Crewe (27-02-2016)

Crewe 1 - 2 Barnsley (League One), Saturday 27 February 2016

Bus £1-80
Train £13-10
Tea £1
Ticket £22
Programme £3
Bus £1-80
Gum 50p
Tea £1-95
Total £45-15

Crewe is one of three League grounds I still have to see in the North West, so it seemed ideal for a closer hop on a nippy February day. The journey across was smooth, with a change at Stockport, so I arrived in the Cheshire town at just after 1:30. Today I'd decided to buy an away ticket, as the away side were Barnsley and I thought it would look dodgy if I gave a Sheffield address for a home ticket! I sorted a ticket for £22 and, after some external photos, headed off into town.

I have only been to Crewe itself once before, for a Chumbawamba gig at a distinctive venue called the Limelight Club. I wanted to see if it was still there, and also to explore the town a bit. After finding the club I stopped for a superb cup of tea to regroup. The town sadly was not worth seeing, and some parts felt more tatty than Walsall, which is saying something.

Wrapping myself up in layer after layer, I headed to Gresty Road. The away stand was directly opposite Crewe's impressive main stand, so I was well placed to take some decent photos. Although I had some trepidation about sitting in the away section, these were allayed by some friendly stewards and a relaxed atmosphere among the Barnsley fans. The stand I was in was a nice relic of an older age - as you entered through the back you could barely see the pitch for the low roof. This slowly came into view as you headed to the front.

Crewe were in the relegation zone, while the Tykes were chasing a play off spot, so there was plenty at stake today. Barnsley predictably started stronger, playing a high pressing game with 8 and 11 particularly pacey and aggressive. Their first clear cut chance came with a header from 26 which drifted over. Crewe rather surprisingly put up a stubborn resistance in midfield, and created their first effort when 10's long ranger was saved. Crewe's 11 was the dynamo of the whole team, driving them from box to box. Barnsley took the lead when 3 slid it in fr close range after ping pong in the penalty area. At the back Crewe still looked determined, particularly the impressive 6, who resembled Ryan Shawcross.

At half time it was pointless to try and get a drink as the queue was so long - only one booth for all these hungry away fans! Back on the pitch, and Crewe quickly made it 1-1 when 9 banged it in from inside the box. Game on. Slowly but perceptibly Barnsley gained the upper hand, winning key midfield battles and driving forward with purpose. They took the lead again when 26 bent a lovely free kick into the net. Late on they rattled the cross bar, and to their credit Crewe kept attacking. The 11 hardly stopped running all game - if they put in this kind of effort, they will hopefully avoid the drop to League Two.

The usual uneventful change at Stockport suddenly became interesting when the entire Man City squad strolled down the platform for a Euston train (off to the League Cup final). I actually queued up behind Kolarov in the Starbucks, where they had pre ordered a bunch of skinny lattes! You really couldn't make it up.

Like Walsall last week, I was shocked at how quick the journey was. I made it back to Sheffield at 6:40, home in time for The Voice!

Walsall (20-02-2016)

Walsall 1 - 2 Wigan Athletic (League One), Saturday 20 February 2016

Train £28
Ticket £22-25
Programme £3
Tea £2-20
Bus £2
Bus £1-80
Total £59-25

As I'm nearing the completion of grounds in Yorkshire and the North West, my attentions are starting to turn towards the Midlands. Wolves, Walsall and Notts County were 3 League grounds I'd not done, so I headed down to the Black Country today.

This was a bonus weekend, as I had partly expected to be at a Liverpool FA Cup game. That was kicked into touch with the draw away at Blackburn, and the subsequent loss to West Ham in the replay.

Walsall is a short ride out of Birmingham and the Bescot Stadium has its own station. I decided to go all the way into the town as I'd never been there before. Now I suspect I'll never do so again! The bits I saw were distinctly shabby and run down, with boarded up windows, hooded youths on street corners, and generally a feeling of deprivation.

The Bescot Stadium - or Banks Stadium to be more precise - was buried at the back of a big shopping estate. I found the ticket collection point easily, and headed into the ground. The layout and style was similar to Glanford Park, with 3 sides the same height with maybe 20 rows in each. The main difference was the impressive Topps Tiles stand to my right, which had two tiers. This seemed to be where the more vocal home fans were sat.

I'd picked a humdinger today, with both teams in the hunt for the playoffs or even automatic promotion. The game was fast and aggressive from the word go, though there were relatively few chances. At the centre of many Wigan attacks was the excellent Max Power,  who had scored that thunderbolt at the JJB back in January. Wigan took the lead when 24 scored with an absolute rocket of a shot, into the top corner. He then nearly stretched their lead with a free kick flying just over.

This was nicely set up for the second period. After a couple of half chances at either end, Walsall grabbed a superb equaliser when 8 rifled in a brilliant long ranger to rival the first goal. The Saddlers then had a good patch, with 15 forcing a double save from Jaaskaliwnin, and 12 firing wide. They both then forced the away keeper into further saves. It just seemed inevitable that Walsall would score again.

But this is the crazy game of football and Wigan weathered the storm. They began to pour forward with confidence and made it 2-1 on about 90 minutes, via 31s well placed effort into the bottom corner. The away fans - who'd travelled in numbers today - were jubilant and it took a couple of minutes for the pitch to be cleared of celebrating Latics! This had been a cracking game with 2 particularly excellent goals - and as it happens, these were the first on the Football League highlights on Channel 5 that evening.

I was in no rush, but somehow managed to make the 17:04 from the Bescot Stadium station, meaning I made it back to Sheffield by 7. It was a bit of a bonus to get back so early, particularly on a cold February day like today.

Stocksbridge (06-02-2016)

Stocksbridge 2 - 0 Chasetown (Evostik Division 1 South), Saturday 6 February 2016

Petrol £5 (estimate)
Entry £7
Programme £1-50
Tea x2 £2
Total £15-50

It was way back in October 2008 that I last visited Bracken Moor for a match, so I felt it was high time for a return visit. On a wet and cold day, I was glad to find at least one game on locally. Stocksbridge is about a half an hour drive from us and is one of only a few Step 3/4 non-league clubs around Sheffield.

From what I remembered, Bracken Moor is up a steep hill overlooking the town, not dissimilar to Mossleys Seel Park. I remembered right and after heading up the hill, I managed to nab one of the final parking spaces opposite the ground. The turnstiles are almost carved into an old stone wall on the outside of the ground, and entering brought back fond memories of my first visit here.

This is another 3-sided ground, with one covered terraced end and the impressive Jamie Vardy Stand. I found the latter, with its blue and yellow seats, well sheltered on a day like this.

On the pitch it was the away side Chasetown who saw most of the chances in the first period. 8 shot wide before 10s flicked header went just over and then 11 could only muster a tame volley from the edge of the box. Steels took the lead when their tenacious 10 rifled in a low effort from inside the box. It was a somewhat fortuitous lead but at least they had made the most of their chances.

The second half was box to box stuff. Chasetown started stronger, with 11 forcing a great save and then 9 having his effort tipped around the post. Stocksbridge responded with chances of their own, rattling the cross bar with 8s free kick and 9 firing over after great work by 10 on the right. Then came the killer moment, when 9 rolled in the ball to make it 2-0. Chase town to their credit didn't fold, and poured forward like before. C10 was a real menace on the left, and then 12 and 9 fired over in quick succession. Their final effort - which probably summed up a frustrating afternoon - came when 12 stretched for a low cross but couldn't quite reach it. They had been a little unlucky, but such is life in football some days.

After admiring the distinctive caged 'tunnel' (on steps) to the changing rooms, I headed back to the car. Leicester had beaten Man City earlier, and there was now serious talk on the radio of them winning the league. Could one of Stocksbridge's former players end up with a Premier League medal this year? Stranger things have happened.