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Football: Wherever it may be

~ Laurence's football travels

Football: Wherever it may be

Tag Archives: AJ Stockford

Powerwalking

07 Monday May 2012

Posted by laurencereade in A, B

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Abingdon United, abingdon united fc, AJ Stockford, Ardington & Lockinge, Berinsfield, berkshire league, Jonn, Jonny James, Luke Saunders, Mark Ingram, North Berkshire League, Northcourt Road, Upper Thames Valley

Monday 7th May 2012 ko 2.30pm

North Berkshire League Charity Cup Final

ARDINGTON & LOCKINGE 0 James sent off 70 violent conduct

BERINSFIELD 2 (Ingram 40 Saunders 74)

Att 195 (h/c)

@Abingdon United FC

Entry and (8 page) Programme £3

It’s only about a mile from Abington Town to United, so I was in plenty of time for this one. In the car park I found a salutary reminder of the fact that no-one remembers a loser, a discarded runners up memento from the previous day’s Upper Thames Valley League Alan Alder Memorial Trophy.

If Abingdon Town has the cover, then United have both the clubhouse and the pitch. With only two areas of cover and a crowd over double that of my morning game, it was fortunate that the rain ceased, and the crowd could make use of all of the surround.

As is always the case, the committee was there en masse; why can’t other leagues do that for their blue riband events, and I witnessed the high levels of administrative efficiency as they made sure each player’s name did correspond to the number they were wearing.

And while all this was happening one person cut a nervous figure. Whilst Berinsfield’s AJ Stockford oozed confidence, club secretary Jackie Cullen paced nervously. Before the game, she kept busy putting up red and black balloons, during it she powerwalked round and round the pitch. So many finals, so many miles covered.

The game saw Berinsfield take on another Division 2 outfit more than capable of scoring goals. Ardington & Lockinge may be better known for racehorses, but they’re making their way back up the NBFL after spell away from the league. They made the brighter start too, Jonny James’ cross-cum-shot took a slight deflection and hit the bar. Berinsfield hit back as David Murphy fired  just over the bar after his intial effort was blocked by Ardington keeper Andrew Burt.

And as the half wore on Berinsfield worked out what would work for them. Captain Mark Ingram got an iron grip in midfield, and he fed AJ Stockford on the right who regularly outpaced his marker Ian Marshall. However, it was a different combination that created the opener. Brian Rawlings’ glorious cushioned lob bisected the Ardington defence and Ingram headed in, running through for a goal that would grace any stadium.

After the break Berinsfield made a fast start with Chris Murphy’s low drive grazed a post before the normally prolific David Murphy beat the offsite-trap to toe-poke the ball towards the goal. Burt somehow stretched behind to claw the ball away  then smother the loose ball just as Stockford was about to pounce. All the while Jackie paced…..

Although Berinsfield were very much in the ascendancy at 1-0 anything could have happened. The pivotal moment cam on 70 minutes when Jonny James chased a through ball, hugging the right touchline. He received close attention from Mark Ingram who shepherded him over the line none too gently. James’ reaction was to swing a punch at him. That missed, but it was not lost on either referee John Barlow, or linesman Adam Dewar, and James quickly was dismissed.

Luke Saunders replaced an exhausted Stockford and within 5 minutes he got Berinsfield’s winner. Again it was Rawlings who was the provider, his cross taking a slight deflection before finding Saunders who prodded the ball past a beaten Burt. The same combination saw Saunders’ bullet header hit the crossbar, before Burt saved brilliantly as Shane Harris followed up.

So the third trophy of the season, and as the final whistle went, the fans cheered, the players hugged, and Jackie finally stopped walking. She’ll have to go through it all again though, its the League Cup final. Same time same place, would you bet against Berinsfield making it 4?

Jackie on another lap





Community Champions

26 Thursday Apr 2012

Posted by laurencereade in B

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AJ Stockford, Andy Gillespie, Benson Lions, David Murphy, Lay Avenue, Mark Ingram, North Berkshire League

Wednesday 26th April 2012 ko 6.30pm

North Berkshire League Division Two

BERINSFIELD 4 (Stockford 21 79 Ingram 39p 62) Ingram missed penalty 42

BENSON LIONS 0

Att 57 (h/c)

80 minute game

Entry FREE

Programme (by Mick Birt) FREE

Tea-in-a-mug 50p

Bacon Roll £1

With the amount of times I’ve seen Berinsfield, it was about time I paid Lay Avenue a visit. At work in Banbury I watched the rain pelt down, and as I left the streets were flooded. It couldn’t be on, could it? It was on, and best of all it was being well publicised by secretary Jackie Cullen on the social media, and by Jackie picking up the phone to each of the gaggle of hoppers that nervously checked before heading out. As it happened, the pitch was in superb condition.

The village of Berinsfield lies about 7 miles south of Oxford on the road to Reading. It occupies the site of RAF Mount Farm, a satellite of RAF Benson, initially used to train bomber pilots. It was later taken over by the United States Army Air Forces, who used it as a reconnaissance base. From here stars including Bob Hope, Dorothy Lamour and Glenn Miller took off to entertain the troops in Europe. Miller performed for the US service personnel at the base in December 1944. From there he went to RAF Twinwood, boarded a Noorduyn Norseman single-engined aircraft, took off for Paris – and was never heard of again.

In 1957 the Air Ministry sold the airfield for civilian use. Bullingdon Rural District Council decided to build a new village – the first in England for 200 years – to be named after Birinus or Berin, a local saint. The word ‘field’ was added because the Americans called their base an airfield. To this day the village is markedly different to the obviously affluent villages that lie adjacent, Berinsfield is working class and proud of it, and the football club with its friendly welcome reflects this.

The club actually uses two pitches at Lay Avenue. This was to be the last game on the pitch used this evening, despite it facing the tea bar which did a roaring trade. The pitch will be rotated through 90 degrees, freeing up space for a children’s pitch. The “other” pitch will be used for first XI fixtures, and the rotated one for the club’s new reserve team. The club have just been turned down for floodlights.

It’s always more interesting watching a game with something riding on it, and with Berinsfield needing a point to take the Championship there was a real feeling of anticipation. With Benson Lions second from bottom it didn’t look likely that Berinsfield would miss out, especially when AJ Stockford (why does he always find a way into my reports?)  was at the end of a slick passing move to open the scoring. This was a very special game to watch, with a good playing surface helping both sides to play attractive passing football. It would be easy to paint the Lions as the fall-guys in the piece, but they matched Berinsfield pass for pass, and only missed out on a point from great keeping by Berry’s Toby Coffey, and bad luck.

Berinsfield doubled their lead from the penalty spot after Stockford was brought down. Captain Mark Ingram slotted away the penalty to end the first half and was asked to repeat the feat in the opening salvo of the second. This time, the kick was weak, and the shot was saved by Andy Gillespie. He made up for it after 62 minutes, heading home at close range.

I should apologise at this point to David Murphy, as in my War Memorial Cup Final report I stated that there are only 3 things in life are guaranteed, death, taxes and David Murphy scoring for Berinsfield. It was therefore inevitable that Murphy would fail when I saw him next! He came close though, dancing through the entire Lions defence, only for his blocked shot to fall kindly to Stockford who made no mistake from a full yard out.

As the game wound down the club made a lasting impression on the 5 or so hoppers present. Jackie Cullen came out with a tray with 5 portions of sausage and chips for the hoppers that had visited. She commented, ” You’ve come to visit, the least we can do is feed you.”  That’s 5 friends that club’s made for life, and reflects brilliantly on both the club, the league and the village itself.

As I drove out of the car park, something happened that summed up Berinsfield perfectly. I spotted 2 young lads wearing hoodies hanging around. I was just wondering, but then one of them grinned at me. It was AJ Stockford telling me to get home and start typing! Great people, great club, and congratulations on your championship.


Jackie



 

 

 

Death & Taxes

20 Friday Apr 2012

Posted by laurencereade in B, S, W

≈ 2 Comments

Tags

Adam Oram, AJ Stockford, Berinsfield, Brian Rawlings, David Murphy, nbfl, North Berkshire League, Sam Childs, Simon Kenny, Sutton Courtenay, Wantage Town, War Memorial Cup Final

Friday 20th April 2012 ko 7.30pm

North Berkshire League War Memorial Cup Final

BERINSFIELD 5 (Rawlings 45 90 Kenny 46 D Murphy 56 Ingram 90)

SUTTON COURTENAY 2 (Oram 33 Childs 37) Johnson sent off 85 (2nd Booking)

Att 340 (h/c)

Played at Alfredian Park, Wantage. (Wantage Town FC)

Entry & Programme £2

That’s right folks, a measly two quid. I mean, what of significance can you buy for £2 these days? Of course, if you like the NBFL it buys you a fantastic evening’s entertainment.

The match was hosted by Wantage Town, a ground I’ve visited quite a few times over the years. It used to be positively ramshackle, I once described the stand as looking like a scene from “Tenko” but on each time I returned there have been improvements. Firstly the stand was rebuilt, then the ground enclosed. Now there’s a turnstile block, and I would imagine the ground now meets Southern League standards.

This is the North Berkshire League’s Cup for first XI’s that aren’t in the top division. The fact of the matter though, is that Berinsfield for the last two years have been in an entirely false position. Continue reading →

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