Tuesday 9th September 2014 ko 18.15

Cheltenham League Division Two

ANDOVERSFORD 5 (R Cleal 41 57 Frewin 61 77 84)

PRESTBURY ROVERS 0

Att 16

Entry FREE

Programme NO

I suspect if you live to the east of Cheltenham, as I do, Andoversford is where you turn off of the A40 to head down to the Air Balloon Pub, then on towards Gloucester and the M5. Apart from passing the Marco Pierre White-owned Frogmill Inn, you do tend to by-pass the pretty village, which really is quintessentially Cotswolds in character.

The ground, a typical village sportsfield, is tucked away behind a small parade of council houses, and as you turn into the car park the agricultural vista opens out in front of you; perhaps that’s why the gaggle of hoppers stayed put at the back of the facility until right up to kick off to enjoy the view.

Alternatively it could have been to make a quick getaway to an alternative game as the referee failed to arrive. The players didn’t seem at all perturbed as the warmed-up, one even used an alternative means of stretching out as the clock ticked toward the 6.15 kick-off time. Eventually we saw why, the teams agreed that home official Ted Mansell would take the whistle, and he had a fine game, in fact the only suggestion that he wasn’t appointed by the league was that he wasn’t wearing a referee’s kit!

Mr Mansell had little or nothing controversial to decide upon; it wasn’t that there was that much between the two sides, two goals were obviously offside, and the others… well I won’t embarrass the Prestbury keeper by naming him.

The dusk fell quickly, it was a good job Mr Mansell turned them round quickly at half time, and by the time I’ll packed my camera away and headed for home it was almost dark.

That I suppose, signals the end of the non-floodlit midweek games for me for 2014. From now on, it’ll be back to the long-distance trips for a new ground during the week, I’ll miss the local game until the light returns, there’s so much in it to enjoy.