Colne (29-03-2014)

Colne 3 – 2 Stockport Sports (NWCFL Premier), 29th March 2014

Bus (Manchester-Nelson) = £9
iPaper = 40p
Raffle = £1
Programme = £1
Entrance = £5
Tea = 60p
Total = £17

Located just North of Burnley, Colne is one of the trickiest grounds I planned to visit this year. There is a train station, but even direct from Manchester this would involve a couple of changes, According to a friend in the rail industry, the absence of a direct Manchester-Burnley train line is frequently a point of debate, particularly as Burnley itself has two rail stations. So, today I opted to catch the wonderfully named ‘Witchway’ X43 to Nelson, which at £9 was considerably cheaper and quicker than braving the branch line to Colne. On the hour and a half’s ride from Manchester to Nelson, I got a real sense of reaching the furthest reaches of Lancashire as we rode through Rawstenall and Rossendale. I’d picked a sunny and clear day to make this trek so it proved to be a scenic ride through a string of Lancashire towns with stone houses and cobbled yards. I arrived at Nelson at about 1.30, which gave me plenty of time to make the 3-4 mile walk to Colne, which was even further up the road. The two towns seem to merge together, though I’m sure the locals would argue there is a clear dividing line!

Colne’s stadium is located on Harrison Drive, at the end of a cul-de-sac and up a hill, and set against some impressive scenery with a view across the town and nearby moors. Technically the ground was called the XLCR stadium for sponsorship reasons but I prefer to refer to it as Harrison Drive. After all, the road name is unlikely to change for years to come, whereas sponsorship deals come and go. As expected, entry was £5, and I wandered around the ground taking photos, before settling down in the main stand for a well-deserved sit-down. The ground had covered terraces behind the near goal, and a long sweeping stand to the right, with the rest uncovered and open to the elements. The nicest feature was what looked like a huge stone bench on the far side, where one man and his dog sat surveying the players as they warmed up.

Today’s teams were separated by 5 points in mid-table, with Colne just above Stockport in the NWCFL Premier Division. Neither team had anything to play for, but you wouldn’t have known that from the game. Colne opened the scoring inside 7 minutes, with a scuffed shot from Barski. Shortly after, the Colne goalkeeper put himself under pressure when he tried to dummy and shimmy a back-pass round an oncoming striker – he just got it away on time!  Stockport edged back into the game, with Halfacre having a side footed shot saved, before the home keeper pawed away a free-kick heading for the top corner. Barski could and perhaps should have made it 2-0 when he rounded the away keeper and could only slide it agonisingly wide from close range. Half-time arrived, and I wandered around for some more pictures, and enjoyed the music on the PA system – ‘Hey Baby’, ‘Rock DJ’ and ‘Mambo Number 5’.

The game re-started fiercely, and some contentious tackles went flying in. A rough two-footed tackle from Stockport’s Tom Bane brought a furious reaction from the Colne right-winger, who literally stamped his feet on the ground like a toddler having a tantrum. The referee hadn’t looked like he would react to the incident until this, but when he spoke to his linesman, he handed the unfortunate full-back a straight red. While he had gone in high and with two feet, I don’t think it was a straight red. I think the decision was reached because of an earlier incident when he had been warned in the first half. An even game now turned in Colne’s favour, and they doubled the lead on 53 minutes with a curling free-kick from Chris Anderson. The vocal home crowd (the Red Army) were relaxing now, and some hilarious chants came from the terraces – in reference to their right-winger, and to the tune of ‘He’s Got the Whole World’, they sang ‘He’s got a pineapple on his head’. I had to crack a smile as I still struggle to understand why current haircuts leave so much hair uncut!

Stockport looked dead and buried, but got a lifeline on 66 minutes, when Crowe rifled in a superb free-kick hit with pace. This set the game alight again, and Stockport had a spell of unlikely pressure. Incredibly, they levelled when Walley headed in after a cross from Crowe caused chaos in the home penalty area. It was anyone’s game now. Just as Stockport looked like they had got back into it, they were reduced to 9 men when Jordan Young was red-carded on 82 minutes. He’d shoulder-barged a player in what looked like an innocuous challenge, but some mouthing off at the referee resulted in a punishment for dissent. Colne took charge, and were rewarded with a penalty in the last minute of the game, which was coolly converted by Berwick to make it 3-2. My long journey had been rewarded with a great ground and an open and unpredictable game of football. A sprint to Nelson bus station, and I made the 17.27 back to Manchester. I even discovered that the ‘Witchway’ bus service has free wifi on board – a sign read ‘Free wifi on this bus…you won’t get that on a broomstick’!

Bamber Bridge (22-03-2014)

Bamber Bridge 2 - 1 New Mills (Evostik Division 1 North), 22nd March 2014

Train ticket (Manchester-Preston): £11-60
Entry: £7
Programme: £1-50
Raffle: £1
Tea: 80p
Oxo: £1
Hot chocolate: £2-25
Total: £25-15

Irongate is a magnificient name for a football ground, so I was looking forward to today's visit to Bamber Bridge on the outskirts of Preston. With the help of a newly-purchased Lancashire A-Z, I discovered that there was a cycle track which ran almost all the way between Preston station and the ground. I set off on the 3-mile walk with plenty of time to spare, and thought this could be a pleasant stroll with spring on the way. How wrong I was! Crossing over the River Ribble heading south, I was enveloped in icy rain and a vicious wind. I was glad I'd brought my hoodie and waterproof to cope with these type of conditions. After a while the wild weather calmed down, and I was able to enjoy the chilly walk a bit more.

I arrived at the ground at about 2.40ish, and joined a short queue to part with the £7 entry fee. Almost immediately as I went through the turnstile and down a couple of terraces, I was accosted by a man selling raffle tickets. I saw no harm in parting with a £1, and had change from the turnstile, so thought it worth a punt. I've never won a raffle so maybe my luck would change today.

I settled down with a cup of tea in the main stand, which ran along the right-hand side of the pitch as you entered the ground. The ground was a curious mix of modern and what I might call 'classic' features. I'm no architect and I guess there are more correct technical terms but there you go! The main stand seemed relatively modern, with the front row of seats elevated about 6 foot from the floor. This gave the feeling of this being a bigger stand than it actually was I suspect. A couple of older terraces round around the corner of the far goal, while the rest of the ground was pretty much uncovered (apart from the small area near the turnstiles). As I sipped my tea, I heard a group of blokes behind me chatting about various North-West non-league clubs. I wasn't sure whether they were home/away fans, or fellow ground-hoppers, and was even more confused when I heard an Australian accent in the mix!

Today's game was a crucial one for Bamber Bridge who were pushing for a top-5 finish and a play-off place. New Mills lay in 19th position, so this should theoretically be a straightforward win for the home side. Bamber Bridge started brightly, and after an excellent move on the right, Curtis Thompson rattled the post inside 10 minutes. They continued to attack and command possession, with New Mills content to sit and counterattack. As so often happens in these situations, the away side scored against the run of play when Raducio King slotted home after a swift piece of counter-attacking. The response from the home team was to attack even more, wih Tom Williams forcing a tipped save from Collinge in the away goal. Shortly after, the lively Thompson was brought down in the New Mills area, and the referee pointed to the spot. It looked like a certain equaliser - and so, of course, Collinge managed to block Waddecar's penalty with his feet. This was turning out to be a very strange game indeed. The day got even stranger when I queued up for a half-time oxo, and noticed ice cream on the menu at the tea bar! You'd have to be a real masochist to want ice cream on a chilly day like today.

Bamber Bridge came out looking strong, and like they really wanted (and needed) this win. There was a sense of urgency all over the pitch, and this was rewarded when Alex Taylor nicked a goal to make it 1-1 on 50 minutes. Marlow forced another save from Collinge, and it looked like this was going to be a one-sided second half. Things were shaken up again when Phil Doughty was sent off (apparently for preventing a goal-scoring opportunity). For a spell, New Mills looked like they could nick a goal, and get something from the game. Michael Smith missed a sitter when clean through, and had a free-kick saved shortly after. This seemed to galvanise the play-off chasers into action, and Matty Kay's drilled shot was saved again by Collinge (he'd had a busy day!). The game was starting to turn ugly, and New Mills' Melford Knight was booked for a late tackle as Bamber Bridge started to turn the screw. It looked like they could end up being frustrated until Alex Taylor planted a header into the net on 82 minutes. This was a huge win for the home side, who were now serious contenders for a play-off spot. Maybe next year, they'll be playing Evostik Premier football here? And maybe one day somebody will actually order ice cream from the tea bar?!

Congleton (15-03-2014)

Congleton 3 - 0 Winsford United (NCWFL Premier Division), 15th March 2014

Entrance: £6
Programme: £1-50
Raffle: £1
Train ticket (Stockport-Congleton): £8-60
Tea: 70p
Total: £18-10

Congleton in Cheshire was on my list as one of the cheaper and closer grounds to do. At 1 hour 14 mins journey time (according to National Rail) this looked like a comfortable one to get under the belt. Again utilising my Sheffield-Manchester season ticket, I changed at Stockport for the service bound for Crewe. After a pleasant ride through rolling hills (and with some sunshine threatening to break through), I reached Congleton. The Booth Street ground was located in the centre of the town, which was a brisk 20 minute walk from the station.

Nestled at the back of a cul-de-sac (and up a gentle slope), Congleton's ground was a fairly decent one. After attracting the attention of some locals when I took a photo of the sign outside, I made my way through the turnstiles (£6 entry!), and got my bearings. You have to walk up a couple of steps from the turnstile, and this brings you onto the corner of the pitch. To the left of me were two levels of terracing behind one goal - to the right was a hut for matchday programmes. As I walked further down past the hut, I noticed the club bar behind the main stand, and this was aptly titled the 'Bear's Den' (after the nickname of the club). The classic feel of the place was enhanced with the cage-like gate which was closed as the players entered the pitch. Behind the goal at the far end was an earth embankment, which was used as an impromptu terrace by a cluster of home fans.

The first quarter of an hour was abysmal, and I was pretty appalled by the standard to be honest. The main thing I noticed in this period was the impressive hills in the distance, which made this quite a picturesque ground! Plus there was the solitary bloke behind the goal with a football rattle! The game picked up, and Congleton began to dominate this Cheshire derby. First their number 11 cut inside to fizz a shot wide, before number 10 forced a save from Winsford's Nathan Beckett. They then won a penalty when their 11 was scythed down in the box, and this was converted by Andrew Langford (only just though as the keeper dived the right way and it just evaded his grasp). Winsford barely threatened, and the closest they came was when their right-back hit over from some distance.

At half-time, I made my way inside the Bear's Den 'to see a man about a dog'. Alongside their trophy cabinet (which looked a bit bare - no pun intended), stood a huge plastic bear, sporting the club's home kit. I'd not seen anything of the kind before, and chuckled as I made my way outside for the second half. Congleton again dominated possession, and just seemed to have that inch more fight. They doubled their lead on 49 minutes when a thunderbolt shot from Matthew Worrall nestled in the net before anyone knew what had happened. The unfortunate away side didn't have much luck in front of goal, and it said a lot that the main event at that end of the pitch was when the corner flag was blown away in the wind. They had half-chances fired high and wide, but just couldn't create or capitalise on anything clear-cut. Congleton continued to control midfield, and made it 3-0 when Koral was slipped through in the 90th minute. They'd overcome local rivals Winsford with relative ease, and made the 4-point gap (7 points after this) look even greater than it was. Winsford just had to grin and bear it!

Dronfield Town (08-03-2014)

Dronfield Town 4 - 0 Grimsby Borough (NCEL Division 1), 8th March 2014

Entrance £3-50
Programme £1
Petrol (18 miles round trip) £3 (estimate)
Total £7-50



After the long journey for last week's groundhop, I fancied a local game for once. I guess there is some irony in the fact that I travel all across the country when there are non-league games just up the road. Today I was revisiting Dronfield Town, who I'd seen back in October for their first floodlit game. The ground was within a 25-minute drive of home, and the NCEL is among my favourite leagues, so this ideal for today.

Having spent quite some time looking for a space to park on the road (car park full!), I wandered across the cricket pitch to the entrance to the Stonelow Road ground. They'd kept the entrance low again (£3-50) and this time, there were programmes available. Despite the lack of spaces in the car park, the ground seemed fairly quiet, with barely 20 minutes to go until kick-off. This was shaping up to be a low-key affair, with Grimsby in 17th and Dronfield in 16th in the league. Safe from relegation, and miles off the unfortunate Appleby Frodingham (with a goal difference of -81).

  

In the game I'd seen in October, Dronfield had overcome a tough Shaw Lane Aquaforce side in the league cup. They performed equally well in today's game, proving that they can hold their own against more established NCEL sides. Grimsby had a glut of early chances, with George Newby firing across the box on 12 minutes, and then Matty Hall forcing a superb save from long-range. Dronfield slowly began to control the game and dominate proceedings. Lew Naylor headed wide from a tricky angle, before John Doran had a fine left foot shot smothered by the away keeper, and Danny Wood fired wide after some superb build-up play. Against the run of play, Grimsby's Luke Fanthorpe put the ball in the net, only for it to be ruled out as it was offside. Dronfield deservedly took the lead when they poked in from close range on 44 minutes.

Half-time, and I reached for my flask of bovril. Spring hasn't quite sprung yet, so anything to help warm up was appreciated. Dronfield came out looking hungry for more goals, and doubled their lead when Doran flew into the box to plant a diving header low into the net. Grimsby's sole clear-cut chance in the second half came when Steve Davis (not the snooker player!) smashed the ball over on 75 minutes. Then a superb move between Wood and Gange produced Dronfield's number 3. Wood then made it 4 when he took advantage of some calamitous defending by James Petronzio. Grimsby's game descended into frustration and late tackles began flying in. The team from Cleethorpes had been well and truly outclassed today by a well-organised and well-drilled Dronfield Town, who continue to establish themselves in this league. Back to the car, and I had the pleasure of a short drive back home in the light!

Darlington RA (01-03-2014)

Darlington Railway Athletic 2 – 3 Thornaby (Northern League Division 2), 1^st March 2014

As we approached Darlington’s Brinkburn Road ground at about 5.30pm, there was still some light just about visible, which made a nice change from the dark afternoons of the past winter. I took a decent snap of the stand behind the near goal, which seemed to have had a couple of rows of seats rolled into it. Like many in this league, Darlington RA is a club which started as a works social club, before emerging as a community football club as local industry declined. I wonder if any of the current team actually work for the local railway these days? As it was dinner-time, I opted to try out the club cuisine, and settled down with a minced beef pie and a pork pie to keep me going. It seemed to be pretty much the only food on offer at the bar, but at £2 it was tasty and well worth the investment. A pint of Guinness washed it down very nicely, and I was able to sit and enjoy the Southampton-Liverpool game in the bustling bar. For once, I wasn’t complaining at the 5.30 kick off!

It was with trepidation that I left the bar and stepped out into the cold in time for kick off here. The temperature had dropped considerably since leaving the ground at Stokesley, and it was shaping up to be a cold evening. Maybe spring had not arrived just yet. No under-armour again, so I was relying on my Quechua jacket and hat and gloves to keep me warm. The game was well worth the wait in the cold. Thornaby (15^th in the league) started strongly, taking the lead with a header by Lee Blythway on 10 minutes, doubling it on 20 minutes, with a goal from Richard Walker. This was a turn-up for the books, as Darlington RA were 10^th in the league, and were probably marginal favourites for this one. The pace of the game was astonishing, and made this a really entertaining affair. Slowly, Darlington forced their way back into the game, and got a goal back on 38 minutes via their number 9 Steve Allison. David Webster then swivelled and shot, forcing a diving save from the away keeper. 2-1 at half-time and this was anyone’s game.

Darlington started the second-half as they had begun the first, and Webster fired an early free-kick just wide, before Adam Sakr hit straight at the keeper when it looked easier to score. Impressively, both teams maintained the pace and aggression of the first-half. For all their efforts, Darlington couldn’t find an equaliser against a bullish Thornaby side, and Liam Woodhouse made it 3-1 to the away side with a neatly slotted in goal on 83 minutes. Game over? Not quite – on 84 minutes, Allison grabbed his second of the game to set up an open finish to the match. Thornaby’s Joseph Melvin missed a great chance to make it 4-2 when he was completely unmarked inside the area. After that, the away keeper (Michael Duff) received a yellow card for time-wasting in his over-elaborate preparations for a free-kick. It finished 3-2 to Thornaby, in what had been a hard-fought and open encounter. Anyone can beat anyone in this league.

I note that the ground-hoppers had brought bad fortune to all the home sides today, as they had all lost! Hopefully that will be compensated for by the extra revenue brought by clubs’ participation in the ‘hop’. I trudged back to the coach back to Darlington station (improbably parked behind the stand I’d photographed earlier), and then walked a couple of miles to the local Travelodge. On a bright Sunday morning (the day of the League Cup final as it happens) I made my way back to the station, where I had breakfast and then made my way back to Sheffield in time for lunch. This had been another terrific hop – well done to the organisers, who must spend ages on planning and preparation. I may consider doing a part of the Easter 2014 hop when it comes around.

Stokesley (01-03-2014)

Stokesley 1 – 2 Tow Law Town (Northern League Division 2), 1^st March 2014

The second game of the October ground-hop (at West Allotment Celtic) was the highlight of that day, so I was optimistic that today’s game 2 would be equally as good. It didn’t let me down at all! After a coach ride from Marske, we arrived in plenty of time at Stokesley’s Broughton Road ground for the 2.30 kick off. After a cup of tea from a china mug – 50p! – I wandered around for some pictures before all the other hoppers arrived. The clubhouse actually adjoined the headquarters of the North Yorkshire County FA, so I took a photo for posterity. Was this the North-East or Yorkshire? Darlington and Middlesbrough were fairly close, but equally the ground was nestled close to the Yorkshire dales. This made it probably the most scenic ground I’d seen in the 2013-14 season thus far. The ground itself was neat and well-maintained, bounded by a wooden fence and with a solid walkway around the edge. The sun was shining, and despite the chilly breeze, it felt that spring was somewhere on the horizon.

 The game was eventful and competitive, and I’ve come to expect no less from the Northern League. Both teams looked evenly matched from the start, with Stokesley’s Reece Kelly firing over on 8 minutes, before Greg Peel hit wide shortly after.  Tow Law looked well-organised and unrattled by the early chances, and took the lead on 20 minutes. Stokesley continued to forge chances, with Connor Hood firing another shot over. They just couldn’t quite capitalise on their possession in the final third. This came back to bite them when Tow Law doubled their lead after Dean Thexton slotted in from a corner, and very nearly made it 3-0 when they hit the post with a header. 2-0 at half-time, and I was hoping this wasn’t going to turn into a rout like the game at Mount Pleasant.

The second half was superb, and both teams continued to play neat and organised football. Stokesley’s Matthew Robinson had a shot saved shortly after the break, before Simon Ord missed a chance to extend their lead on 60 minutes. Greg Upton, who seemed to be at the centre of action in the second half, then missed a half-chance to reduce the deficit. Tow Law were still strong in defence, but Stokesley now looked like they were capable of scoring. After some great passing through midfield, Upton made it 2-1 when he placed a terrific header past a stranded Joseph Longstaff. There was a game on now, and I was willing Stokesley to score as they had worked so hard for the whole game. Half-chance after half-chance was missed, and they couldn’t quite break down a stubborn Tow Law defence. Usually in these situations it comes down to one clear-cut chance, and this time it fell to Connor Hood in the 90^th minute. It was a free header, and he should have at least forced a save, but instead managed to head over the bar. That was the chance, and almost immediately as the goal kick was taken the final whistle was blown. Unlucky Stokesley, who had fought and played well for the whole game. Still I’d seen another decent game, and discovered another little gem of a ground. Onwards to Darlington!

Marske United (01-03-2014)

Marske United 0 – 4 Guisborough (Northern League Division 1), 1^st March 2014

Total costs for ground-hop = £126-04

Transport & match ticket = £25

Train ticket (Sheffield-Darlington) = £47-50

Travelodge = £39

Breakfast = £6-84

Tea at Marske = £1

Tea at Stokesley = 50p

Bovril at Stokesley = 70p

Hot chocolate at RA = £1

Pies at RA = £2

Guinness at RA = £2-50

After the 4-game Tyneside hop back in October, I was looking forward to this hop around Darlington & Cleveland, particularly getting to grounds which were off the beaten track. The day started at 5.50am in Sheffield to ensure I arrive for the 9.30 coach from Darlington. Bleary-eyed and blinking, I made it to the coach with ticket in hand, and was looking forward to the day with great anticipation.

Game 1 was at Marske-by-the-Sea, which sits between Redcar and Saltburn, and is just under an hour’s drive from Darlington. The ‘hopper’ coach arrived at the ground around 10.30, after a neat bit of reversing by the coach driver – how he managed to swing the coach past parked cars and into a narrow lane is still beyond me. Marske’s GEC Stadium (or Mount Pleasant if you disregard the sponsor’s name) was a somewhat ramshackle ground with plenty of character – it reminded me of Radford FC’s ground I’d visited back in December. There were a couple of levels of terracing as you walked round past the main stand, and on the far side the terracing consisted of an earth bank, just above the two dug-outs. The most distinctive feature was a blue sign near the entrance with painted gold lettering – asking spectators to mind their language, and to enjoy their day. It was like something out of a different era.

Today’s game was a local derby between Marske (MUFC!) and their neighbours Guisborough, so should be a tasty affair. The away side started more brightly, with Daniel Johnson hitting just wide early on, before a loose back-pass nearly put Marske ahead against the run of play. There was a palpable sense of frustration as both sides started to squander possession, and seemed hesitant to make the killer pass. ‘Hit the bloody thing’ yelled an old bloke next to me as more possession was wasted. Johnson deservedly made it 1-0 to Guisborough when he rounded the keeper, and the game really turned their way when Markse’s Liam O’Sullivan was sent off after tangling with an away striker. So far, Marske had held their own, but the goal and the sending off turned the game completely. The away side had further chances before half-time when Johnson was foiled by the Robert Dean in the home goal, and when Leon Carling (great name!) headed over just before the break.

The second half definitely tipped the way of Guisborough, and it was inevitable when they doubled their lead on 63 minutes with a goal direct from a corner. No way back for Marske now, and the game started to get increasingly broken up by poor fouls and late challenges. Daniel Johnson was a constant thorn in the side of the home defence, and the frustration showed when his namesake Johnson was booked for clattering him. Adam Gell fired two efforts wide shortly after, before Michael Roberts made it 3-0 and confirm a resounding victory. Johnson, who had been a constant threat throughout, then took a superb goal when clean through, curling it beautifully round the keeper. 4-0 and it had turned into a lunchtime trouncing for the unfortunate Marske. Back to the coach and on to game 2 at Stokesley.