Daily Archives: January 19, 2012

The Amiable Side of the Avon

19 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in A

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , , , , , , , ,

Wednesday 18th January 2012 ko 7.45pm

Wessex League Division One

AMESBURY TOWN 2 (Brockway 74 Jones 83)

BROCKENHURST 2 (Morse 23 Barker 56)

Att 63

Entry & Programme £5

Tea 70p

The Wiltshire town is of course most famous for Stonehenge, the prehistoric landmark that lies within the parish around 2 miles from the town centre. I of course managed to drive in and out of Amesbury without seeing it!

There’s so much to like about the Bonneymead Ground. It’s set on common land close to the River Avon, which makes it rather prone to waterlogging. If quirks make a football then Bonnymead is up there with the best of them. There’s the clubhouse and verandah with the comfy chairs. Add to that, the signpost showing the right of way across the ground, and the temporary fence due to the dual use with cricket, and you get my drift.

The welcome was fulsome too, with the offer of the lineups much appreciated, as well as the offer of 3 old programmes. A polypin of Stonehenge bitter at the bar was popular too! Yes, folks I actually felt well-disposed to a team from Wiltshire!

That sentiment looked to be completely wasted for the first three-quarters of the game, as even the Amesbury committee admitted that Brockenhurst were well worthy of their 2 goal lead. Richard Morse found himself on the end of a curling free kick to open the scoring and a counterattack after the break put Mark Barker through to double the lead. It looked game over at that point, and to be honest, I don’t know quite how Amesbury hauled themselves back into contention. Was it Brockenhurst trying to sit on a lead or was it the inspired introduction of Toni Camilleri? We’ll never know, but within a minute of his introduction, he found Nathan Jones, whose cross from the left, positively invited Tyler Broadway to score. The 17-year-old made no mistake. On 82 minutes Amesbury completed an unlikely comeback when Gareth Horner’s free kick, found substitute Darren Crook. He dummied his header leaving the ball to run through to Jones who rammed the ball home to equalise. Amesbury nearly completed a remarkable victory when the suddenly omnipresent Jones fired in a free kick that Darren Crook got his head to, but Brockenhurst keeper Callum Maher was able to make a good save to maintain parity.

A point that Amesbury barely deserved on the balance of play, but it was hard to begrudge them a point when the whole evening was so enjoyable.

Any Port In A Freeze

19 Thursday Jan 2012

Posted by in P

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

, , , , , , ,

Tuesday 17th January 2012 ko 7.45

Wessex League Division One

AFC PORTCHESTER 5 (Woods 30 38 61 Pottage 70p Boam 89)

UNITED SERVICES PORTSMOUTH 0 Cook sent off 90 (foul & abusive language)

Att 92

Entry £4

Programme £1

To clock up a serious number of grounds its important for a hopper to have a circle of support. This evening’s game was a case in point. The original idea was to leave work in Banbury at 5 and head north to Stafford Town FC. Stafford resident Chris Bedford sent me a text telling me firstly that it was -5C and later that the game was off. A phone call from Fareham based Splodge told me to head to Portchester, ” Don’t worry, they’re the other side of the creek, it’ll be on!” He was right, on a night when many games were postponed and others abandoned, including poor Splodge’s at Oxford City.

Portchester is a suburb of Fareham, about 6 miles from Portsmouth. Visible from the Wicor Recreation Ground are the Spinnaker Tower and Portchester Castle, a fine example of a Roman Fort, now enclosed by a Norman Keep. The name Portchester is of partly Roman origin, from Latin portus (a harbour) and Old English ceaster (Roman town or castle).

There’s enough about the ground to keep the hopper happy, with a the quirky signpost, and the clubhouse sporting a pool table in club colours. They’re a friendly bunch too, showing me where the teamsheets are pinned up. It gave the impression of a club going places. That impression was confirmed as soon as the game kicked off.

It wasn’t that US Portsmouth were bad, its just that Portchester were irresistable. Tormentor-in-chief was Simon Woods whose superbly taken hat trick won the game at a canter against a team who’s major flaw was a poor offside trap. Kev Pottage scored a penalty after being tripped by Bob Booker right on the edge of the box. The coup-de-grace was Blu Boam’s winner, deftly measured shot from 18 yards, with just enough elevation to clear the keeper.

As if to add insult to injury there was a red card to follow although it was completely self inflicted. Substitute Jamie Cook went in studs up, and was called over to be booked, but instead decided to call referee Steve Wade a “F*****g idiot” A quick change of cards and off he went, repeating the insult two more times!!!

It was a disappointing end to a highly entertaining game, on a night when just a few hours earlier I fully expected to be glumly sat at home watching a televised game. As it was I got a game, and some excellent news on the Welsh hop-up.