to Harrogate, to watch Bramhope in action once again, but, more on that another day….