Match 30. Knebworth v Metropolitan Police Bushey

Saturday 16th March 2013 @3pm
Herts Senior County League Premier Division
KNEBWORTH 2-3 METROPOLITAN POLICE BUSHEY
Recreation Ground, Watton Road



Admission: free
Programme: free (A5, 12pp)
Attendance: 15 (h/c)
Coffee in a proper mug: 50p



I had to collect a fridge bought on Gumtree in Harpenden at lunchtime, so when I did the seemingly weekly check for matches off, I found a definite ON from KNEBWORTH and the route planner saying only 10 miles and I was on my way.  30 minutes later and after a journey that Sebastian Loeb or Colin McRae would find challenging, I parked up the mud splattered hopmobile, checked the game was still on, had a cup of coffee, got my programme then decamped to The Station Hotel for a pre-match Guinness and check on the Six Nations on TV.  The club is situated on a rec ground and there are 3 full size pitches and several mini pitches. The main pitch is railed along both sides and a small overhang from the club building is where most of us gathered to keep dry during the showers. A Knebworth Youth side also use the facilities of the club building, which is basically several changing rooms, toilets and a small kitchen where hot drinks and chocolate bars can be bought.

  

For this level, 2nd bottom Knebworth v Top of Table Met Police Bushey, I expected a one sided match.  However, a battling display from the home side made an enthralling encounter between the 2 sides and small band of spectators, including some from Codicote and AFC Hatfield.  Liam Kenna opened the scoring for the home side before 2 goals by the visitors gave them a half time advantage.  An equaliser from Jamie Clark gave Knebworth hope of an unlikely point but a late winner from Bushey snatched the points and the gutsy performance from the underdogs.

Match 29. Steyning Town v Mile Oak

Saturday 9th March 2013 @ 3pm
Sussex County League Division 2
STEYNING TOWN 1-1 MILE OAK
The Shooting Field


Admission: £3
Programme: £1
Attendance: 55
FOOD: Cheeseburger £2
DRINK: Guinness £3.30

  
I chose a visit to the quaint village of Steyning, not far from the A27 outside Brighton.  The car park is small but street parking is plentiful.  A £3 entrance fee for Step 6 at The Shooting Field, well done!  The club facilities are as usual for this level, all down one side.  The clubhouse seems to put on lots of entertainment for the locals.  I hope this revenue is successful and helps the Club out financially.

  

This was a local Hove derby match but the heavy pitch was an energy sapper so any fierce rivalry was put aside in favour of surviving the 90 minutes. An unusual aspect was that Richard and Anthony were managers of each dugout but they are also the Whittingham brothers.  I cant remember this happening before. It was a game of two halves.  The away keeper getting a leg injury early on, restricting his movement for the rest of the game.  Mile Oak however, were the better side in the first half, and Steyning had the better of the second half and a draw was the fair result.

 A shot from Paine following a corner halfway through the first half gave Mile Oak the lead.  The equaliser came from a fortunate deflection by Burton from a mishit shot.

Match 28. Ely City v Walsham-Le-Willows

Saturday 2nd March 2013 @3pm
Eastern Counties League Premier Division
ELY CITY 1-1 WALSHAM-LE-WILLOWS
The Unwin Ground, Downham Road

 

Admission: £6
Programme: £1
Attendance: 90

 
The City is a nice way to spend strolling around in the afternoon and had previously seen the City Centre with the famous Petrou Brothers chippy, after a postponement at Kings Lynn in December. With this still on my mind, my trip to St Ives was aborted and a late change of mind made me divert to The Unwin Ground, a complex with various sports in a large acreage with the football club at the far end of the complex.  This is another ground where the Main Stand has raised seating with club facilities underneath and to one side. Something I am seeing increasingly with this seasons choice of games.   The regulars and staff engaged me with a smile and is a friendly club to visit.

 

The pitch was bumpy due to the recent weather so it was never going to be a game of passing along the ground. Ely like to take home advantage and they pressed Walsham throughout the game, keeping up such a pace it seemed like an essential Cup match.After 5 minutes a header flew just over the bar
and another effort after 20 minutes cleared the bar by and even smaller amount.  Walsham were not without their own chances and hit the side netting soon after.  On a counter attack, Walsham got a cross in from the goal line and the half clearance was turned in by Brame.

Renewed energy from Ely in the second half, but with a resolute visiting defence keeping City as bay.  The Robins deserved their equaliser on the hour when a scramble in the opposition area allowed Mussa a chance to score but he was bundled over and the ref gave the penalty.  The penalty strike by Chadwick hit the post off a fingertip save but easily scored the rebound. Ten minutes later a Walsham player on the right wing received a 2nd yellow for diving. He was the only one to protest his innocence and the visiting support were resigned to this player having a "habit" of doing similar before.

The away side then bolstered their defence to cling on to a draw. Apart from 2 shots over the bar, Ely could not penetrate the defence and the game petered out for a draw. 

Match 27. Worcester City v Guiseley

Saturday 23rd February 2013 @3pm
Blue Square North
WORCESTER CITY 0-1 GUISELEY
St Georges Lane

Admission: £12
Programme: £2.50
Attendance: 738
FOOD: Chips with Curry Sauce, £2.70
DRINK: Carlsberg, £2.50

  

I’m glad I made the effort to visit this ground as there is now only 5 games left before the bulldozers step in to demolish a classic non league ground.  From the brick built turnstiles, the named gate entrance, the old separate dressing room building, banks of concrete terracing, a metal covered standing area and finally the grand Main stand, with raised wooden seating with the club rooms, clubhouse and offices underneath.  This is a must visit venue if you can.

  

I made the trip by train and only cost £26 with my Gold Card discount so actually cheaper then if I drove and only a 15 minute walk from the station to the ground.  A quick detour to The Swan Inn on the way to the ground and I wasn't disappointed by what I'd read on the forum.  What a classic non league ground, soon to be lost to a housing development.  The Supporters Club don't have faith in the current board and are actively seeking a new home in Perdiswell if the new ground at Nunnery Way doesn't get completed by the time they leave Kidderminster Harriers ground in up to 3 years time.

  

Guiseley are one of the divisons best sides and Worcester were trying to renew their climb up the table, after a recent bad run has left them chasing a play off place.  What must have been frustrating is the fact that they had plenty of chances to wrap up the game themselves. Rob Elvins, Mike Symons and "Lethal Weapon" Danny Glover all came agonisingly close to breaking the deadlock and even Michael Taylor jit the post just after coming on as a late substitute.  Guiseley had long periods on controlled possession in the first half, then seemed to switch to defending and hitting on the counter attack when they could. On the 88th minute Guiseley scored through Walshaw and the damage to Worcester City making the playoffs was visible on the home players reaction.

  

Match 26. Hungerford Town v Yate Town

Saturday 16th February 2013 @3pm
Southern League Division 1 South & West
HUNGERFORD TOWN 1-1 YATE TOWN

Town Ground, Bulpit Lane, Hungerford

Admission £7

Programme: £1
Attendance: 115 

  


A great Isthmian style ground a mile away from the train station.  I had walked the quickest route, unknowingly at the time, that most of the Hungerford Massacre had been on this very route 14 years ago.  Having located the ground, I walked back to the High Street and found a lovely pub on the other side of which called The Sun Inn.  The High Street is awash with Antiques shops and very quiet on this Saturday.  

  

The Yate Town gameplan in the first half seemed to be to get the ball up front as directly as possible, but the Hungerford defence found this easy to deal with.  After 20 minutes, Hungerford took the lead from a penalty after being fouled in no uncertain terms by the defender, who was lucky not to received his marching orders for the challenge. With the first half petering out, Yate drew level on 44 mins  

 

The game took a more physical turn in the second half, with several crunching tackles, not all of which were legal and although Hungerford looked more likely to get the best result.  The woodwork prevented them from doing so.

Match 25. Spalding United v Guernsey

Saturday 9th February 2013@3pm
FA Vase 5th Round
SPALDING UNITED 1-3 GUERNSEY
Sir Halley Stewart Field, Winfrey Avenue

Admission: £6
Programme: £1.50
Attendance: 343
Guinness: £3.20
Cup-a-soup: £1

I arrived in Spalding with an hour to go before kickoff. The journey after leaving the A1 certainly confirmed my assumption how flat this part of the country is.  Not a hill in sight. I Parked in the carpark opposite the ground entrance for £1.30, which covers up to 4 hours. A vast stone wall runs alongside the road, with an entrance open for spectators and an iron gate for vehicles further along the wall. Programmes are only available inside the ground so I paid my admission and ventured in early rather than walk around the town.  The attendance was 3 times the average crowd so unsurprisingly programmes sold out at 2.30 with more than a few disappointed late entrants.
The ground has it's main stand towering over one halfway line and it's a belter, with the raised seating giving a great view of the action on the pitch. The entrance is near one corner of the ground.  Here you will find the food bar, changing rooms, and clubhouse. The clubhouse was very busy but the 3 behind the bar kept up with the Guernsey supporters thirst. There must have been around 70 who made the trip from the Island, and home supporters remarked there would have been more local support if Peterborough weren't at home. 

This was a typical FA Vase tie with both sides throwing caution to the wind on a wet by well maintained playing surface. Spalding took the lead after quarter of an hour when a superb shot by King beat the goalkeeper.  Guernsey stepped up their play and shortly afterwards, successive shots just skimmed the post and crossbar. Just before halftime, Guernsey drew level. A corner was cleared off the line but it fell to Allen who squeezed the ball in just inside the post.


At half time, two of the home defence were substituted, through injury rather than tactical, but Guernsey took the initiative to pounce before the subs had chance to settle. On 54 minutes, a shot by Louring found the net just inside the far post from an acute angle.  Then on the hour, Allen added his second goal of the game when he was the end product of a passing move beginning from the halfway line and involving 4 or 5 Guernsey players.  Spalding did produce a fighting last half and hour but they were unable to break the resolute Guernsey defence.