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Whitefield Norpol (0) 1  Roade (1) 3

Beyond the call of duty

With the sun beating down, it's one of the hottest days of the year so far. Thank goodness. There's only a few weeks of the football season remaining and it's not surprising to find that a game of cricket is already underway on the far side of the expansive Wootton Hall Nothants Police training HQ sports field, found off the Mere Way town ring road, as we arrive for our footy fix. It's a ground we have been wanting to get to for some time but have missed out when previous games have fallen victim to poor weather. No chance of that today!    

A range of buildings used by the Northants Police, Trading Standards and various council departments dominate the outer fringes of the large tree lined site. Refreshingly, the sports pitches form a lovely oasis of green in the middle with a smart pavilion situated at the end of the winding driveway and main car park. This is set at a right angle to both football and cricket pitches. The building painted in white and red, houses a smart lounge bar, changing rooms and toilets. A veranda and patio with picnic seats faces the cricket square which looks in immaculate condition. Don't miss the oval clock on the steeple. A metal post and rail fence borders both sides of the football pitch and a brick built dug out (unusually shared by both teams) is positioned on the far side near to the half-way line. There's no dedicated cover for spectators.   

The anorak in you will appreciate this. Today's game is in fact Whitefield's sixth consecutive home fixture for the club. It's a difficult time for the hosts who are having to shoehorn their final twelve games of the 2009-10 campaign into just four weeks. Talk about an endurance test. It's not right is it? This is quite amazing when you think that the fourteen-team league requires twenty six matches over the course of a season and even more amazing when you realise that Whitefield didn't play their first league home game here until the last week in January! A combination of unavailability, exceptionally poor weather and cup fixtures were the prime reason for this sorry state of affairs. 

But it doesn't just stop there. If you take a quick look at Whitefield's match stats in the current Combination Premier Division table you will find it all a little bit misleading. Although the team have won eight and drawn three games, they currently sit at the bottom on just three points. The relegation threatened club has been docked a massive total of twenty-four points as a result of fielding ineligible players in four separate games during the earlier part of the season (-6 point deduction for each game). Ironic isn't it that the club who play at the county police HQ has being so well policed by the local football authorities!     

As we take up our places pitchside courtesy of two picnic chairs, Fran and I notice there's a strong wind blowing across the playing area. The main football pitch also appears to be hard, bare and cracked in many places. With this in mind it doesn't look conducive for playing good football and we are soon proved to be right. The home players look unsurprisingly jaded and with leaden legs find it a bit of a struggle to play a decent passing game on the bumpy surface. Dressed in an all royal blue kit, Roade are always first to win the ball and look the better side on the overall balance of play. Their number 2, James Reece, has the ball in the net after just ten minutes but his goal, from only five yards, is ruled out for off-side. However the young defender makes amends just before the break converting from the penalty spot (41) after his team mate Dean McCaffery is pulled down inside the area. 

The visitors double their lead just after the hour mark when substitute Chris Slinn (63) beats the offside trap and, drawing the keeper Rick Brown off his line, places the ball perfectly inside the far post. Weary Whitefield get back into it moments later though when the quick-thinking Matthew Jones (66) pounces onto a parried save made by custodian Mike Scott from a Jamie Bedford shot. The next goal is key and Roade take the initiative once again when that man Slinn (71) adds his second from a shot, struck outside the box, that bobbles on its way through a group of players leaving keeper unsighted and unable to react quick enough to keep it out. At 1-3, it's now a tough call for Whitefield and, as expected, the effort expended in playing four games in eight days sadly takes its toll.

The game played on a hard, dusty surface atracted about twenty five spectators, the majority of whom made the short journey from Roade village to cheer on their players. Although the club doesn't issue programmes, the respective team managers provided me with the essential team line ups to add to my FGIF Stats Card. A range of refereshments were available from the bar throughout the warm afternoon.

One advantage, if that's the right word, of having such a fixture pile up, is that it presents travellers with plenty of extra matchday hoppertunities at the end of the season. Anyone wanting to attend a midweek match at Wootton Hall can catch one of the remaining Whitefield games: v Harpole (Thurs 29/04); v Corby Pegasus (Tues 11/05) and v Queen Eleanor Great Houghton (Thurs 13/04). Check out details on the club's website (see address below).

Although you won't get a programme, don't let it put you off making a visit here. I have found that the standard of football is as good as, if not better, than many games I have seen in the United Counties League (which the Northants Combination feeds into) making it an excellent competition. Ironically the best team in the league has the poorest facilities and the team with the best ground is currently struggling to get promoted. League leaders Weldon FC hope to move a new ground in order to climb up the pyramid whereas Market Harborough FC who have a gem of a ground to grace the best in the entire UCL, don't have a team strong enough at the moment to get there. It's a funny old game as they say.

The joys of hopping in the leafy Northants suburbs continues. Enjoy your travels over the next few weeks and if you can try and spare a thought for those rather weary players who can't wait to take a well deserved rest. Just ask the lads at Whitefield Norpol FC!