Monthly Archives: February 2012

From Loftus to Arnold

26 Sunday Feb 2012

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Sunday 26th February 2012 ko 10.30am

Upper Thames Valley League Divsion 3A

WHITE HORSE ABINGDON 1 (Belcher 74)

NORTHWAY (BOYS & GIRLS) 2 (Yerwood 75 Hatt 76)

Att 1

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

There is a team called Abingdon Exiles in the UTVL but they play at Abingdon United. The real exiles are White Horse Abingdon who play at the Louis Memorial Pavilion, Arnold’s Way in the west Oxford suburb of Botley.

Botley is one of those places that many will have passed, but few recognised. The A34 runs past the suburb’s main landmark, the Seacourt Tower, built as a car dealership, but known locally as Botley Cathedral, due to its spire!

The ground is basic, just a set of posts and a changing room block, but the welcome from manager John Clark was genuine. It transpired that the team moved here when they couldn’t get a pitch in Abingdon, this pitch having been vacated by Research Machines FC who have moved to Steventon FC. Co-incidentally this morning’s referee Andrew Caven was in charge of the North Berkshire Hop game, at yes Steventon! Its worth noting that the Arnold’s Way Ground hasn’t been used for Saturday football for some time.

Northway have a certain quirk in that both they and their reserves play in Division 3. The firsts in 3A and the reserves in 3B, and for the record both divisions are of equal stature. For White Horse, the quirk was in the form of defender Dan Lawrence who’s place of work the previous day was Queen’s Park Rangers! OK, he’s a cameraman for Sky Sports, but everyone enjoyed the Premier League connection.

I tried hard to get the attendance above well, me. A few walkers passed as a public footpath is situated at the back of the ground. Some stopped and watched for a few minutes, but none lingered, or asked the score. A shame as this was a decent honest game, which deserved watching.

The first half was notable for profligate finishing from both sides but particularly the hosts. Northway did get the ball in the net, but this was quickly ruled offside. Northway midfielder Kieron Jennings debated the point describing the decision as “A f*****g joke,” for which he received a red card, Caven explaining how in the pre-match talk how he would not tolerate foul language. That hurt Jennings more than Caven imagined. Jennings plays for Hellenic League outfit Thame United and I would not want to be present when he informs the club he’s now suspended! Unusually he did end up running the line, which I suspect isn’t entirely compliant with FA guidelines.

As the game wore on and I became increasingly nervous about collecting a 0-0, White Horse came more into the game, and the introduction of Matty Belcher seemed to have swung the game in their favour. His finish of a good move was no more than White Horse deserved, but the lead was to last barely a minute as Michael Yerwood smashed home at close range to equalise, then just a minute after that Rob Hatt’s low shot from 10 yards won the game for the visitors.

It was all rather harsh on White Horse, who had done little wrong other than shoot poorly. An interesting coda for them was the introduction of Youcef El Barhdadi, or to use his blogging title Moroccan Yellow. For a few minutes it was blogger watching blogger!

Here’s his site, it’s rather good!!!

http://www.moroccan10.blogspot.com/

Silk and Steal

25 Saturday Feb 2012

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Saturday 25th February 2012 ko 3.00

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 1 (Johnson 42)

MACCLESFIELD TOWN 1 (Duberry 9og)

Att 6,189 (63 away)

Entry S/T

Programme (inc Oxford Mail) £3

Today’s match at Grenoble Road was designated “Military Day” and the club made great efforts to pay tribute to the many forms of the armed forces that are based within the county. There was a touching moment when after a few minutes play, the personnel walked aroud the pitch from the main stand, behind the goal and round to the North Stand. The entire ground stood and applauded. A spine-tingling moment.

The game saw the visitors arrive with a loanee keeper they’d picked up en route, and having lost 8 games on the bounce. An easy win you’d think, but this is Oxford United.

United started brightly enough, but found themselves a goal down after 9 minutes. Referee Darren Drysdale made the first in a series of poor decisions in awarding a free kick 30 yards out. Matt Hamshaw’s free kick found Michael Duberry 6 yards out under no pressure, but he somehow managed to power his header past Ryan Clarke for his 3rd own goal of the season. Does this mean he’s now on -1 goals for the campaign?

United continued with the 4-4-2 formation that had brought a won against Barnet, and it was the right flank that provided the equaliser, Oli Johnson turning neatly, and not being challenged, fired home from 18 yards. He’s beginning to look an excellent acquisition.

The second half should have seen United force home the gulf in quality. James Constable missed a good chance when Lee Holmes played him in, but Richard O’Donnell saved his shot, and in the melee Johnson and Scott Rendell had follow-up efforts blocked. Constable’s second opportunity came from a Holmes cross, but he headed high and wide from eight yards out.

After that United grew frustrated and place broke down repeatedly, as play grew narrower with neither full-backs Davis or Batt able or willing to overlap and Leven’s gorgeous passes taking place where he could do no damage, in his own half. Time after time United forced corners, but lacked the guile to do anything with them. Liam Davis’ 25 yard shot was well saved by O’Donnell, and that was United’s last meaningful chance.

The final whistle was met by a chorus of boos, not for current form, only 1 defeat in 12, but for a sense of what could happen when a team bang in form visit next Saturday. That, though is a local derby, and the form book can be ignored.

Ladies First

24 Friday Feb 2012

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Wednesday 22nd February 2012 ko 7.30pm

Gloucestershire County League

BRISTOL ACADEMY MFC 2 (Williams 33 71)

BERKELEY TOWN 2 (Nash 51 Bryant 86)

 

Att 70

 

Entry FREE

Programme £1

Coffee 50p

Teamsheets FREE

This one was surprisingly easy to get done. I left Banbury at just after 5pm and was parked at the WISE campus in Stoke Gifford at 6.30. The ground is to be found around a mile west of junction 1 of the M32, and it’s part of what has just been renamed the South Gloucestershire and Stroud College. For the time being it’s better known as Filton College.  The area is famous for the British Aerospace factory which produced the British “Concorde” aircraft. In terms of this game, however the transport very much in evidence was the train, as the line to and from Bristol Parkway runs behind the far goal. It always amuses me how when a line runs near a football ground the trains seem to slow down to watch the action for a second or two!

Bristol Academy started life as Bristol Rovers’ ladies team, before linking up with Filton College. They now find themselves in the Women’s Super League, the top flight in the English female game. The male (MFC) section are I believe, so far the only male club to be created out of a women’s club, in this country. It reminded me of a trip to suburban Stockholm outfit Tyreso FF a few years ago where I watched 100 or so walk in for the men’s game, passing 1,000 leaving as the ladies game had finished! Its the men’s first season in senior football and they were more than happy to be using the “Ladies” stadium!

It has to be said as football stadiums go, Stoke Gifford Stadium is a pretty good as an athletics stadium! Any number of of movable “Arena” stands can be put in place, my visit saw 3, the ladies normally get 6, but if you’re by the side of the pitch you’re 8 lanes from the action. The saving grace is that you are allowed to use the running track; has anyone more unfit used it?

It was a filthy night, blustery and wet and it was a pleasant surprise to be invited into the Portakabin-cum-clubhouse for a coffee and pick up the full colour programme. I asked for the lineups, and an official went a photocopied the teamsheets for anyone interested. Many were, and an attitude like that will win this club many friends. It certainly made one of me!

The game was a difficult one to call, even with a few minutes to go. Academy led twice, both times by centre half Jemal Williams tapping in after a goalkeeping howler, but the vistors looked the more talented bunch thoughout, although it took goals from each of the two substitutes used, to rescue a fully deserved point. Mike Bryant had an interesting half hour’s work. Not only did he score the point-saving goal, it was his challenge that sparked a minor bout of unsporting conduct, at the end of which he collected the only booking of the game.

That spoke volumes about the conduct of both teams, and referee Gerard O’Sullivan. He was barely noticed in an excellent game at an excellent club.

 

Barnet Fare

23 Thursday Feb 2012

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Tuesday 21st February 2012 ko 7.45pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Rendell 43 Constable 56)

BARNET 1 (Hector 16) McLeod missed pen 84

Att 5,848 (139 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc Ox Mail)

If, dear reader you read my last OUFC report, you might be forgiven for thinking this report could have been difficult to write. Same score against a similar club, down at the bottom the league. Nope, dead easy this one, as it was a totally different game.

Maybe it was due to Chris Wilder changing OUFC’s formation, from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2 with Oli Johnson playing right wing. On the other flank Lee Holmes made his full debut. There were 2 other little subplots with the referee being Stuart Attwell,  in charge of his first game since being demoted from the elite Select Group Referees Panel. Also the game saw the return of former OUFC winger Sam Deering. Attwell had an excellent game, and Deering was roundly booed each and every time he touched the ball.

In an open game United were unfortunate to go a goal down. A free kick on the right was surprisingly reverse passed to right-back Michael Hector. Although he was given way too much time, the Reading loanee’s 18 yard shot went though a mass of legs and passed an unsighted Ryan Clarke into the bottom left corner.

Johnson’s weak shot was easily saved by Bees keeper Dean Brill, but the hosts were showing real industry (Andy Whing) and invention (Peter Leven) in midfield with Holmes the most usual outlet. James Constable’s stinging shot was blocked away by Brill, and Leven’s free kick hit the right net support post.

United equalised with a goal of real quality. Leven’s diagonal ball found Holmes on the left, and his curling cross was asking for someone to attack it. That someone was Scott Rendell, and his header was his first goal for the club.

Leven’s free kick after 50 minutes again found Rendell’s head but this time Brill did extremely well to turn the ball round his right post. 6 minutes later United took the lead, when Leven’s teasing free kick was mis-hit by Rendell and with the Bees’ defence totally square there was Constbale at the back post to tap in.

Whilst United had far more possession and chances, at 2-1 there was always a way back into the game for Barnet and they had two opportunities to gain something from the game. Once Andy Whing limped off United looked far less assured in midfield. Deering will have sleepless nights over his 6 yard miss, but on 84 minutes Barnet still had the opportunity to steal an undeserved point. Mark Byrne was ajudged to have been trippped by Damian Batt. Attwell thought it was in the box, and to be fair to him I watched the footage several times before deciding it was just outside.

Of course United have a lucky charm when it comes to penalties, and his name is Ryan Clarke. Izale McLeod’s penalty was poor, weak and down the middle, but the save had to be made and made it was, to make Clarke’s OUFC record 14 penalties faced and 11 saved. A statistic any keeper would be proud of.

The 5 Mile Drive

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Sunday 19th February 2012 ko 10.30am

Upper Thames Valley League Devenney Cup Quarter Final

AFC JERICHO 1 (Matthews 65)

KINGS ARMS WHEATLEY 3 (S Jacob 38 Mapplethorpe 54 L Cuff 78)

Att 20 (h/c)

@ Oxford University Press Ground, Jordan Hill

Entry FREE

Nothing for Sale

The groundhopping purists would probably reckon I should have ticked this one off for OUP, who are the Saturday side here, playing in the top division of the Oxfordshire Senior League. Well, I hadn’t managed to do it in over 10 years of serious hopping so  I decided to do the Sunday team instead.

Jericho is a suburb in the north of Oxford. Its started life as a poorly drained slum, became briefly a red light district, and now is one of the most sought after areas in the city. It retains, however a decidedly bohemian feel, with cafes and the historic Castlemill boatyard. The Jericho Tavern has seen performances by bands such as Radiohead and Supergrass before they became famous.

Jordan Hill is in Cutteslowe, on the northernmost tip of the city, about a mile north of Jericho. It is so obviously a works ground, and is beautifully maintained. For me it was a 5 mile drive to get there, and a nearby street to the ground is would you believe, Five Mile Drive!

I was pleasantly surprised at the facilties on offer. From the cricket benches, the wooden dugouts to the post and roped off pitch, it was a pleasure to take in a game that when the weak sun managed to peak through the clouds, the scene was bucolic.

The game pitched Premier Division Kings Arms against their Division One hosts. When jotting down the lineups, I found myself recognising many of the visitors’ team. Just the eleven of them, but it transpired that they are on a Saturday, Headington Amateurs first XI! It did give an interesting measuring stick as to the quality that was on show.

The first half consisted of more or less continous home pressure, with Jericho missing chance after chance. They were made to pay when a neat move allowed Shaun Jacob to fire home on 38 minutes. It was Wheatley’s first meaningful attack and the home bench couldn’t believe it. It set the tone for the second half with Wheatley coming more and more into the game, as Jericho tired, and ran out of ideas. A glorious through ball put Francis Mapplethorpe in on goal and he made no mistake for 0-2.

The goal of the game was undoubtedly Kamen Matthews’ 25 yard free kick which sailed into the top right corner but this was to be mere consolation as the ever dangerous Luke Cuff pounced on a defensive howler to finish the game as a spectacle.

Daddy’s Scored!!!

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Saturday 18th February 2012 ko 3.00pm

FA Vase 5th Round

HERNE BAY 1 (Campbell 86)

LARKHALL ATHLETIC 0

Att 612

Entry £7

Programme (reissue from last week’s postponement) £2

Badge £2

I have a soft spot for this competition, for sides 5 or more promotions from the Football League. There’s a Wembley Final, and unlike its bigger brothers, the Cup and Trophy, all the participants take it totally seriously, to the point that some refuse promotion so they can continue to enter!

The Kent town of Herne Bay lies close to Whitstable, on the south bank of the Thames Estuary. TV game show host Bob Holness hailed from the town, but the place is most famous for Sir Barnes Neville Wallis whose invention, the bouncing bomb, was developed and tested at nearby Reculver. The bomb was most famously used in World War II to destroy the Möhne Dam, as immortalised in the film “The Dambusters.”

Winch’s Field is set in a residential area, well away from the coast. It really is an Isthmian League ground in waiting with cover on all 4 sides, a club shop, and a spacious bar, There’s even a community radio station! The clubhouse sees service during the week as “Kiddies Corner” kindergarten, which probably explains the little garden along one perimeter fence! The real oddity though is the block containing the changing rooms, executive seating and the dugouts, I’ve never seen something like that before. However I’m not quite sure what the plastic deer on the grass back opposite are there to achieve!

The game was a high quality passing affair that at times was incredibly frustrating as neither side could find the killer pass to create a gilt-edged chance. Bay were clearly the better side but they made life difficult for themselves on 29 minutes when they had Tom Parker sent off. Herne Bay’s Michael Turner’s studs up challenge on Ross Beazer saw him lucky to stay on the pitch. A 20 man melee ensued and Parker received his marching orders for a punch on Larkhall’s Gary Thorne.

For the second half I decided to place myself behind the near goal, and a few minutes in, a young lady and her children arrived. She asked what the score was, and pointed out “Daddy,” James Campbell to her children.

The game looked like it was heading towards extra-time then a replay, when Michael Jenner drove a free-kick from the left into the penalty area. The ball evaded Larkhall keeper Chris Snoddy, and Campbell ghosted in at the far post to tap into an empty net. Amid wild celebrations “Mrs Campbell” turned to her young son, ” Daddy’s scored!” The reply was “Oh, can we go home then?”

Larkhall threw everything they had into the few minutes left. Substitute Tom Welch’s  35-yard free kick forced Eason to dive full-length to his left, but the ball bounced off the top of the crossbar and clear. With seconds left Welch again was on target, this time Eason dived low at the bottom corner to paw the ball round the post.

The final whistle sparked wild celebrations, but there was a nasty moment which the referee failed to spot. Amid the celebrations Tom Parker had made his way back on to the pitch and started to bait Gary Thorne, who had pensively squatted down. Fortunately Thorne showed restraint, and Parker was removed from the scene by a fellow player.

When I’d walked through the turnstiles around 2 hours earlier I’d looked at this fixture as being for the right to lose to Whitley Bay at some point. With the other Bay now knocked out, the competition looks wide open.

Cat, Mouse and Roger

19 Sunday Feb 2012

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Friday 17th February 2012 ko 7.45pm

“Varsity” Friendly

OXFORD UNIVERSITY BLUES 2 (Austin 16 75)

OXFORD BROOKES UNIVERSITY 0

Att 400 (officially speaking)

@ Oxford University Sports Centre, Iffley Road, Oxford

Entry £5 (if ticket bought!)

No programme

Catering available

You may wonder, dear reader why on earth I’d be interested in a student game, and a friendly at that! Well, apart from referring to the title of this blog, I’d mention the the history of the stadium, and the history of the fixture.

To us locals, the stadium will always be known as the Iffley Road Running Track, and where in 1954 Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four minute mile, watched incidentally by the world’s least sporting person, my Mother!  I first visited as a child in the early 80’s for the taping of the BBC’s “Superstars,” won that day by Welsh long jumper Lynn Davies. Since then I’ve seen Oxford University play there, and Oxford United’s youth team too.

For what in essence is a warm-up for the Oxford vs Cambridge varsity game, this fixture has real bite. The game has been played behind closed doors before, in 2010, after the discovery of a Facebook group suggesting that large numbers of Brookes fans would inundate the ground. The Brookes students simply scaled a fence and watched from there.

And that, I suspect, was the start of my problems. For when I arrived I discovered that not only was the game all-ticket, and limited to 400 tickets, it was sold out. Moreover around 20 stewards had been hired from Oxford United to maintain security. Normally I’d have simply turned round and headed for home, but I was just a little irked. This was because the fixture had been widely advertised on the OUAFC website and others, and there’d been no mention of it being all-ticket. With no opportunity to buy a ticket, I reasoned, and this being the first ever floodlit game at the venue I decided to see if there was another vantage point.

Which of course there was, on the far side where the athletics footprint meets the historic rugby union ground. There was a convenient grass bank in the corner, so I quietly sat down to watch the action. And I would have got away with it completely if 4 students hadn’t had exactly the same idea, but sat in full view of the stewards. At half time we all got moved on, “No ticket, no watch.” The students gave up, I waited until they’d gone, and quietly retook my position!

The game was worth the effort, as in front of a rowdy crowd the Blues were good value for their win. Whilst Brookes huffed and puffed, their hosts never looked like losing control of the fixture. Julian Austin was in predatory form, smashing in twice from decent crosses from the right to win the game.

Perhaps inevitably, there was a streaker, unfortunately for me, male, but with all the stewards present, he was allowed to stay on the pitch for a couple of minutes, while play continued. Eventually he gave up and surrendered to the authorities. Mind you, he was a bit of a pathetic streaker, he kept his shoes on!

I wonder whether in subsequent years this fixture will be moved to a larger venue to accomodate the obvious demand. The groundhopper in me would love it to be the wonderful rugby ground next door, although I’d expect the more likely choice would be Oxford City’s Court Place Farm. Watch this space.

Long Time Love Affair

15 Wednesday Feb 2012

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Tuesday 14th February 2012 ko 7.45pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Johnson 51 Constable 80)

DAGENHAM & REDBRIDGE 1 (Arber 72)

Att 5,653 (119 away)

Entry S/T

Programme (inc Oxford Mail) £3

It seemed like a long time since I watched an Oxford United game, and for a change it was not due to me gallivanting around! With the Barnet game postponed a week last Saturday with me conveniently in the Netherlands, and last Saturday’s game at Accrington frozen off, OUFC’s last home game was on 21st January, and the last game of any description just 8 days later.

Regular fans know OUFC find it difficult to break down the teams at the bottom of the League, and with Dagenham 3rd from bottom and with wily old fox John Still in charge it was always going to be a game that would be one for the result, rather than one to enjoy as a spectacle. The visitors simply placed 2 banks of 4 in front of the goal and aimed to soak up the pressure.

The first half demonstrated the point. For the U’s Asa Hall had one shot, Billy Bingham had another for D&G, and one corner was won, for the visitors. Yes, United were forced, due to a mixture of injury and suspension to field a side with 2 debutants, Scott Rendell, and Mark Wilson, but the team was carrying too many  passengers.

The second half saw a switch from 4-3-3 to 4-4-2, with another debutant, Lee Holmes replacing Hall. The performance improved, but not by much, but at least the U’s were exploiting the flanks through Holmes on the right, and Liam Davis on the left. It was through the latter that Oxford took the lead. Davis took the ball on the left flank, and his curling cross was met by Oli Johnson’s late run. His header beat D&G keeper Chris Lewington at his right post.

That meant the visitors had to come out and attack, but even then they lacked any real cutting edge, although both Andy Whing and Jake Wright provided important blocks. The equaliser, when it came was a defensive error as a cross from the right was allowed to travel to the back of the box and there was captain Mark Arber to head home, across U’s keeper Ryan Clarke.

For D&G substitute Adam Cunnington’s shot grazed the post, but United won the game with a move started by yet another debutant, Mehdi Kerrouche. His erudite pass found Johnson. His turn and pass found James Constable, who slammed the ball into the bottom right corner with positive glee.

Romantic? No chance. Entertaining? Barely. Important? Definately.

William & Richard

14 Tuesday Feb 2012

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Monday 13th February 2012 ko 7.45pm

Isthmian League Premier Division

BILLERICAY TOWN 2 (Chatting 59 80)

HENDON 1 (Rankine 90)

Att 301

Entry £9.50 + £1 stand transfer

Programme (reissue from postponed game) £2

Badge £3

Teamsheet FREE

Cheeseburger & Chips £3.50

There’s two people responsible for my attendance at this one; one is Peter Grant, the other is Paul “Splodge” Proctor. Neither had met the other, but both know me and each said they were going. I honestly didn’t think I could get to this part of Essex from a 5 o’clock start in Banbury, but despite roadworks, the M25 behaved itself and I arrived at the New Lodge well before kick off. Trouble is, with me not expecting to go to a game I’d travelled without my clipboard, a stopwatch, or a camera. Still, you make do with what you’ve got, so the pictures are courtesy of my iphone!

Upon entering the ground, I immediately was nervous. Yes, the pitch had been cleared of snow, the piles making an interesting backdrop, but the pitch looked very wet. Still, noone seemed to be bothered, so I made my way to the clubhouse to see who I recognised. Apart from Pete and Splodge, there were a multiplicity of London based hoppers, taking advantage of the unusual day for football. They are affectionately known as the “South London Old Gits Club,” and seeing the 10 or so there, you do  wonder why the smaller clubs don’t go for the less popular evenings, to try for this “Passing trade.” The reason for this Monday, I was told, was to avoid Valentine’s Day!!!

The New Lodge is the kind of hotch potch I like in a ground. There’s a pitched roof stand, slightly too narrow to be completely fit-for-purpose, a flat roofed building including the clubhouse seemingly getting in the way. With the club top of the league, there looks to be little or no work  to be done for the place to qualify for Conference Regional status.

However, for success at that level I would suggest that the Billericay strikers should actually try shooting!! I’d got talking before the game to an elderly gent, who pointed out his grandson, midfielder Harrison Chatting, and was pleased to see him get a start. It proved to be a good mark for my card, as the dimunitive player was the spark, and finally the fire that won the game. He ran, he fell over, he tried everything he could, but was let down by the unwillingness of his team-mates to finish what he started. In the second half he decided to do it himself, despite being the shortest player on the park he rose beautifully to head home, then fired home a half chance to win the game. Hendon offered nothing, their goal a mugging of home keeper Dale Brightly by former Bradford and Brentford professional Isaiah Rankin.

The only minor blemish of a decent night’s entertainment was an injury time brawl. It was utterly without any point, and referee Ian Bentley did well to keep 22 men on the pitch. Chatting had long since departed, his work done.

The Church of St Mary in the Hollow

12 Sunday Feb 2012

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Saturday 11th February 2012 ko 2.30pm

Welsh Alliance Division One

LLANFAIRPWLLGWYNGYLLGOGERYCHWYNDROBWLLLLANTYSILIOGOGOGOCH 3 (Thomas 2 19 R Owen 79)

GWALCHMAI 3 (Evans 6 Burgess 10 Allman 76)

Att 61 (h/c)

Entry £3

Programme £1

Badge £2.50

Coffee 70p

With the UK under a rather late big freeze it was very much a case of finding something, anything on. To make matters more pressing, Peter Grant was over from Japan and having made do with League football for a week, was looking for something more exotic! I wanted something a bit special as a means of saying thanks for putting me up for 2 weeks in the summer. Now here’s a groundhopping top tip, North Wales and Anglesey seldom freezes, so I decided to look at that part of the world. I thought it might also be fun to watch a Japanese based Australian try to pronounce some of the place names!

After collecting Chris Bedford from Stafford, the M6 made it impractical for us to get to our original choice of Pwllheli, so the choice was made to head for Anglesey, and the first village you reach once you’ve crossed the Britannia Bridge. Given the time we’d earned by driving less distance, we took time to visit the Marquess of Anglesey’s monument at the southern edge of the village. The 27 metres high monument offers excellent views of the Menai strait, the village, and the football team’s old ground Gor’s Field. From there we then visited the famous railway station, and the visitors’ centre for the inevitable tat, before heading up to Maes Eilian.

But let’s answer the three most obvious questions. Firstly why the ridiculously long name? In simple terms it’s a Victorian publicity stunt. In 1826 when Thomas Telford built the Menai suspension bridge then in 1850 the Britannia Bridge and the North Wales Coast Railway linked London to Anglesey and the ferry to Ireland, the villagers spotted an increase in local traffic. So as to get people to stop, a local committee was put together to try and encourage trains, travellers and 19th century tourists to stop at the village. It is believed that the name was elongated from the simple Llanfairpwll by a cobbler from Menai Bridge, little did he know that he had implemented one of the most successful tourist marketing plans of all time!

But what that is it mean? Deep breath now…..Saint Mary’s Church in the hollow of the white hazel near a rapid whirlpool and the Church of St. Tysilio of the red cave. And how is it pronounced? Something like…Llan-vire-pooll-guin-gill-go-ger-u-queern-drob-ooll-llandus-ilio-gogo-goch. Simple? For the vast majority of the time the name is abreviated to either Llanfair PG or Llanfairpwll.

The football club moved from the flood prone Gor’s Field a couple of years ago. Maes Eilian is about 400 yards north up the hill. The name of the new ground translates as Eilian’s Field, a slightly jokey reference to the legend concerning a local saint renowned for performing last minute miracles. It hasn’t kept the club in the second tier of Welsh football, the Cymru Alliance, the reduction in size of the Welsh Premier League having forced the club down a level. The original plans for the ground included a full clubhouse and floodlights. With grant monies not forthcoming, the club scaled back to no lights and a group of portacabins which serve as changing rooms, and a committee room cum canteen. It does the job, just. A vast improvement though is the pitch and what’s around it. Gor’s Field, still in use by reserves and youth, featured little more than benches hidden under the changing rooms’ overhang. Now, there’s a proper seated stand, and a container case covered area behind the goal.

What hasn’t changed is the friendly nature of the club. The chairman went home to collect the entire stock of metal badges for Peter to buy as souvenirs for football fans back home, and most of the information here came from the officials who were always willing to come and tell us more about their club.

The game pitted Llanfair against their Anglesey neighbours of a full 7 miles away, Gwalchmai. The programme predicted a close encounter, that was spot on, but what we got was close to a classic. Aled Thomas thumped home to open the scoring but Gwalchmai quickly responded to equalise then take the lead, all within the first 10 minutes! Thomas then equalised with a fine 20 yard strike, the goal of the game, and Llanfair hit the woodwork twice before half time, the second when it looked a good deal easier to score!

Inevitably the second half slowed a little as a spectacle, although at no point could you predict a winner. Allman fired home to give the advantage to the visitors, but Llanfair rallied again for Richard Owen to respond almost immediately after. 3-3 was probably fair, although home keeper Liam Ewing had to produce a fine save at the death, tipping over the bar.

A little tip for those visiting this wonderful little club. Since the club cannot do much more catering than chocolate and hot drinks, if you want something hot to eat, try the Caffi Glan Menai opposite the station. The food’s rather good, and the cafe advertises in the football club’s programme.