Runcorn Town (26-09-2015)

Runcorn Town 5 – 0 Squires Gate (NWCFL Premier), Saturday 26 September 2015

Train ticket (Manchester-Liverpool South Parkway) = £12-30
Train ticket (Liverpool South Parkway-Runcorn) = £4-40
Entry = £5
Programme = £1-50
Tea x2 = £2
Total = £25-20

For the second week in a row, I was heading to Merseyside, this time to see Runcorn Town. The trip represented something of a nostalgic visit down memory lane, passing places I’d been to in my student days – Spike Island and the remnants of Holly Park (which is now the plush new Liverpool South Parkway station). As with last week, I deliberately ‘broke’ the train journey, and saved £1-70 in the process!

Runcorn is about an 8 minute ride from Parkway, and the ground was c1 mile away so this was an easier one today. After wandering down to the Mersey and a brief meander into the centre, I headed off to the ground. As I walked I became very maudlin, pondering back on my student days and other things – today (a bright sunny day) was not a day for such miserable thinking, so I banished such negativity as I reached the ground. The ground was buried at the back of a sports ground which sat next to a chemical works (Ineos? Viridor?). The ground’s name – the Pavilions – obviously came from the impressive club-house/community centre which guarded the track down to the pitch. In fact, there was even an old pitch, together with a robust-looking stand and the obligatory metal railing. There is probably a story there, but I couldn’t find any reference to it in the programme or club history.

The game should be a straightforward win for Runcorn, as they sat in the play-off positions, whilst Squires Gate (of Blackpool) had only 4 points so far. The away side registered the first effort when Riley headed over after a quick counter-attack. After that, it was almost all the home side – named the ‘small team from Weston’ on one of the pitch-side signs. On 7 minutes, Marvin Molyneux made it 1-0 with a simple header. After further efforts from Paul Shanley (it looked like it scraped the post) and a volley from their number 6, Runcorn doubled their lead when Ablewhite fired in a rebound after a solid save from Fletcher. Squires Gate barely created a single meaningful chance, with Riley just about squeezing out a weak shot from the edge of the ‘D’ and their striker flicking a header just wide. Then a ruthless Runcorn made it 3 when Shanley confidently slid the ball past the beleaguered away keeper. Molyneux then found himself clean through after a defensive error, but could only force a save.

There were some bright spots for Squires Gate, who were beginning to ‘touch and play’, as they forged some good passing moves in midfield. Cook on the right wing cut inside, and curled a left-footer just over. Just as they were starting to get a foothold, Squires Gate conceded again, with Shanley rifling in a low shot on the near post.

The second half was far more evenly matched, even though the game as a whole was over. Runcorn’s Molyneux headed onto the post early on, before Cook hit a right-footed shot just wide. Paul Shanley was excellent for the home side, taking the ball with confidence, showing great strength and tenacity. The Blackpool side then had a glut of half-chances, with McKendrick’s ambitious lob just flying into the arms of the keeper. He had another shot which flew ‘just over’ (I say that a lot but in this case it really was a matter of inches). Sadly, they could not convert, and Runcorn’s ruthlessness was emphasised when their substitute (12) slid it to Stephen Milne who made no mistake with the finish. The away side continued to threaten with the odd free kick and half-chance – with Riley’s set-piece tipped over by the home keeper. The main event at that point was when the referee blew for full-time before 90 minutes was up!

So this was a bit of an anti-climax. The game was over by half-time, and though Squires Gate looked much better in the second period, they were ill-equipped to cope with a tough and efficient Runcorn team. I ambled back to the station – no rush this time – and managed to get the 18:03 from Parkway, arriving through the door at 20:10. The list of grounds is getting shorter…

Liverpool (20-09-2015)

Liverpool 1 - 1 Norwich (Premier League), Sunday 20th September

Tea = £1-90
Mint tea = £2-20
Sandwich = £1-50
Ticket = £47
Train = £15-85
Bus to Anfield = £4
Programme = £3-50
Total = £75-95

So we're back at Anfield for the post-Gerrard era. Once again the team's early season form has been patchy, despite more and more investment over the summer.

The great thing about Liverpool's Autumn games is that nearly all the ones we are going to fall on Sundays due to Europa League...which means that I can do a non-league game on the Saturday. Today we'd made excellent savings on the train thanks to some advance tickets, costing £15-85 each!

So it was in relaxed mood that we arrived at Anfield, and after some photos of the developing Main Stand, we went straight inside to a familiar block MX. We were right next to the Norwich fans who had brought a big contingent despite the distance. No matter what happens to the fortunes of the team, Liverpool are still regarded as a 'big' club to visit.

On the pitch, the home side started well, seizing the ball with desire and attacking with pace. The best opportunities were crafted by Moreno's work on the left, with Milner firing into Ruddy's hands and then just wide. Sturridge, back after a long absence, looked ropey and lacking in sharpness. At one point hd got himself into a complete tangle when trying to shoot (and when hd should have let Coutinho have the ball). The Brazilian was excellent too, heading just wide after another swift move. At the Kop end, Norwich's best chances came with a header which drifted just wide, and when no 10 forced a save from Mignolet.

So far it was a familiar story. Plenty of possession but little real bite. Norwich seemed to come out more confident and for the first 5 minutes of the second half the Reds' defence was in disarray. Cameron Jerome was looking like a real threat up front. Then came the breakthrough for the home side when Danny Ings superbly controlled a through ball and rolled it past Ruddy with his second touch. I was pleased to see a young English striker score for such a big club again. But Liverpool's concentration wavered, and within 5-10 minutes Norwich had equalised. Mignolet came rushing out of his goal for a corner, completely missed the ball, allowing Russell Martin to control the ball and loop it over him to nestle in the net. Another defensive lapse had cost the home side.

Shortly after Norwich's 6 forced a fine save from the Liverpool number 1 - Mignolet is capable of moments of brilliance like that but cannot get the basics right (like catching a ball!). Coutinho had a gilt edged chance when he ran clear, but was foiled by a great one handed block by Ruddy. The Reds had plenty of possession and some of the passing in midfield was terrific but there was no end result. Thanks to some lacklustre finishing and determined defending, Norwich held on for a point. It hadn't been a bad game of football and there were several bright spots for Liverpool - the performances of Ings, Milner and Clyne for instance. As we headed off for the bus, slowly parading like penguins round the Main Stand, this felt like Groundhog Day. Liverpool FC - 'work in progress'.

Redditch United (19-09-2015)

Redditch United 2 - 0 King's Lynn (Southern League Premier Division), Saturday 19th September 2015

Train = £30-20 (£11-30 + £18-90)
Entry = £10
Programme = £2
Tea = £1
Total = £43-20

Redditch is one of the few Conference North away games I didn't manage to get to in 2008/09. On top of that I believe its the only ground from that season that I've not seen since. The club is apparently one of the oldest establish clubs in the Midlands, and in fact has played a part in King's Lynn's recent history, having beaten us in a play-off for the inaugural Conference North/South in 2004. Its funny how quick things change, but how much they stay the same - we're now both in the Southern League, and although King's Lynn are a reformed club, this felt like old times. Prior to kick-off I realised I'd not seen a Southern League game for some years now, with the most recent probably being my forays in the West Midlands in 2009/10.

Thanks to some online research, I discovered that I could save £15 on train tickets today if I bought 2 tickets, breaking the journey at Derby. This made a brief stop at Derby worthwhile, and I was quite pleased with myself at saving money before the day had even begun. Trains down were smooth, and I even had the joy of changing at the nearly-opened Birmingham New Street. Suffice to say the platforms are still appallingly dank and dark, but the main concourse and entrance is now much improved.

After a 40-minute ride out to Redditch, the end of the line, I had a wander through the town. There was a funfair in full swing in the centre, and I had a pleasant amble around in the sunshine, doing a loop from the centre and back towards The Valley. The ground was barely 1/4 mile from the station, and at the end of a proper tarmacked road. It had actually been featured in a recent issue of Groundtastic so I was looking forward to this one.

The ground was fantastic, with a set of sweeping terraces to my right, and a more compact standing area along the far side. The main seated area was a distinctive structure, consisting of a red balcony, and holding a bar/clubhouse at the bottom. This definitely lived up to expectations.

In bright sunshine, the game kicked off. King's Lynn made a strong start, attacking with verve and energy. In particular, Toby Hilliard was lively and looking like a real threat. At this point, the home defence looked all at sea, so I felt confident we could grab a goal early on. Sadly this was our best period of the match, and Redditch gradually got a foothold largely thanks to out-muscling us in the centre of midfield, and to some hesitant goalkeeping from Alex Street. With pretty much no chances registered for the first half an hour, they took the lead on 28 minutes when Jamie Ashmore slid the ball underneath an onrushing Street. Frustration began to show in the away ranks, with Zielonka's late tackle earning him a booking.

The second half continued in much the same vein. Street, in the away goal, mis-kicked a backpass, giving the ball away unnecessarily, and the nervousness seemed to permeate through the defence. We looked vulnerable, and it was no surprise when Redditch doubled their lead when Shearer had plenty of room to pick a spot from outside the box. For a while this seemed to spur King's Lynn into action. Hurst's drive flew over the angle of post and bar, and Clunan's cheeky lob over the home keeper dipped just over. For all our possession, there were relatively few chances, and every time the 'Reds' had the ball, they looked like scoring. Street was having a nightmare, hesitating when coming out, and lacking authority around his box. He was lucky to escape with a yellow card when he clattered into the Redditch striker hurtling towards him. But then he redeemed himself when he saved the penalty down to his right.

Like other games I've seen this year, tempers began to flare. Kern Miller stupidly head-butted Dubidat after tangling with the striker, and for some reason only got a yellow. Both managers made wise decisions when replacing these players to avoid any further trouble. We were seeing plenty of the ball but there were hardly any real chances. Lee Stevenson's weak drive went straight at the keeper, while Speight's acrobatic volley flew just wide. At the other end, Bunn drove a shot straight into the keeper's hands.

So, 2-0, and it was a disappointing result. We had struggled to cope with the physicality and determination of the Redditch midfield, and there was a real lack of penetration up front. Our start in the Southern League has been patchy to say the least, with a lack of goals, and points on the board. I'm confident things will get better, but I think this game showed why we have found our level, and won't be challenging for promotion this year.

Darwen (12-05-2015)

AFC Darwen 3 - 1 1874 Northwich (NWCFL), Saturday 12th September 2015

Train (Manc-Blackburn) = £10-10
Entry = £5
Programme = £1-50
Tea = £1
Pasty = £3-99
Water = 45p
Total = £22-04

Darwen is one of the 'final' non league grounds I've to see in Lancashire, and is one of the trickiest to reach by public transport. Three trains to Blackburn and a long walk would take me there today. I've been to Blackburn only once before, when we'd amazingly managed to get Liverpool tickets for their 3-2 win in 2012. I'd not seen much of the town then, so was curious to see what was there as I had spare time before KO. I found Blackburn to be a strange hotchpotch of different architectures, cultures and contrasts. I found a classic car display near the centre, and fell into conversation with a chap from Wigan who was visiting for the day. He was enthusiastic about cars, technology, and graphite and was telling me about how amazing technology was these days. I managed to get directions to the cathedral, where there was some kind of festival under-way. The cathedral evidently had a modern wing, with some older parts.

I ambled away from the town centre towards Darwen, passing down a street full of kebab shops and takeaways, Blackburn Ice Arena and then a clone shopping centre. I then passed Ewood Park on the left, and couldn't resist a couple of snaps of the empty ground.

Darwen's wonderfully named Anchor Ground lived up to my expectations. Next to the turnstile was an impressive set of gates with the club name on the top. The ground had one long seated stand on the near side, which adjoined the refreshment hut and bar. That end of the pitch was bedecked in green and white union jacks, marking the presence of the well supported 1874 Northwich. As I took my obligatory pre match photo the groundsman asked where I was from. I explained that I had come from Sheffield, but was actually a groundhopper - he seemed a bit confused when he heard my southern accent to throw into the mix.

The first half was gritty and fast, but with few real chances of note. Inside the opening 5-10 minutes, Northwich looked like they had scored when a header from a corner seemed to cross the line before being cleared away by a desperate defender. Darwen then somewhat fortuitously took the lead when Coote fired down a volley into the ground from the left side of the box. Their left back then forced a tip around the post, and Coote missed a fantastic chance when an away defender blocked his shot on the line. The Northwich keeper then missed a back pass, but the striker was so surprised that he missed it too!

The second half was more eventful, and began when Darwen's Gaul cut inside to force a save, before Kirk's drive flew just over. Then Darwen made it two when a fantastic passing interchange on the left between Coote and Hepple somehow threaded the ball through to Gaul who slotted home cooly. Cracking goal. But this is non-league and moments like that are matched by absurd moments. Barely a minute had passed before Northwich were somehow back in the game when a free kick appeared to deflect in off a Darwen hand. No one seemed to care though! As the away side poured forwards, tempers began to fray. Darwen's Lonsdale was booked for a late sliding tackle on Northwich's Kirk. The chances continued to come, with Coote's header flying a matter of inches wide, whilst Brandon saw a similar opportunity fly by the post. The away fans were berating the referee at this point - one of the best lines was 'you're as much use as a chocolate fireguard'.

Then as with the Bacup game two weeks ago, things spilled over. Darwen's Hepple left the Northwich centre back clutching his side on the floor, sparking a mini-melee involving all the players. In the ensuing fracas, Northwich's Kirk received a straight red (presumably for a violent act?) and the away manager was sent to the stand. Once all this was done, there was still time for Northwich's 14 to run through, only to be foiled by a fantastic reaction save. Then in a move reminiscent of Torres vs Barcelona, Darwen ran clear, with the ball eventually swept in by Prince. 3-1, and although Northwich could feel a little aggrieved, Darwen deserve some credit for the grit with which they applied themselves in the second period.

Ashton Athletic (05-09-2015)

Ashton Athletic 0 - 0 Atherton Collieries (FA Vase 1st Qualifying Round), Saturday 5th September 2015

Train = £4-30
Entry = £5
Tea x 2 = £2
Sandwich = £1-60
Total = £12-90

Last season I stood shivering at Ashton Town's ground during a chilly April End of season match. Today I was back in the town, this time for the more intriguingly named Brocstedes Park. I decided to get the train to Wigan, and walk straight from there. Ashton is not a big town so it didn't take me long to locate the ground, after walking over the M6.

Brocstedes Park was a tidy and well maintained ground, with the entrance gates painted blue and yellow and the terraces looking promising. After I entered the ground (and discovered the programmes had sold out) the sun came out, and I felt a sense of optimism that the season was now really in full swing.

This was an early FA Vase qualifier, pitting Ashton against their (fairly local) rivals Atherton Colls. Despite much industry from both sides, the first 20 minutes barely registered a shot on target. Then the Ashton's Blakeley was subbed for Cringle, and for some reason the game began to open up.

A weak header from Ashton's Adam Gilchrist was the first shot of the game, whilst at the other end Atherton replied with a drive from the right wing. Atherton's Ben Hardcastle and Ashton's Gilchrist were at the centre of their teams' attacks as they created more chances. Ashton had a spell of 10-minute dominance, culminating in a header from Rowlands which was comfortably caught by the keeper. At the other end, Colls looked lively, with a long ranger from Holt and a drive from Hardcastle testing the home keeper.

The second half grew into a stalemate, albeit a pacey and aggressive one. Ashton again had a brief period of possession and chances, with their captain heading over, before Cringle's low drive was well saved. Almost inevitably Atherton then had a glut of opportunities. Kirby and Hardcastle had shots solidly saved, while Mark Truffas curled another effort wide. Then almost on the whistle Gareth Peet had a clear cut chance, forcing a great tip around the post.

So to extra time, and I was starting to think that nobody would score today. Atherton's chances continued, with Hardcastle's shot tipped over and Nathan Battersby firing wide. Ashton then had a gilt edged chance when Kusoloka ran free on the wing, and had a unmarked player in the middle. When he shot instead of squaring it back it brought a furious reaction from his fellow attacker! Tempers were starting to fray now, and there was an angry confrontation between Atherton's Jimmy Moore and Ashton's Louis Edwards. The game was then halted while Ashton's Luke Holden received treatment for a nosebleed. The home side then very nearly won it at the death, when Daniel Regan's long range chip was saved, before Kusoloka went clean through and was foiled fantastically by the away keeper.

So it had finished a complete stalemate, despite at times threatening to break into an entertaining game of football. I hurried back to Wigan for the 18:22 train, making it through the door at 20:35. I realised that this is the third consecutive year when I've seen FA Vase games at this round go to extra time. I'll have to put a bet on it next season!