My £12 drainpipes

14 Friday Sep 2012

Tags

Andoversford, Ashley Cleal, Ben Wright, Cheltenham Association Football League, Chris Jones, Keith Illes, Liam Davis, Luke Davis, Prestbury playing Field, Prestbury Rovers, Sonny Martin

Monday 10th September 2012 ko 6.00pm

Cheltenham Association Football League Third Division

PRESTBURY ROVERS 2 (Jones 25 Davis 77)

ANDOVERSFORD 3 (A Cleal 19 B Wright 24 70)

Att 3 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

So why this one? Well it was on, and I could get to it. The Cheltenham League played on a Monday for no reason anyone could fathom, so I simply picked the game nearest to work, and I’ve no regrets on that decision.

The Gloucestershire village of Prestbury sits on the outskirts of Cheltenham, and the Playing Fields are tucked away off of New Barn Mews. The village is best known for Prestbury Park, known also as Cheltenham Racecourse, and the Horse Racing festival there represents a major annual boost to the local economy. According to The Penguin Book of Ghosts: Haunted England, Prestbury is the most haunted village in England.

Ghosts however isn’t what I’ll remember Prestbury for, no that will be the rain. I usually wear hiking trousers for hopping, as they dry quickly if it rains. A few months ago I bought a pair of blue drainpipe trousers from a supermarket for £12. They’re comfortable, they fit well, but when they get wet, they stay wet. So which trousers was I wearing when I parked in the middle of a rainstorm. No prizes I’m afraid!

My lack of comfort excepted, this was a hugely enjoyable visit. Andoversford took the lead direct from Ashley Cleal’s inswinging corner. Prestbury failed to learn that lesson and were two down when another inswinging corner was headed home unopposed by Ben Wright. This roused Prestbury and a minute later Chris Jones’ lofted drive from 20 yards was worthy of a far grander stage. Sadly it was to be his last meaningful contribution as he soon limped off with a thigh strain.

At 2-1 the game was highly competitive, taking into account this is the 12th tier of the non-league pyramid, and the winner when it came was of the highest quality. Ben Wright found himself on the right-hand touchline 25 yards out, looked up and his scorching shot whistled past Sonny Martin into the top left corner. That’s nothing against Martin, it would have beaten a far better keeper.

Of course Prestbury had to make the last few minutes interesting so as to make me forget my cold wet legs, Luke Davis notching for 2-3, but that was to be mere consolation. Mention too for referee Keith Iles who officiated with both common sense and humour; he and both teams made for a great evening’s entertainment and I wish all concerned good luck for the rest of the season.

There was to be a postscript though. As I drove back through Cheltenham I wanted to get to Oxford as quickly as possible to dry out. That of course is when my phone rang; it turned out it was someone wanting information, and a ticket for the North Berkshire League Hop. I found a lay-by, pulled in and got the enquiry sorted out satisfactorily, and 20 minutes later still with my £12 blue drainpipes soaking wet, I headed for home.

Grecian 2012

14 Friday Sep 2012

Posted by laurencereade in O

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Tags

Adam Chapman, Alfie Potter, Deane Smalley, Exeter City, Grecians, James Constable, Jamie Cureton, John O'Flynn, michael duberry, oxford united., ryan clarke

Saturday 8th September 2012 ko 3.00pm

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 2 (Forster-Caskey 54p Potter 63) Constable sent off 81 (2nd booking)

EXETER CITY 4 (Cureton 11 50 Bennett 26 O’Flynn 72)

Att 6,405 (695 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3 (inc’ Oxford Mail)

The day started with a fond farewell, but no the one it looked like being for the majority of the preceding week. Better-informed folk than I had linked OUFC manager Chirs Wilder with the vacancy at Coventry City, but on matchday nothing had happened, not even an approach, so the goodbye was to goalkeeping coach Alan Hodgkinson. He’s now 76, but the experience gained from playing for England, Sheffield United and Manchester United will be sorely missed.

It was two veterans that undid United, John O’Flynn, and particularly Jamie Cureton. I never did get to the bottom of why Bristol Rovers let Cureton go to Reading for a pittance, all those years ago, but wherever he’s been he’s scored routinely. Today was no exception, as with just 10 minutes gone, the defence let him run at them so he let fly from 20 yards, and the ball flew into the top left hand corner. A stunning strike, but one that should have been never allowed to happen.

It got worse, as the OUFC defence debated a decision to give Exeter a corner. It didn’t look over the line, but the concentration levels had dropped, and Scott Bennett headed home from the corner kick. It wasn’t that United were failing to create chances, it was just when they arrived they weren’t converted. Sean Rigg saw two efforts blocked and Simon Heslop shot wide as United attempted in vain to find a quick reponse.

I expected a change of tactics for the second half, but nothing was altered until Exeter got their 3rd. Michael Raynes will wonder how a 37 year old managed to but nutmeg and outpace him, but the former Norwich man’s finish was superb. In fact the warm applause from the home support as Cureton limped off a few minutes later, was as much a sigh of relief as it was appreciative.

United found a way back into the game when Damian Batt’s run into the box was crudely ended by Craig Woodman, and Jake Forster-Caskey made no mistake from the penalty spot, sending Artur Keysiak the wrong way. When Adam Chapman’s free kick was headed across goal by Jon-Paul Pittman for Alfie Potter to bundle home, there was a sense of belief. That was tempered by a missed header by Deane Smalley that looked easier to bury and blunted completely by Exeter’s other veteran Paul O’Flynn, who beat Jake Wright and fired home across Ryan Clarke.

If that was the door closing on OUFC’s chances, then the dismissal of James Constable was that door being bolted. Only on the pitch for 8 minutes, he picked up a booking for a marginal foul, then a minute later a booking which I couldn’t fathom, but was later put down to “Unsporting conduct,” saw the big man troop off furious, and United’s chances disappeared down the tunnel with him.

So, let’s go back to where we started. Will Chris Wilder go to Coventry? Who knows, but if he doesn’t, will that be because Oxford United want to keep him, or that Coventry aren’t interested? Given the current lack of information coming from Grenoble Road, I reckon we’ll find that one out from the Midlands.