|
TT No.144: Mike Latham - Sat 10 Feb 2007: Cymru |
|
View matchday images 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08
With matches falling left, right and centre to the weather after a few days of severe snow and ice in some parts the search was on for a definite ‘Match On’ response on a busy Saturday morning. The Cymru Alliance website proved its worth with several matches receiving the ‘On’ treatment on the starter page and a telephone call to the Llandyrnog chairman Gary Lewis confirmed that this fixture would be taking place with a 2pm kick-off, a considerable achievement for the village club on a weekend when the Welsh Premier League was decimated by the weather. Llandyrnog is situated about 3 miles from Denbigh off the A55 road near St Asaph in the midst of some stunning scenery. The surrounding hills were spectacularly snow-capped but mercifully the village had escaped the worst of the elements and the teams were warming up as the Golden Lion pub was passed and the narrow entrance to the car park safely negotiated for this 2pm kick-off. Formed as recently as 1975 after a meeting of villagers in the Golden Lion, Llandyrnog rose through the Clywd League into the Welsh Alliance before attaining Cymru Alliance status in 2004. Their Cae Nant ground is a modest venue, the central part of the recreational facilities of the village. There is a changing pavilion incorporating a tea bar and changing rooms behind the near-side goal and a small car park. Apart from a modest covered stand behind the goal the rest of the ground is open standing behind a post-and-rail fence and the playing area, cleared of early morning snow, is well grassed though sloping and undulating. Any reservations about the sparseness of facilities are soon dispelled by the warmth of the welcome and the spectacular scenery of rolling snow-capped hills. With smart residential housing on three sides the ground is certainly part of the village life and one side is bordered by a large and well manicured green hedge, similar in size and appearance to that at The afore-mentioned chairman certainly takes an active role as he dispenses admission tickets and programmes, announces the team line-ups and takes pots of tea into the officials room at half-time as well as a myriad of other tasks. His building firm is also the main team sponsor. Though chock-full of advertising the 48-page programme is a good effort with several pages of interesting reading material. The tea bar serves hot drinks in pot mugs, welcome on a chilling afternoon and sausage rolls at reasonable prices. The clash between two mid table teams was competitive and entertaining and the game was well refereed with the two linesmen, both gentlemen of advancing years, one wearing thick-rimmed spectacles, giving exemplary displays. The visitors from A remote location unarguably, Llandyrnog is a friendly place to visit and the afternoon was thoroughly entertaining with a good, competitive game amidst spectacular scenery on an afternoon when so many games fell to the elements. A visit here comes highly recommended. |
|
contributed on 11/02/07 |
