What Is and What Should Never Be

24 Thursday Oct 2013

Tags

Daniel Jacecko, Larkhall Athletic, Led Zeppelin, Nat Auckland, Raith Plant, Raleigh Grove, Sam Farthing, Sherborne School, Sherborne Town, Walter Raleigh, Western League

Wednesday 23rd October 2013 ko 19.30

Western League Premier Division

SHERBORNE TOWN 3 (Day 15 28 Plant 75p)

LARKHALL ATHLETIC 4 (Casey 13 Auckland 56p 90p Hobbs 63 )

Att 106

Entry £5

Programme £1

It did seem strange seeing a Western League game in the historical capital of Wessex although the location does lend itself better to the club’s current league!

The town is best known for the castle built by Walter Raleigh in the 16th century, and Sherborne School, one of the top independent schools in Britain, boasting alumni, including Alan Turing, Jeremy Irons, Chris Martin (of Coldplay fame) and John le Carré.

The town’s football ground Raleigh Grove is a nod to the famous former resident. It lies just out of town, on the south side, as part of a larger complex, Terrace Fields which includes two cricket pitches. As I arrived a group of horse boxes were leaving, and at first glance I wondered whether I’d arrived at a late postponement. The club admitted that earlier in the day a postponement looked inevitable, heavy rain had left the pitch underwater. The formality of a pitch inspection was organised for 3pm, but there was warm sun, and strong wind and the pitch wasn’t just fit for play, it played perfectly.

If ever the maxim that “Stadia do not make clubs, people do,” was the case this was the prime example. I had a chat with both clubs’ officials before kick off and each and every one was a joy to deal with, a real credit to their respective clubs, the Western League and football in general. I found time to try the club’s delicacy Continue reading →

Two paths you can go by

03 Monday Sep 2012

Posted by laurencereade in M

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Tags

Cae Glas, GroundhopUK, hog roast, Jimmy Page, Kerry, Led Zeppelin, Luke, Mach, MACHYNLLETH, Matt Mumford, Mid Wales Hop, Mid Wales League, Mumford, Owain Glyndŵr, Robert Plant, Stairway to Heaven, Vickers

Sunday 28th August 2012 ko 6.30pm

Mid-Wales League Division 2

MACHYNLLETH 0

KERRY 4 (M Mumford 28p 36 Vickers 71 L Mumford 89) M Mumford missed penalty 63

Att 347

Entry/ Programme Hop Ticket

Tea 50p

Raffle £1

Team Sheet 20p

Poster 50p

Hog Roast £2.50

I suppose the first question you have to answer is this one. ” Mach-unt-leth!” Not exactly, but hopefully you get my drift! After the fireworks at Aberdyfi we headed back inland and soon arrived at the town that was the seat of Owain Glyndŵr’s Welsh Parliament in 1404, and as such claims to be the “Ancient capital of Wales”. However, it has never held any official recognition as a capital, but you are still very much in “Welsh Wales,” here. In more recent times Jimmy Page and Robert Plant wrote the Led Zeppelin classic “Stairway to Heaven,” at the 18th century Bron-Yr-Aur cottage near the town.

At Cae Glas there was no lack of activity as the club made the most of their opportunity. A hog roast had a near-permanent queue, and the two girls selling raffle tickets should go into business, they were so persuasive! Mach were the only club to sell teamsheets, and there were so many prizes for the raffle it took more than half-time to complete the draw. Chris and I helped out with the line-ups board, and noticed that the crowd count would take time, the place was getting quite full!

The little stand filled quickly and I propped myself against its wall to watch the game and chat to the club officials. They soon became dismayed as Kerry’s tactics became all to clear. They simply waited until Mach attacked, looked for any weakness at the back when they did, and ruthlessly counter-attacked, Matt Mumford open the scoring with a penalty, and soon broke clear to make it 2-0. Mach certainly didn’t ever look a side destined to be on the wrong side of a heavy home defeat, but try as they might the goals kept coming.

The second half followed the same blueprint, Kerry even being able to miss a penalty. Luke Vickers was put clean through top make it 0-3 and the coda of Luke Mumford firing home for the winner was a fair summary of what had preceded. Still Machynlleth’s fans and committee smiled, made new friends, and probably realise that few other clubs will come to Cae Glas this season and come away with three points.