Thursday 26th April 2012 ko 6.45pm

North Bucks & District League Intermediate Division

STOKE HAMMOND WANDERERS 1 (M Read 30)

CITY COLTS 1 (Greening 12og)

Att 11 (h/c)

Entry FREE

Nothing for sale

Stoke Hammond is a small village about 3 miles south of Milton Keynes, and if you were deaf you’d never know you were near the new town! That’s because the village is right next door to the A4146 and the main northern railway line. The impact is a constant rumble, and a regular whoosh as the next pendolino blasts by. It is one of the 51 “Thankful Villages” which lost no men in the First World War, as first identified by the writer Arthur Mee in the 1930s.

The home team is a result of quite a merger. Stoke Hammond had a Sunday side but no Saturday side. Bletchley Trees (named after the Three Trees pub in the town) were dissatisfied with their home in a public park so merged with Woburn Sands Wanderers to become Stoke Hammond Wanderers. They decamped to Bragenham Side in search of better facilities, so I was surprised to see the visitors complaining at the size of the changing rooms. I had a look, and yes they were suitable for a tennis doubles competition! With City Colts having drafted in 4 reserve players, their reserve team manager Paul came along to watch, and spotted me from last week’s game at University of Buckingham and we had a good chat before kick off.

With a double rainbow above the ground, two sides with ambitions for the runners-up spot behind Great Horwood kicked off rather late I thought. As usual I was wrong as we got the full 90 minutes in with sufficient light.

Sadly the game failed to live up to the talents of both sides. Colts took the lead when a cross from the right was turned into his own net by Steve Greening. I fully expected the floodgates to open, but Colts were unable to kick on, and the game settled into a pleasant enough but ineffectual passing competition. Hammond equalised mid way through the first half, Michael Read evading his marker to fire home.

After that the main source of entertainment was club officials convincing the local constabulary that the alarm going off wasn’t the clubhouse one, and that therefore we were all there legitimately!

This draw will have gained little for either side, and for these two friendly sides another season in intermediate football beckons.