RAMBLINGS FOR MATCHES PLAYED IN SEPTEMBER 2004
Wed.29th.September CML Supreme Div – Clipstone Welfare 4 Teversal 3 (Att: 121; programme)
Six goals and it was only half-time!! In fact the 'Welfare' had come back from a goal down in the first minute to lead at the break by four goals to two. The game was the best I had seen so far this season and was a credit to the league. Tevvy managed to get one back late on but couldn't find the extra energy needed to draw level and get a point. Local derby this one and threw the form book out of the window. The home crowd at the Lido were well chuffed with this cracking display by their heroes who had toppled the league leaders. The ground is off the main Clipstone Road just past the shopping centre on the right hand side. The tight drive leads up to a car park and gravel entrance next to the tea bar/lounge behind the goal; changing rooms are beyond this. A low cover on the far side runs from the corner flag to the half-way line where there is a small stand with seats for about 100 spectators. The pitch is in good nick and has a rugged post and rail fence around it with dug outs on the far side. Teas and snacks were sold from a serving hatch in the lounge. A neat and newsy 40 page programme was issued for £1. I travelled by car up the A1 and came off at the A6075 Mansfield/Ollerton turn. After passing through the town follow the A614 towards Nottingham before turning right for Clipstone (3 miles) on the B6030. An alternative route would involve by-passing Newark.
Click here for a map.
Bloomin' roadworks!! This was my third Herts County League game in a month. Not that I mind but this was totally unplanned. Stuck in a queue of traffic for 45 minutes without moving is enough to test the resolve of any motorist but particularly a traveller heading for an FA vase game at Ellistown; (and especially when I had reserved one of the twenty-five programmes printed for the match). Bridge repairs at Huntingdon led to a ten mile tailback on the A14. As the clock struck two we started moving again. Getting to a game, any game, was top priority. Luckily and by coincidence I had come prepared - with a rucksack stuffed with spare waterproofs and a copy of the TFT, TFT Directory (Part One), a mapbook and fully charged (for once) and topped up mobile, it was time for some quick planning. 30 miles in the hour was a possibility and the Herts Senior County League game at Standon looked favourite - not too far and just off the A10. A phone call confirmed a 3pm kick-off and so a roped off pitch behind the community centre it was.. Standon attacked and couldn't score; Sarratt attacked and did. 0-3 the result. No admission. No programme. No tea bar. Instead it was quite a cheap trip with a bag of cheese and onion and cold can of coke from the bar coming to less than a £1 in total. Directions: A10 south of Buntingford; take the A120 to Bishops Stotford. After coming into Standon turn left down Station Road towards Puckeridge and the club is on the left (opposite Meadow Close) sandwiched between a children's play ground and the village bowls club. And remember: beware the A14 between Cambridge and Huntingdon for the foreseeable future!! As for Ellistown - it will have to wait. Mind you I couldn't help wondering who had got my programme!? It's all part and parcel of groundhopping as they say.
click here for a map.
What a cracking set up! St.John's Park is without doubt one of the tidiest grounds I have been to for a long time and worthy of much higher status. Set in a rural location, the ground is fronted by an impressive clubhouse and accessed through an iron gateway bearing the club emblem. A small gable and brick archway leads you inside to a beautiful sea of green. Conifers border each side symmetrically arranged to give an enclosed feel; a path surrounds the pitch which has a neat perimeter post and rail fence. The playing surface is perfect and used only by the first team on matchdays. Brick built dug outs are positioned on the near side with a modern stand providing seating for over 100 spectators opposite. The name Heather St.Johns is printed in large letters on the fascia. The floodlit game was a hard battle for both sides currently lying just below mid table. Fellow travellers John and Dave felt that a 0-0 was on the cards until luck (or was it skill) prevailed when the lanky home sub netted from close range with five to go! Tea, coffee etc was sold from a hatch next to the bar. Fortunately a 12 page programme entitled 'Parklife' with glossy cover was included in the £2 admission and was available from a rather hysterical gentleman who collected the gate money. Old Woody not surprisingly asked the same fellow why the club are not affectionately referred to as Athletic - his lengthy reply took an age to deliver (in fact it ended well after the crowd had departed). Sadly the story goes along the lines that St.Johns 'missed out' on promotion from the District League to the Leicestershire Senior League several seasons ago and 'decided' to join the Combination as a different side - and that is where the Athletic bit comes in. Heather run seven teams (aged 5 to 16 years) and many play on the adjoining pitch behind (also floodlit); the youth set up is a thriving concern apparently. To reach the ground come off the M1 at junction 22 signposted Coalville. Go through Ellistown and Ibstock before reaching Heather. Once in the village take a left turn into Ravenstone Road and the ground is immediately on your left.
click the links for: a map of the area.
Sat.18th.September UCL1 – Sleaford Town 2 Eynesbury Rovers 4 (Att: 45; programme)
What a great day out and completely hassle free.Just ask old Sloppy. With a new ground being built, Town have left the rec.in Sleaford and are now playing at a temporary venue. RAF Cranwell to be exact. To get there you can come off the A1 just north of the Colsterworth roundabout and cross the carriageway following signs for Ancaster/RAF Cranwell (B1429) for about 15 miles. The base itself is about a mile west of the village and is steeped in history and set in beautiful surroundings.The ground is visible (on the left if you follow the directions above) as the road starts to pass through the camp (the car park is on a sharp bend) and access is next to the main stand. There is plenty of covered seating and a great elevated view of the Lincolnshire countryside. Opposite is an old cricket scoreboard. As you would expect the pitch is immaculate and expertly manicured; it is surrounded by a cinder athletics track and complementary pits and concrete circles for the field events. Interestingly (for the anoraks out there) the steeplechase water jump has a privet hedge for the barrier. Back to football. It was a really bad tempered game which incredibly ended with all 22 players on the field; there were plenty of goals, fouls and a punch up (not disimilar to the last UCL game I went to!). The ref had lost it! Tea was served from a portacabin next to the main stand and programmes were issued. However, to get your copy arrive early as they are included with admission; old Sloppy managed to charm two elderly ladies into submission and acquire our copies in the process. A decent 32 page effort with glossy cover made our day! And finally, the ground is easy to find and get in to. In spite of obvious security concerns, no special pass or permission is needed to gain entry. Tha's it. Over and Out!
click the links for: a map of the area.
Sat.11th.September FAV1Q – Retford United 1 Castleton Gabriels 1 aet (Att: 124; programme)
''For goodness sake put the thing in the net!'' (or words to that effect) came the desperate cry from the rather large bloke, head clasped in hands, standing next to me behind the goal. Nothing malicious, just sentiments from a poor faithful soul who had seen wave upon wave of attacking play from his beloved Retford side come to nought. True they should have netted at least six times. Frustration soon turned to anger with the proverbial steam almost coming out of his ears. Castleton had done the unthinkable and scored midway through the second half. Friends managed to calm him down and stave off an impending coronary. It was only when the Notts. County lookalikes levelled with seconds to spare, that thoughts of seeing the fellow in A and E evaporated! What a transformation - he looked years younger - what a difference a goal can make! The final whistle blew. A melee then ensued - not players but officials quizzing the ref. Was it penalties? Was it a replay? What contoversy at Cannon Park!. The man in black hastily nipped into the changing rooms, consulted his manual and a jocular voice confirmed over the tannoy that extra time would indeed follow! What service. Still no score though after 30 added minutes. Officials congregated outside the clubhouse again for another group hug and the helpful announcer chap on the tannoy stated that there would be a replay - but where? To be honest no-one knew! Problems with lights at Butterworth Park apparently. So it might be back again next week to do it once more - typical excitement of the Vase as the competition sets off once more on the road to Villa Park, St.Andrews or wherever. I sat down in the car afterwards and mopped my brow thinking that had been enough fun for one day....! Back to reality now: the club (known as the Badgers) is based out of town on Leverton Road. The site is enclosed by walls and a fence with a large car park inside the entrance. This is a decent ground with large clubhouse and changing rooms running down one side. A portacabin houses the commitee room anf some derelict buildings next to this. It has a perimeter path to provide hard standing on all sides. There is some cover under a veranda next to the tea bar which sells a range of food. Being up North, for £1-50 I had the tasty meat pie and hot mushy peas (twice) but don't tell old Sloppy! A newsy 28 page programme (a souvenir edition no less, with mini photo labels stuck on the front cover) sold for a £1. To get there I travelled by car up the A1 and took the A638 towards Retford (at Markham Moor services). After passing a Jet petrol station (where I stopped briefly to confirm directions) go over a mini roundabout and continue into town. Take a right turn at the lights (signed Gainsborough A620) and after three more sets of lights turn right again down Leverton Road (with the Broken Wheel pub on the corner). After coming into open country again you cross over a railway bridge and then you can see the ground on the right. For more information etc visit the excellent club website - see link below.
click the links for: a map of the area; visit the club website: www.retfordunited.co.uk
Sat.4th.September Herts County Senior League (Division 1) – Buckhurst Hill 0 Sarratt 0 (Att: 20; programme)
I said to my wife at half-time that the game definitely had all the makings of a 0-0 draw when the ball just would not fit between the posts in spite of the efforts of both teams; with few shots on goal in the second half 0-0 it remained as the final whistle. The hot conditions didn't help and the ref acknowledged this with several breaks in the game to allow the players to hydrate. Good decision ref! This is a decent set up with a large clubhouse/changing room building (recently funded by a Football Foundation grant) on a vast site sharing with other pitches. The main one is immaculate (and carefully prepared by the groundsman). It is situated immediately in front of the entrance and small car park and is entirely roped off. Although there is no covered stand a balcony in front of the tea bar offers shelter from the elements (in this case some much needed shade).Drinks and snacks were sold during the afternoon and a 4 page photocopied programme was issued priced 70p. Being located close to the Met. Police flying club there was much aerial activity including the constant distraction of helicopters, aircraft and the occasional hang glider which could be seen overhead. The club is based at the Buckhurst Hill Sports Club. It is within a 5 minute walk from the railway station. Proceed up Roding Lane (a continuation of Palmerston Road) and the ground is on the right hand side (opposite the local cricket and lacosse club entrance) after passing over a small bridge. The club has a great website (see link below).
click the links for: a map of the area; visit the club website:www.bhfc.co.uk
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