Saturday 21st December 2024 ko 14:00

Oxfordshire Senior League, Premier Division

BICESTER TOWN COLTS 1 (Patrick 39)

THAME UNITED RESERVES 4 (Johnston 3 64 Bonwick 46 Carr 55)

Att 4 at Bicester Sports Association, Akeman Street, Chesterton

If finding a far flung game on the Friday I finish work is part of my pre-Christmas routine, then finding one closer to home on the Saturday is too. The rationale is easy, I’m part of a pub quiz team, we organise a Christmas meal out each year and since one of us requires it, we eat early.

I’d been after the BSA Ground for a while, perhaps going to the other ground in Chesterton was a trigger, as was the fact that when Chris Wilder was Oxford United manager the BSA Ground was used as the club’s training ground. More than anything else though was the large dollop of irony associated at any club called Bicester Town playing at a ground owned by the Bicester Sports Association.

You may remember the now defunct Bicester Town playing Hellenic League games at Oxford Road. They folded in 2011 due after a dispute with the Bicester Sports Association who owned the ground. When the club reformed in 2015 they played out of Ardley United – not Bicester. That version of Bicester Town folded in 2018.

Oxford Road has lain derelict ever since and eventually will be swallowed up by the adjacent Bicester Village outlet shopping centre. Since then the BSA have concentrated their efforts at their site in Chesterton. Bicester Town Colts date from 1989 a seperate entity from the old club, based around youth football. They entered an adult team in the Oxon Senior League in 2017 as Bicester United, changing to the current name in 2020.

As you expect from somewhere that has served as an EFL club’s training ground the facilty is of very high quality, you don’t get many waterlogged pitches here. You will have to get used to the roar of the M40 in the background, but there’s a probability you crossed over it en route from Weston-on-the-Green. Chances are you’ll go nowhere near Bicester, I didn’t!

But what the makes the place a little unusual is the shooting range behind the dugouts. It is, for obvious reasons, very well signposted, and I did listen out for gunshots before climbing up the banking for the elevated shots! Brings a whole new meaning to shooting practice doesn’t it?

There was a friendly face with the visitors. Thame United Reserves manager is Joe Kitchen who runs Thomley, an education facility for SEN children. He knows my wife Robyn from her time working there so it was good to catch up, before the rains came and we all got soaked!

His charges looked like a good side too, taking an early lead through Matt Johnston’s thunderbolt, the hosts found their way back into the game just before half time, but Thame found an extra gear in the second half to force the tie their way. It was cold, windy and wet but for all of that an enjoyable game. Perhaps the point was that I enjoyed the meal out more- it warmed me up!