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Free travel
Frecheville sounds rather like a Sheffield-based dairy, but is actually a football club on the South East of the city. In fact it is only about 3 miles from our house, so I decided it was finally worth a visit. I had nearly opted for Sheffield Wednesday today but then saw the crazy price of £36. This was completely free and involved no more than a 45 minute walk each way.
The ground is just off Birley Moor Road, but I reached it from the A57 side, taking back streets up hills to get there. It is actually both a cricket and football club, so the football was being played at the far end, down several leaf-covered steps from the main clubhouse and changing rooms. Frecheville have a small covered terrace area at the near end of the pitch, and the standard white pole along one side. On one long side was the obligatory blue rope separating the pitch from the spectators.
Frecheville have a reputation as a decent team in these parts, and I have heard rumours that they may apply for the NCEFL at some point. Dressed in a distinctive orange and black kit they started brightly, but Wombwell took the lead when Frecheville's 11 mistakenly headed back across his goal with the keeper stranded. This provoked a reaction from the home side, and they made it 1 apiece when 10 bundled in from close range after the away keeper couldn't hold onto a stinging shot. They then made it 2-1 with a goal from number 8, who found space in the box and turned and shot. The first half ended on a bit of a sour note, with Frecheville's 6 sliced down in an industrial tackle, before then himself launching into a high challenge. The referee did well to calm the melee which ensued.
After a full half-time break (not always the case at this level), the second period began. The skies were starting to darken so it definitely felt like a winter game. The home side extended their lead when their left-back scored a peach of a goal - right in the top corner - and began to look far superior to the away side from Barnsley. Frecheville's left winger ran half the pitch at one point and nearly scored what would have been an outstanding goal. The home side then rattled the angle of post and bar via the away keeper's finger-tips. Wombwell's main threat came when they were direct and launched the ball into the box - they were not going to win this game by skill.
Their keeper had a bizarre posture as Frecheville launched yet another attack, standing like a frog ready to jump! The fourth goal came when 15 turned a cross in superbly on the near post. To their credit Wombwell continued to toil away, and grabbed a consolation when 9 was brought down in the box and converted the penalty (right into the top corner).
Overall this was an entertaining match, far better than the awful one I had seen at Stocksbridge 2 weeks ago. On this evidence I will try to find other matches in this league as it is cheap, local and of a fairly good standard. I headed back to Handsworth via Richmond Park and made it through the door at 4:35, just in time for Final Score.
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