No.49 – Sat. 1st April 2006; Central Midlands League Premier Division      3.00pm at the Brian Wakefield Sports Ground (att: 36; prog: 28 pp, w/a) 

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Bilborough Pelican (1) 1  Ollerton Town (0) 1

Tempers flare as points are shared

According to club officials, Bilborough Pelican Football Club may soon be on the move from their present base at the Brian Wakefield Memorial Ground in Lenton Lane. There is a significant amount of development planned at nearby Birchover Park where the 'A' team play. This will commence in late 2006 and continue for about eighteen months.

The scheme involves rotating the pitch through 90 degrees and levelling it; improving a new changing room block and tea bar; building a brand new pavilion with a bar and function room; erecting a covered pitch-side stand and adding hard standing, perimeter fencing, floodlights, gym and community room for young people. There will also be a new entrance off Birchover Road. The new site will serve as a highly valued community facility as well as a centre of sporting excellence.

This would take the ground to Northern Counties East standard and give the club every opportunity to progress up the football pyramid. Funding for the project is already in place to cover a large proportion of the work and the club committee are busy negotiating the funding for the remainder to ensure the development can be completed. As well as BP's 1st and 2nd teams, it will be home to the West Indian Cavaliers Cricket Club and Bilborough FC's junior boys and girls teams.

The club are having a great run at the moment and currently sit at the top of the CML Premier Division. They definitely have their sights set on securing a promotion place to the Supreme Division at the end of the season. If they are successful then it is the intention to instal temporary lights (already purchased) and remain at Lenton Lane for another season before moving to their new home at the start of 2007-2008. Obviously these arrangements need to be accepted by committee officials and officers of the CML.

Pelican entertained visitors Ollerton Town on a sunny spring afternoon. Although strong cross winds made control and passing difficult, both teams adapted well to the blustery conditions. The hosts settled more quickly and scored from close range midway through the first half. This took their tally to 93 goals for the season. Centre-forward Chris Henson (the League's leading scorer on 33 goals) always looked dangerous. Ollerton got back into the game in the second half and levelled matters with a cleanly struck penalty awarded following a handball infringement inside the box. As the afternoon wore on though, players were becoming increasingly frustrated by a whistle-happy referee whose decisions prevented the game from flowing freely. Eventually some of the players lost their patience and when tempers flared two red cards were brandished. Amazingly the game ended without any more dismissals with both teams having to settle for a draw.

Refreshments were available from the pavilion throughout the afternoon. I can heartily recommend the chip butties which went down well with many of the spectators in attendance. A newsy 28 page programme complete with blue and white glossy cover containing a picture of the club crest was issued for the game. Incidentally, the 'Pelican' is the name of the pub from where the club first originated as a local Sunday side.

As many 'hoppers will already be aware, Bilborough Pelican play at the Brian Wakefield Sports Field at the end of Lenton Lane. A car park is situated next to the pavilion which has a bar above the changing rooms. A large cricket scoreboard is attached to the front of this building. The main football pitch runs lengthways with the cricket square on the right hand side and a small stand (resembling a modern bus shelter) opposite, positioned next to the dug outs. The club house, floodlights and high perimeter fence enclosing Dunkirk FC can be seen in the distance beyond the furthest goal.

The club can be reached from the A52 (Derby-Grantham) Nottingham ring road. Take the Lenton Lane Industrial Estate exit from the main Queen's Drive (A453) and this leads down to Lenton Lane. Pelican FC is situated at the end of this narrow winding lane after passing the grounds of Pelican Colts FC, Greenwood Meadows and Dunkirk FC on the way.     

FGIF Rating: 2* 

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