Oundle Town

OUNDLE TOWN 1-3 CROWLAND TOWN

Saturday 31st March 2012

Peterborough & District League Premier Division

Station Road, Oundle, PE8 4BZ

Today was a case of using up a get out of jail free card as Oundle got us (Dave and myself) out the proverbial shitter. It had been planned to watch Corby Khalsa v Welford Victoria in the Northants Combination (NC) Premier Division, which we thought was being played at Corby Rugby Club. Well following a pre-match drink in the nearby JD Weatherspoon outlet, The Samuel Lloyd we arrived at Corby Rugby Club to find no sign of Khalsa or Welford. When I enquired about this I was told that Khalsa had moved to CTC. I was given directions but with it already 2.30pm decided to check the Peterborough League website on my phone and as luck would have it Oundle were at home with a 3pm kick-off. I suppose we could have stayed where we were and watched Corby United v Ferrers FC in the NC division 4 but it did not appeal in the slightest.

Following the ten mile drive eastwards we arrived at their ground on Station Road with around ten minutes to kick-off. There is a small car park on site with additional parking on the grass behind the near goal and a social club. The pitch was railed off on three sides with brick dugouts on the right hand side. It is a pleasant setting though it would have been nice to escape the biting wind.

Oundle itself is a small town located in north-east Northamptonshire and sits on the River Nene. The population is around the 5,500 mark. When driving through the town centre it reminded me of the quaint towns you see in the Cotswolds.  

The football club were formed in 1883 and since 1910 have competed in the Peterborough & District League. Their debut season saw them finish in 4th place in divison 1. The first divisional title came in the 1954/55 season when the division 3 south was won following the runners-up position a year earlier. The PDL league title has been won just once and that came fourteen years ago in the 1997/98 season. The last five years have seen Oundle struggle and have finished in the lower half of the league table. This season at the start of play they find themselves in 11th place with 28 points from 23 league games. Opponents Crowland Town are three places and eight points worse off, but have played two games less.

The game was one in which both teams predominately cancelled each other out, certainly during the first half. The opening goal came for Crowland on 22 minutes with a volley from Simon Ingram, who turned in a cross from the right. After escaping from the wind at half time in the social club Crowland doubled their lead on 52 minutes. A through ball was slid past the oncoming keeper by Sean Treagus. Crowland took a grip of the game and it was no surprise when they got a third. It came on 69 minutes from Simon Ingram but to be honest I could not tell you anything about it as my attention was caught my a bought of handbags at the other end. Oundle then decided to get their arse in gear and show a bit of pride and deservedly got one back with fifteen minutes remaining. Darren Paling side-footed a volley home from eight yards or so out. Both teams then created a few half chances each in the final throws of the game and Crowland comfortably saw out the game.

Not the best game and not the worst either. If anyone knows where Corby Khalsa now call their home then please let me know. Also if anyone from the Northants Combination is reading this please update the details on the official website and mitoo.

Admission / programme: none

Attendance: 14 (h/c)

A slideshow of 30 photos taken can be viewed below: