Match 24. Bedworth United v Paulton Rovers

Saturday 23^rd January 2016 @3pm

Southern League Premier Division

BEDWORTH UNITED 1-1 PAULTON ROVERS

The Oval, Miners Welfare Park, Coventry Road, Bedworth CV12 8NN

Admission: £9

Programme: £2 (36pp). Team sheet, free.

Attendance: 169

Refreshments: Chips & curry sauce £1.90

Train tickets purchased in the week relatively cheaply so a straightforward journey via Coventry and only a 5 minute walk from Bedworth Station to the Park.  The Oval is set in the corner of the park and is surrounded by trees and slopes downwards to the ground.  The 3G pitch has been in place for a year or so and new perimeter fencing and a spruce up has also been completed since I stopped off for a look at the ground a few seasons ago while on a trip to watch Nuneaton. It still retains a classic feel due to the raised seated stand above the dressing rooms on one side and the clubhouse building on the other, with 1^st floor viewing for the Directors and Vice Presidents.

The town centre was almost deserted and the only pub still open that I saw was the JDW so pre-match was spent there in The Bear and Ragged Staff.

Now I thought with a good pitch the home side would play on the ground but no, it was mainly hoof up the middle for them and Paulton weren’t much better, although they did play with 2 fast wingers. I could tell that they were 2 struggling teams in the bottom 3.  Paulton took the lead after 10 minutes when a pass to Felix on the edge of the box allowed him to control the ball and shoot powerfully past the home keeper. Bedworth had more possession but mainly in their own half and Paulton looked dangerous on the break with the fast wingers and the diminutive Super Mario up front.

At half time and during the second half the consensus from the regulars was that a change of management was needed. Indeed Storer was sat back in the dugout and allowed his assistant to bark encouragement from the technical area. Bedworth had used all 3 subs before their right back picked up a shoulder injury with 15 minutes to go so played on with 10 ½ men.  Salvation came in the last minute of normal time as a corner was shot goal wards and re-routed into the net by Bryan.

I even managed to catch the 1655 train to Nuneaton so had over an hours wait for my booked train so had a quick drink at The William White JDW (Larry Grayson to many) and watched the 1^st half of the WHU v Man City game in the Crown near the station.