Monthly Archives: October 2012

The Coal Post

31 Wednesday Oct 2012

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Tuesday 30th October 2012 ko 19.45

Spartan South Midlands League Premier Division

COLNEY HEATH 3 (Thompson 10 Clarke 69 Armstrong 82)

HADLEY 0

Att 61

Entry & Programme £6

Tea 70

Cheese & Onion Roll £1.40

Anyone who’s travelled around the northern curve of the M25 will have been within a mile of the Recreation Ground, and this pretty village would be fairly unremarkable but for one historical detail.

The first essay I was asked to write at university in London, was seemingly simple – define London’s boundaries. You could use famous square mile of the city, or perhaps the man-made moat of the M25. I think I plumped for the M25, an imperfect solution, but I couldn’t think of a better boundary, but the discussion made for an interesting lecture slot when our marked papers were returned!

There was in fact another boundary, still further out and these are the coal posts, used to mark where a tax on coal entering London would be levied. The series of around 280, all from 12 to 18 miles out, were of various types, but formed an irregular loop around the capital from medieval times to the tax’s abolition in 1890. The remarkable thing about Colney Heath is that there were 4 posts for the village alone, and all are still standing, the one I’ve photographed is on the small green opposite the “Cock” Pub. It must have been an important point on the route into the capital, from the north.

The Recreation Ground is a classic example of a ground being adapted to suite grading requirements. I would imagine that in the past cricket was played, but now the extra space is used as a training pitch. Floodlights have been added, and the clubhouse roof extended forward to keep the requisite 50 or so seats from getting wet. The clubhouse, large and warm was the best facility, and plenty there desisted from watching this game, but who can blame them when Reading 5 Arsenal 7 is being televised in the warm?

Out in the cold, this was a game that entertained without ever catching fire. The script suggested that Hadley would steal a point, despite Colney Heath having by far the greater possession and taking the lead early on through Matt Thompson. As ever the script wasn’t followed, but it took Aaron Clarke’s goal was late as the 69th minute to put the tie beyond doubt. Paul Armstrong’s tap in afterwards was mere icing on the cake.

As I left, my friend James commented that I couldn’t have many clubs in this league left to do. I really hadn’t thought about it, but when I checked this morning he was correct. Just 4 grounds without lights in the bottom division. Knowing me, I’ll end up completing those without realising, such is life!!

 

King Edward, A Great Blogg, And The Crabs

28 Sunday Oct 2012

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Saturday 27th October 2012 ko 14.30

Anglian Combination Premier Division

CROMER TOWN 6 (Wilton 12 33 90 Matthews 33 84 Eves 45)

NORTH WALSHAM TOWN 2 (Jolly 68 Skipper 83)

Att 52 (h/c)

Entry £2

Programme £1

Tea 50p

Pie £1

It’s a shame this part of North Norfolk takes such a long time to get to from Oxford, as there’s so much to enjoy here. Cromer is a good example of this, with its narrow streets and quaint shops and yes, there are still many opportunities to buy the locally caught crabs; £2 each looked a real bargain! I took a walk along the wind-swept pier, and there was a gang of workmen carrying out repairs, while a hardy soul fished from the pier end, but I wanted to see what was at the near end.

Captain Henry Blogg is reckoned by many to be the greatest lifeboatman that ever lived, winning the Royal National Lifeboat Institution’s Gold medal 3 times, the Silver medal 4 times, together with the George Cross and the British Empire medal. One rescue involved the saving of 15 men over a 24 hour period from the wreck of the Swedish vessel “Fernebo,” Blogg and his crew rowing the Cromer Lifeboat by searchlight in quite appalling sea conditions. His memorial has a compass as its centrepiece and ribbons point to each of his rescues with details inscribed. Consider also that then, as is the case now, the lifeboatman are volunteers, amazing people.

Blogg’s heroics notwithstanding, my reason to be in Cromer was a visit to Cabbell Park to watch the local football team. Not that the back story is any less astounding than Blogg’s! The ground is named after Evelyn Bond-Cabbell who granted the club a lease on the ground in 1922. However, unknown to the club was a clause that the land would revert to the people of Cromer 21 years after the death of King Edward VII’s last grandchild. That was King Olav V of Norway, ironically a keen sportsman, who died in 1991, making the club’s position somewhat precarious. Negotiations are ongoing with Bond-Cabbell’s heir, Benjamin Cabbell-Manners who is keen to see the ground used for more general sporting use, but the latest news is that after spending £3000 on legal advice the club believe the last grandchild was George Lascelles, the 7th Earl of Harewood. The only sticking point here, is that he was “In Utero,” when the lease was signed!

On arrival what struck me was that there isn’t much room for anything other than a football pitch. The space is perfect for a floodlit non-league ground for a reasonably ambitious club but no more. There’s a gravel car park, a clubhouse, and a small covered area, and while there’s room for all of this to be expanded, it would be impossible to add additional sports.

The other thing I noticed was just how central to the community the club is. From the multiplicity of businesses advertising in the programme, to the wide cross-section of people who turned up to cheer their team on, this was very much an effort made by the entire town.

They had much to cheer as well, with The Crabs making short work of their near-neighbours struggling at the bottom of the division. Dale Wilton danced through the defence to open the scoring and was immediately booking for a rather unsporting celebration. It proved to be the only booking of the day, and once Cromer had scored twice in a minute, there was little prospect of a North Walsham revival.

Perhaps predictably Cromer eased off during the second half, and their visitors grabbed two late goals, but that served only to rouse the Crabs, who promptly nipped back with two more goals with Wilton collecting his hat trick with virtually the last kick of the game. This was a high quality encounter, utterly belying the clubs’s status 7 promotions from the supposed promised land of the Football League, but then when you’re this far from the rat race, you can work on your passion with little in the way of disturbance. Unless of course, your name is Henry Blogg!

The 22

24 Wednesday Oct 2012

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Tuesday 23rd October 2012 ko 19.45

FA Cup 4th Qualifying Round Replay

NEWPORT COUNTY 1 (O’Connor 43) Pipe sent off 66 (2nd booking)

YATE TOWN 3 (Knighton 72p Thomas 109 Groves 115)

AET

Att 1,463

Entry £13

Programme £2

Large Hot Dog £3

Tea £1

The City of Newport, has an undeserved reputation for being bereft of anything cultural. I have never found a port town that didn’t have something of interest and the city on the confluence of the River Usk, and Severn estuary has much to recommend it. Whether its the Peter Fink sculpture, “The Wave,” situated on the harbour, or the Newport Transporter Bridge, built in 1906 there’s something to catch the eye wherever you look. More recently, in 2007 the Newport City footbridge opened, and that provides a backdrop to proceedings at the local football club.

The travails of Newport County are an article in itself! I remember in the late 1970’s the bottom of the Football League always seeming to consist of Crewe Alexandra, Workington, and Newport County. Workington failed to get re-elected, Crewe found salvation with Dario Gradi and a vaunted youth system, and Newport found two lethal strikers in Tommy Tynan and John Aldridge. A renaissance followed and Newport as Welsh Cup winners went on a run in the European Cup Winners Cup in 1980-1 eventually losing in the quarter final over two legs to Carl Zeiss Jena. Thereafter it was a gradual decline in fortunes for the club, and they were relegated out of the league in 1988, and were bankrupt before completing their first season in the Conference.

You could argue that this was ony the start of the club’s problems. The club was quickly revived, but as a new club in Wales the Welsh FA wanted them to play in the Welsh pyramid, but the embryonic club’s sole aim was a return to the League- in England. It meant that the club started based over the border in Moreton-in-Marsh, and periods of exile followed in Gloucester, until the High Court found against the Welsh FA and County moved into Spytty Park, a multi-sport stadium, but crucially, in Newport.

The trouble is that the sight-lines across a running track were poor, and the pitch, shared with Llanwern worse. So for the next 3 years the club have agreed a groundshare of Rodney Parade with Rugby Union outfit Newport Gwent Dragons.

The ground has a unique flavour, being not just for rugby, but also being the base for the local bowls club. There’s two stands, the modern all seated “Bisley” stand, and the classic Hazell stand which only runs for around 3/4 of the pitch length. For football only the terrace in front is used. There’s an open terrace behind one goal, but the other has only the changing rooms, and a multi-storey hospitality block there. For football the capacity is 5,511.

With Newport being back in the Conference, there’s no lack of league experience in the playing ranks. Top goalscorer Aaron O’Connor has tasted League football with Rushden & Diamonds, but fellow striker Jefferson Louis takes well-travelled to extremes, this is his 25th club, and he’s still only 33!

With a lower than average crowd it made for a poor atmosphere, and County’s player did little to raise spirits. They’d had a real scare on Saturday with Yate, 3 relegations and bottom of the Southern League’s South and West Division, coming within seconds of a famous victory, Tony James header giving the Exiles, currently top of the Conference a barely deserved replay.

That final score never looked like being replicated, Newport continued to underestimate their part-time opponents, and may well have got away with it, Aaron O’Connor did give them the lead, but two bookings for pointless fouls saw Newport captain David Pipe take an early bath. Within 5 minutes goalkeeper Lenny Pidgeley had flattened Mitchell Page; Pidgeley collected a booking and Tom Knighton levelled the game from the penalty spot. With a first round tie with Cheltenham Town the reward, the incentive was obvious but only Yate showed the requisite urgency.

In extra time it was Yate who looked the fitter, and the inevitable happened. A corner was swung in, the ball bounced back off the bar, and there was centre half Scott Thomas to head in from close range. As Newport finally began to push forward, more out of shock than belief, they were hit with a real sucker punch. Matt Groves exploited the gap where right back Pipe used to be to turn and fire home, in front of a band of delirious travelling fans. The Newport faithful turned, and silently made for the dark wet exits.

Exactly

20 Saturday Oct 2012

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Saturday 20th October 2012 ko 15.00

League 2

OXFORD UNITED 5 (Craddock 13 23 36 71 Potter 78)

ACCRINGTON STANLEY 0

Att 5,403 (96 away)

Entry S/T

Programme £3

I have to say I have a soft spot for Stanley. Their banner says it all, “The club that refused to die,”  rising from bankrupcy and oblivion, to a return to League football in 2006. It’s not lost on Oxford United fans that when Accrington folded in 1966, then  returned to the League, on both occasions it was Oxford United that swapped places with them! For those of us of a certain age, Accrington was imortalised in a famous advert for milk…

To the club’s credit, Carl Rice the actor in the advert, was guest of honour at Accrington’s home game against Forest Green Rovers during their Conference winning season. I was fortunate enough to be there! Today, Stanley are a benchmark for small clubs, surviving in the league despite the close presence of two much larger clubs locally, namely Blackburn and Bolton.

With Stanley 11th and Oxford 19th, you wouldn’t have predicted a drubbing like this! A few hours after the event I’m still trying to work out was it a case of United being excellent, or Stanley quite royally stinking? I suspect its a mixture of the both. Certainly a move to 4-4-2 suited the personel available to Chris Wilder, and in particular James Constable revelled in the service he got from the flanks where Alfie Potter and Sean Rigg had excellent games. The knock-downs from Constable were manna from heaven for Tom Craddock, and I’d point out that 3 of the 4 goals he scored were teed up by Constable (the other by Rigg). Craddock had, its perhaps superfluous to say, his best game for the club, working hard, closing down and taking the chances when they came. His goals were as predatory as they were welcome.

But the most welcome sight was a grinning Brummie making his first start of the season after injury. Yes, the warrior was back, and the defence looked all the more solid with Andy Whing there to marshall it. His departure, utterly exhausted in the 81st minute produced a spine-tingling standing ovation. That was the second remarkable crowd reaction, as a few minutes earlier when Craddock had scored his fourth, the chant had been “Beano, Beano,” a comment on how the talismanic Constable had unselfishly worked to give Craddock his chances.

But it was Tom Craddock, quite correctly, who took the plaudits,  and became the first Oxford United player to score 4 goals in a game since John Durnin did at the Manor Ground against Luton Town in 1992. For the record, I was at that game too!

Substitute

19 Friday Oct 2012

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Wednesday 17th October 2012 ko 19.45

Northern Premier League Division One South

CARLTON TOWN 1 (Naylor 84)

HUCKNALL TOWN 0

Att 138

Entry £8

Programme £1.50

Badge £3

Another of those grounds where I turn up, and another hopper says, “This is a re-visit for you isn’t it?” It wasn’t and I don’t quite know why I hear the comment so often. In this case my location just east of Nottingham was probably the reason, as I’d picked up fellow organiser Chris Berezai on the way there.

Carlton is probably best known as being the birthplace of “Porridge” actor Richard Beckinsale, but the Bill Stokeld Stadium actually lies in Gedling next door. The entire area was the heartland of the Nottinghamshire coalfield, notable for the miners not striking during the 1984-85 Miners’ Strike. Not many signs of coal mining exist here these days, just the garish glow of out-of-town shopping centres and fast food restaurants.

It’s these “Developments” that created the ground as we know it. The ground was moved in the first few years of the new millennium, a little way along Stoke Lane so as to accommodate a new relief road. The club is indebted to the efforts of chairman Bill Stokeld, whose work got the ground fit for first the Central Midlands League then the Northern Counties East, and today the Northern Premier League. Perhaps that’s why the ground lacks a real focal point, all the seats are behind one goal, in the form of prefabricated stands. It doesn’t help that the ground is next door to the local sewage works, although it didn’t stop me sampling the catering!

There were the obvious reasons to be there, the company, and a new tick but there was the opportunity to catch up with Sam Hodkin, an up-and-coming groundhopper. He’s studying at Nottingham Trent University and helps out stewarding at Carlton on a voluntary basis, although they do feed him at half time! I wish I’d done something similar when I was a student, it would have been more fun than picking books, and checking London bus tickets for a survey!

The company rather made up for the game. At a location marginal at best for getting home at a sensible hour for an early start the next day it didn’t help that there was no sign of the referee! The club blamed the local FA for not informing him of his appointment, but the situation was improved when the senior linesman took the whistle, but that left a vacancy on the line. Former Nottingham Forest, Sheffield Wednesday and Oxford United forward Nigel Jemson was asked, but ever the shrinking violet, he declined. Eventually a local, qualified referee volunteered and around 10 minutes late, the game kicked off.

As I said earlier, the company made up for the game as this was two struggling sides fighting for scraps at the bottom of the table. For the vast majority of the game Chris’ run of 120 games without a 0-0 looked in real danger. He does however, have a failsafe, and that’s phone call to his mate Richard. So, in the 84th minute out came the Blackberry, and as he went, ” Hello Richard,” Joe Naylor smashed in an unstoppable drive from just outside the box! Whatever it takes to get a goal I suppose……

Conspiracy Theories

18 Thursday Oct 2012

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Tuesday 16th October 2012 ko 19.30

Western League Division One

CRIBBS FRIENDS LIFE 1 (Bone 63)

HENGROVE ATHLETIC 2 (Fear 18 Bament 81p)

Att 94

Entry & Programme £5

It seems that this season I’m destined so spend my weeknights blasting through the byways of Gloucestershire before reaching the M5 and Bristol. From there it was a short drive further south to Cribbs Causeway and its huge shopping centre, then on to the Friends Life Sports Ground, in nearby Henbury.

The insurance company used to be called Axa, and the club bearing that company’s name gained promotion from the Gloucestershire County League for this season. That was a convenient time for a name change, reflecting the take-over of Axa by Friends Life. On a personal level, I have history with Axa’s Bristol operation, they turned me down for a job many years ago, for reasons I still cannot fathom!

Promotion meant floodlights were necessary which were not an issue for a profitable business at an out-of-town location, so I found myself at a first game under lights for the second time in a month! The hundred or so there, included many other hoppers showing,if nothing else, that floodlit grounds reachable on a midweek are at a premium!

The  ground, has one major quirk, and that’s its access. From Cribbs Causeway the ground is accessed by having to U-turn at 2 roundabouts to access a turn inaccessible travelling in the opposite direction! Once there, its typical fare for a sports ground, the clubhouse plush but the pitchside exposed and the only cover provided by a “Meccano” stand. That was commandeered by a crowd of young boys fooling around in the corner. I found it hard to imagine myself at their age following a works team. Still, they shouted loudly for their team which is a good thing, and I just moved away so as to regain my senses!

The game was a decent advert for the division without ever hitting the heights that at times the team’s promising league positions theatened to do. Mark Fear headed Hengrove into the lead, his job made easier by Ben’s Bament’s fine cross. The moment of controversy led to Cribbs’ equaliser. Luke Crewe’s heavy tackle saw him both booked and injured, and he left the field for treatment. As play continued, he called to come back on, but was refused permission by referee Mark Dadds. His manager commented, ” He won’t be allowed back on until they score……” just as Simon Bone curled in an exquisite shot from 35 yards! Sometimes you need to be careful what you wish for!

In the end it didn’t matter, Bament’s speedy run into the box was crudely curtailed by Elliott Saunders, and Bament took the penalty himself, finding the bottom left hand corner. Probably a fair result, and I forgot completely about that job interview!

Reverlation!

15 Monday Oct 2012

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Sunday 14th October 2012 at 20.00

Paul Morris and the Reverlators

At The Bullingdon Arms, Cowley Road, Oxford

Entry £5

 

I’ve got used to seeing a steady succession of covers bands at Sunday Blues nights at local venues. Entertaining enough, but the lack of originality means I seldom head back after the interval.

Paul Morris’  trio offer something different, after all anyone who’s prepared to try out a Diddley Bow mid-set is nothing if not brave! This band specialise in slide blues, with a touch of gospel, their version of “When the saints go marching in,” needs to be heard to be believed! The influences are all correct too, the set was closed with a version of “Shake Your Hips” that started off as close to its relative, ZZ Top’s “La Grange,” but ended more like the classic Rolling Stones’ version of the Slim Harpo classic. Another highlight was a faithnful reproduction of Muddy Waters’ “I can’t be satisfied.”

It’s a tough business to be in, and even more so if you play the blues, but there’s something endearing about Paul and his band. Mind you there’s real fire in that slide guitar, and there was plenty of the band’s own material to keep the crowd involved.

Here’s the websites, go and see them, I promise you’ll love them.

http://www.reverbnation.com/c./poni/144982152

http://www.facebook.com/#!/paulmorrisandtherevelators

 

 

The Swedish Connection

15 Monday Oct 2012

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Sunday 14th October 2012 ko 10.30am

Upper Thames Valley League Division 3

ABBA ATHLETIC 1 (Harwood 78)

FC HAGBOURNE 3 (Moon 19 Lawson 73 Wallsworth)

Att 12 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

It was about time I did another Sunday League ground, and ABBA Athletic now play at Sunderland Drive Playing Field, in Bicester rather than at Kirtlington where I saw their Banbury & Lord Jersey side around 18 months ago. ABBA remain very much the baby of Tony Bagnall, one of the few stalwarts of local football to gain national recognition, being awarded an MBE 2 years ago. But why the name, I hear you ask? The club was originally formed as a revival of another Bicester club, Southwold but when the club was registered it was discovered that there were still unpaid fines due from the old Southwold club. Rather than face that liability the officials opted to choose another name who what to choose? It just so happened that “Money Money Money” by ABBA was playing on the radio at the time…… I’m just pleased Brian Hyland’s most famous hit wasn’t on the radio then!

ABBA, were set up and remain a real force for good. Half of all funds raised goes to charity, and Tony’s benevolent influence means the game is played for the right reasons, fun and fitness. To a backdrop of gliders taking off from Bicester Aerodrome, formerly RAF Bicester the two sides played an entertaining game, on a slippery surface. I can certainly report just how slippery, as I went flying when returning a ball!

There really wasn’t much between the two sides, besides slightly better finishing from the visitors. Jon Moon blasted home for the opener, before an exchange of goals from Andrew Lawson for Hagbourne and Wayne Harwood for ABBA maintained the one goal difference. A point would have been fair but Thomas Wallsworth stole in at the back post to give the game a slightly unrealistic margin of victory. Of course the real winners here are the legion of young people under Mr Bagnall’s guidance. Long may that continue.

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When Three Into One Does Go

14 Sunday Oct 2012

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Saturday 13th October 2012 ko 15.00

Northern League Division Two

CROOK TOWN 3 (Hodgson 10 Davis 55 Byrne 76)

NORTH SHIELDS 1 (Nolan 65)

Att c160

Entry £4

Programme 50p

Badge £3

So many choices, on “Non-League Day,” including a Mancunian triple, but I’d heard good things about Millfield, so gambled on it being worth three games elsewhere. Carry on dear reader and you’ll see why Lee and I got it absolutely right.

On the face of it, Crook is a rather unprepossessing market town, in agricultural County Durham. In fact, its the town’s football team that is the principle source of fame for Crook. For older readers the club’s exploits in the FA Amateur Cup may be how you know Crook but if you’re from Catalonia the reason for knowing them is that they had a part in the establishment of Association Football as principle sport ahead of bullfighting in the region, and in particular the rise of the collossus that is Continue reading →

Moonraker

11 Thursday Oct 2012

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Wednesday 10th October 2012 ko 19.45

Western League Division One

CORSHAM TOWN 4 (Baker 7 Lye 39 J Moss 71 Moore 73)

WARMINSTER TOWN 0

Att 146

Entry £5

Programme £1

Teamsheet FREE

Whenever I venture south and west from Oxford, within a few miles you notice the accents change. The “Town” part of Oxford speaks with an approximation of the “Estuary” accent, but once you’re past Witney the country burr soon takes over. It’s a hangover from the days when the woollen industry went no further east than the Earley’s blanket factory in Witney, and listening to the people before the game reminded me of the story Oxonians used to tell of their country cousins. It consisted of the country folk thinking they could scrape gold from a pond at midnight, presumably because of the reflected moonlight. Bunkum of course, and I greatly enjoyed my trip to this corner of Wiltshire. Continue reading →