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Saturday 28th August 2021 ko 15:00

Somerset County League Division 2

CHEW MAGNA 3 (Pickford 57 Dunleavey 69 Haskins 83)

CUTTERS FRIDAY 2 (Evans 23 Hargreaves 23)

Att c15 at Tunley Recreation Centre, Old Bath Road, BA2 0EB

Free Entry

On one level you could say I got this one wrong. I was seeing family in Bristol so wanted a game reasonably local, to the point that my nephew Che decided to come along. That may have been to prove to himself that not every game I see involves him getting soaked, as was definitely the case at Stockwood Wanderers last year! My options boiled down to two Somerset County league games either- Chew Magna or Clutton.  I got the family to vote on it and Chew Magna won out. So why would some say I’d got it wrong?

I only realised when I pulled in to Tunley Recreation Centre, and that I was around 11 miles from Chew Magna. The ground is of course home to Tunley Athletic and I clearly do need to brush up on my knowledge of the Somerset County League’s 3rd Division!  Could I have high-tailed it to Clutton? Probably, I had time but there was an interesting ground in front of me, and a game to watch, so why move? And who couldn’t love that little stand?

Anyone who enjoyed the Western League Hop’s no doubt will recognise where we were. That’s Radstock you can see in the background, I think the ground’s floodlights are just about visible!  The story is that until this season Chew Magna played in the village behind the school. The council subcontracted the running of the ground, and the new management decided to install a rugby side in their place. In the end they were able fortunate to be able to agree a groundshare at Tunley, but in local league terms, they are a long way from home- both literally and figuratively. 

Che and I certainly picked a memorable game to watch. When Cutters Friday took their two-goal lead, I inwardly started to write, “Troubled Chew Magna…….” but then the hosts found something within themselves. The second half saw them find real purpose, and their win was, I suspect as confidence boosting for them as it was stirring to watch.  I found myself quoting Adge Cutler’s lyric from “The Shepton Mallet Matador, ” immortalised by The Wurzels.

Oh ho make way for that Timsbury torero.
Ole, for that Somerset senor.
He’s a real West Country cavalero.
The Shepton Mallet matador.

La la, la la, la la la
Viva Chew Magna!

So after all that was I at the wrong game? I think you know the answer to that.