Match 38. Buntingford Town v Hatfield Social

Saturday 7^th May 2016 @3pm

Herts Senior League Premier Division

BUNTINGFORD TOWN 8-3 HATFIELD SOCIAL

The Bury, London Road, Buntingford SG9 9HZ

Admission and Programme: free (12pp)

Attendance:  h/c 20

Refreshments: McCoys 70p.

So as silly season gets underway, I turn to one of my usual step 7 leagues for May and drive to The Bury.  The ground is situated just off the A10 at the roundabout outside the village.  The pitch is completely railed off and has hardstanding down one touchline.  There are dugouts that look like converted sheds.  The clubhouse and changing rooms are elevated on banking and the veranda at the front offers a terrific view of the pitch.  There are 3 junior pitches on the complex and the club shares with the Cougar Youth sides. A few programmes were put on a table in the bar just before kick-off.

The game’s first goal didn’t arrive until 23 minutes through the half so I was not expecting the goal fest that followed.  A chip to the far post allowed Antcliffe to head into the corner. 5 minutes later an attack down the left and after making inroads from the by-line and cutting back, 2 efforts on goal were foiled before no10 shot low into the corner.  On 33 minute Hatfield got a goal back but Buntingford regained a two goal lead 3 minutes later when no11 curled a shot into the top left corner to make it 3-1 at half time.

Hatfield got back into the match just 2 minutes after the restart when a counter attack allowed a simple tap in.  10 minutes later the home side regained their cushion again when the no15 went on a mazy run passing 2 defenders before slotting the ball under the keeper. Within 2 minutes another goal arrived when a free kick on the right was crossed into the box and headed in.  Then on the hour it was 6-2 as a flowing move from halfway gave space for no14 to run into the area and squared it to no15 for his second goal of the match.  A consolation Hatfield Social goal when a shot on the edge of the box evaded the keeper into the far corner. A run from 40 yards out from no14 ended with beating a defender and sliding the ball into the net.  There was even a last minute goal when an attack down the left was crossed for 14 to tap in.

Another enjoyable game in the Herts Senior League which rarely lets me down at this stage of the season.

Match 37. Bedford v Holmer Green

Saturday 23rd April 2016 @3pm
Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division
BEDFORD 5-4 HOLMER GREEN
McMullen Park, Meadow Lane, Cardington, Bedford MK44 3SB

Admission Inc. Programme: £6 (16pp)
Attendance: 20
Refreshments: Mars bar 75p. 

I drove and dropped my wife and youngest at Cambridge and drove to McMullen Park, stopping to have a glance at Eaton Socon FC on the way, to find a perimeter fence in the middle of being erected to enclose the ground from surrounding park and fields. Maybe they are looking to step up into Step 6 in the near future. Bedford FC is literally next to Bedford Town FC, and has their own small car park which was full but plentiful parking at Bedford Town. Next to the entrance is a new clubhouse I believe is only a few months old. It is of a prefab nature and has a long ramp to get up the 4 foot to the Clubhouse entrance. There is a Lonsdale gym occupying another pre-fab on the left side and the remains of some kind of building to the left of that. As you enter by the pay hut the main stand is situated immediately to the left, with another covered area net to it with some wooden bench seating. The main stand is brick built with a mix of tip up seats and benches. The 2nd cover is more ramshackle and was probably a purely standing area previously. The only other furniture are the dugouts on the opposite touchline. 

I got stuck behind a horse box on the A428 so arrived 5 minutes after kick off. I had already missed the first goal as the gateman had informed me that Holmer Green had the lead. The game was soon level after about 10 minutes when a lob over the keeper by Campbell equalised for Bedford. Silford had a great run and cross down the left and Pinney finished the move off. I had only seen Bedford completely in charge since my arrival but Holmer drew level when a break and shot from the left was blocked by the keeper but Powles knocked in the rebound. Bedford went 3-2 up after half hour when Butcher scored with the help of a deflection. 

Holmer had threatened during the second half to draw level and after 2 near misses, made it 3-3 after 70 minutes when after the no11 had taken the ball off the right back, his cross allowed Deer to score on the back post with a diving header. Just as the Greens had got back into the game, they lost it in the next few minutes. Firstly a cross from the right was only half cleared and no9 ran across the area and touched the ball before drawing a foul. The penalty was taken successfully by no7, sending the keeper the wrong way. Then on the next attack when the defence were slow in clearing their lines, the ball was intercepted by no10 who rounded the keeper and slotted in from an acute angle. Holmer made a double substitution and got what was a small consolation on 90 minutes when Shed got behind the home defence and lobbed the keeper nicely. But it was too late as the ref soon blew up and the away bench weren’t happy, claiming here hadn’t been enough stoppage time, but it soon calmed down. 

I stopped off on the way back to Cambridge and got the results at The Polhill Arms in Renhold, which is a nice pub in a rural setting.