Tuesday 6th December 2022 ko 19:45

Spartan South Midlands League Division One Cup Quarter Final

MOULTON 3 (Evans 32p 46 Ansu 87)

NORTHAMPTON O.N. CHENECKS 1 (Ling 61)

Parsons sent off (violent conduct) 52

Att 92

Entry £5

Programme £2

It is a fact of life that whenever either a new ground opens, or a club is promoted to Step 6, the groundhoppers will make a beeline for it. Part of it is something of a mystery to me, surely the grounds to target are the ones that are facing demolition? The other part of it affects those of us who ticked off everything with a set of floodlights within a reasonable distance from home. From my perspective, at the start of the season I suddenly had the likes, of Eaton Socon, Moulton and Fleetlands, all within a couple of hours from home. Issues over Fleetlands’ floodlights have delayed my visit, and you can take it as read I won’t be visiting on a Saturday. 

The other angle is the league. I’m seeing quite a few hoppers making a beeline to Hucknall Town’s new ground. They ply their trade in the United Counties League. There’s hop at the end of July that will feature Hucknall, on a weekend when there’ll be next to no competitive football on. Mind, you as one of the organisers, my touch of self-interest means I’m also delaying my visit so as to avoid having a weekend of revisits!

Speaking of the United Counties League, there was a time when I would have expected to have featured Moulton on a UCL hop. So much so that I remember the other Northampton-based clubs, including nearby Sileby Rangers, and the ON Chenecks attending meetings for prospective host clubs. It is a real shame that as it stands, boundary changes will mean these clubs will never host. 

Not that Moulton were there, even if there were links between the managements of the Northants Combination and the UCL- they shared an office! After my visit, I have a funny feeling if we took a groundhop to Brunting Road the hoppers would love the club.

That may come as something of a surprise to some, this a 3G pitch in a cage with an “Arena” stand after all. But Moulton are one of those clubs who gets all the important things right. From the friendly bloke on the gate, to them posting the line-ups, to a well thought out programme, this is the kind of place where at no point did it ever feel difficult to be a supporter. Let’s face it any professional club will not be able to claim that!

I tend to look at divisional cup competitions with a little doubt; all too often they’re not taken particularly seriously. The red card shows that wasn’t the case on this occasion, with both sides providing an entertaining game on a cold evening out.