Belgrave

BELGRAVE 3-0 KINGSWAY RANGERS
Saturday 10th April 2010
Leicester & District League Premier Division
Co-op Sports Ground

My choice of game today is a top two clash in the top division of the Leicester & District League. The scenario is that anything but a win for Kingsway would allow Belgrave to put one hand on the title. A brief history of Belgrave Football Club is outlined below in a timeline format:

Timeline

1987...formed as "Last Straw 87 FC"
       joined the Leicester & District Sunday League Division 2
1988...started a Saturday side and joined the Mutual League Division 2
1990...promoted to division 1 of the Leicester & District Sunday League
1991...Saturday side switched to the Leicester City League Division 3
       stopped playing Sunday football
1992...Leicester City League Division 3 winners. Promotion to division 1
1995...Leicester City League Division 1 runners-up. Promotion to Premier Division
       League Cup runners-up
1996...changed name to Belgrave WMC
1997...Leicester City League Champions, Steve Jones Cup Winners
       League Cup runners-up
1998...Leicester City League runners-up, Steve Jones Cup runners-up
1999...Leicester City League runners-up
       transferred to the Leicester & District League Division 1
2000...Leicester & District League Division 1 Winners.
       Promotion to the Premier Division
       Leicestershire Saturday Shield Winners
       Changed name to Belgrave Jungle
2001...Leicester & District League runners-up
2003...changed name to Belgrave Blackbird
2006...changed name to Belgrave
2009...Leicester & District League runners-up

Belgrave currently play at the Co-op Sports Ground in Birstall on the outskirts of Leicester. The ground was home to former Leicestershire Senior League side Fosse Imps and is also home to Birstall Watermead Tennis Club and St. Margarets Co-op Bowls Club. There are two full size football pitches on the site, both of which are railed off and have dugouts. The one Belgrave use is the one furthest way close to Watermead Way.

Basic Directions
If coming from the A46 Western Bypass take the A6 exit towards Leicester, cross the set of lights in Birstall and you come to Redhill Island. Take you first exit onto Birstall Road and the ground is on the right hand side after half a mile or so.

With much at stake both sides started the game nervously and it was the visitors who had the first chance but Marc Aston shot into the side netting. Belgrave had a few half chances but it was again Kingsway who came close when their keeper made a good save with his feet. As the half wore on Belgrave started to take control and it was no surprise when they took the lead. A ball across from the left was hit first time back across the keeper by Dave Coleman on 33 minutes. The crucial second goal came on 55 minutes when Neil Ball having been put clean through slotted the ball past the Kingsway keeper. Just six minutes later and it was game over when following a mistake in the visiting defence Dave Coleman went through unapposed and put the ball past a stationary keeper. The remainder of the game saw the home side try and hit Kingsway on the counter attack but in the end neither side added to the score and Belgrave ran out comfortable winners.

Now they just need four points from their remaining three games to secure the title on the basis that Kingsway win their remaining four games. Such is a vastly superior goal difference that realistically just three points will be required.

Admission / programme: none
Attendance: around 30
Google maps driving time / distance: 15 minutes and 5.3 miles

websites:

Belgrave: http://www.belgravefc.org.uk/

Park Life

COSBY UNITED 1-7 KINGSWAY RANGERS

Saturday 28th November 2009

Leicester & District League Premier Division

Victory Park

Cosby is a village in the south of Leicestershire in the Blaby district with a population in 2001 of 3,489. Academic wise the village is home to a nursery and primary school while the parish church goes by the name of Saint Michael and All Angels. Sporting wise Cosby has a rugby, cricket and three football teams; Cosby United, Cosby United reserves and Cosby Victory, the latter being United's third team and play in the Leicester City League with the reserves like the 1st team play in the Leicester & District League. All the sports clubs play their home games on Victory Park which unsurprisingly is on Park Road.  

I don't have a lot of information regarding the history of United but they joined the second division of the Leicestershire Senior League in 1951 finishing in 5th place in the 15 team division. Eleven seasons were spent in the division before a runners-up spot in 1962 secured promotion to division 1. A highest finish of 11th was achieved before relegation back to division 2 just four years later, though another runners-up spot in 1971 secured promotion again to division 1. Their stay in the top division lasted just two seasons before relegation back to division 2. United spent just five more years in the Senior League before they resigned in 1978. I don't have any further records for the club between then and 1996. From which they have been ever present in the Premier Division of the Leicester & District League finishing runners-up in 1997 and being crowned champions in 2006. This season they currently sit in 8th place in the 13 team division securing ten points from their opening nine games. Kingsway who were promoted in the summer as champions of division 1 have made an impressive (though expected) start to the season losing only once in the opening seven games, currently in 2nd place three points behind leaders Magna '73 having played two games less.

This is to be my second viewing of Kingsway this season having previously seen them @ Mountsorrel where they recorded a 5-1 victory. It also turns out that a new colleague from work plays for Cosby at centre half and goes by the name of Glenn Walker.

Victory Park was easy enough to find. If heading from Leicester take the B4114 towards Narborough, cross the railway line and then take the first right into Littlethorpe. Stay on the road until you reach a mini-island in Cosby itself. The park is on your right but the car park is round the corner next to the village library. The park contains two football, one rugby and a cricket pitch. The cricket one though overlaps the nearest football pitch which is the one used by United today. For the first time in a District League game I've seen the pitch was not fully or partally roped off. Also at home on the 2nd pitch was Cosby Victory's game in the Leicester City League against Aylestone United 2009.

This turned out to be a comfortable victory for the visitors from Braunstone Town with a first half hat-trick from striker Robbie Ryan giving them an advantage they never relinquished. Prior to the first goal on 14 minutes it was an even affair with both sides having an even amount of possession, but a long ball was knocked down into the path of Ryan who side footed home from six yards. Two minutes later and the previously mentioned Glenn Walker was done for pace on the right hand side, the ball finding Ryan who side footed home again from eight yards out. His and Kingsway's third came on 25 minutes when he rounded the home keeper to put the ball into an empty net. Despite going three down Cosby never let their heads drop and played some football of their own to try and get a way back into the game but thus failed to do so. It did feel though that the visitors took the foot off the gas for the latter period of the half. The second half was barely a minute gone when Robbie Ryan got his fourth when he hit a shot from just inside the penalty area across the keeper into the far corner. Further goals came on 55, 62 and 75 minutes for the visitors before the home side got a deserved consolation with five minutes left when their number ten hit a shot across the keeper into the top corner.

Admission / programme: none

Attendance: 12 (approximate head count)

The Sorrel

MOUNTSORREL AMATEURS 1-5 KINGSWAY RANGERS

Saturday 24th October 2009

Leicester & District League Premier Division

Memorial Playing Fields

After a three week break of watching football I managed to get a decent amount of sleep and rose about 1pm, which gave me around an hour to sort myself out before making then ten mile journey to Mountsorrel. The match in question was chosen as it was to be my first viewing of local side Kingsway Rangers. Kingsway were promoted as champions of division 1 of the Leicester District League last season, winning their opening twenty matches in a successful campaign. The hosts today were also promoted along with Midland Syston St Peters. This season Kingsway have made a solid start collecting seven points from their opening four games while Mountsorrel had played only three games and had three points to their name.

The majority of grounds / pitches in the Leicester & District League are roped off affairs and are played on recreation grounds or school pitches. Today was to be no exception, though as the club share the playing fields with Mountsorrel Castle Cricket Club there were hot and cold drinks available from the pavilion. The address of the ground is Leicester Road but is adjacent to the local leisure centre. If coming from Leicester take the Mountsorrel exit off the A6, then turn right onto Speedwell Road and then left onto Kingfisher Road – the car park is straight ahead of you.

The game itself was not a bad one for this level and reasonably entertaining. The opening exchanges were fairly even, with the deadlock being broken on 12 minutes. Kingsway were awarded a free kick twenty five yards out, from which an unstoppable shot flew past the home keeper. The visitors then doubled their lead on twenty five minutes to give them some breathing space. At the start of the second half Mountsorrel got a goal back through a penalty, but this joy was short lived as Kingsway scored a third through a penalty of their own midway through the half. Two further goals towards the end of the game killed of any hopes the hosts had of getting something from the game.

Admission charge / programme: none

Attendance: 20 ish

Kingsway crowned

Broughton Astley 0-5 Kingsway Rangers

Leicester & District League Division 1

Saturday 28th March

Frolesworth Road Recreation Ground

The Leicester & District League is a league that I would take an educated guess at does not feature on the radar of many, if any groundhoppers. The clubs vary from having their own grounds to using school or park pitches with admission or programmes non existant. Today’s game saw Broughton Astley who lie second bottom take on unbeaten division leaders Kingsway Rangers who have only dropped two points all season - a draw away @ Queniborough.

Broughton Astley is a large village nine miles south of Leicester and six miles east of Hinckley located between the B4114 and A426. The population is believed to be around the 10,000 mark which comprises of three historic settlements – Broughton Astley itself, Primethorpe and Sutton-in-Elms.

Broughton play at the Frolesworth Road Recreation Ground which also houses a childrens play area, skate park and a cricket pitch. The pitch looked like it had seen better days and in need of a good roll. This along with a swirling wind made conditions difficult. As I found out during the second half Kingsway needed to win today to be crowned division 1 champions. The game started (as expected) with the visitors making the early running and created a few chances in the first five minutes which forced the home keeper to produce comfortable saves. As the half wore on the game became scrappy with few chances being created, though just before half time the visitors had a goal disallowed for offside. The second half saw Kingsway break the deadlock on 52 minutes with a shot from the edge of the area. The second then followed two minutes later when the number 9 scored from the penalty spot, and pretty much straight from kick-off the number 6 went through the visiting defence to slot home number 3. The scoring was not finished as the number 9 scored with a header from eight yards on the hour mark. Four goals in an eight minute spell ended the game as a contest and it was then a question of when Kingsway would score next. The answer came with ten minutes left when (I think) the number 11 scored with a cracking shot from outside the area.

Attendance: around 15 but varied throughout the game

Distance / driving time: 10 miles / 25 minutes

Going Local

Kingsway Rangers 2-0 Whitwick Wanderers

Leicestershire Shield Quarter Final

Saturday 17th January

Mossdale Meadows Sports Ground

Due to not being able to get much sleep after a typical night shift at Asda I decided to go to my first game since December 9th. A five minute drive from home saw me take in this 1pm kick-off between teams from division 1 of the Leicester & District League and the North Leicestershire League.

Where is Kingsway?

Kingsway is the name of a street in the Braunstone Town estate on the edge of Leicester, though actually outside the city boundaries and part of the Blaby District. Their ground, the
Mossdale Meadows Sports Ground is a large open sports ground with several football pitches and the pitch they played on is at the far side, furthest away from the car park. The club roped off the pitch on three sides and not surprisingly there is no hard standing or spectator facilities on offer.

About the teams

Kingsway are currently top of their respective division with a 100% record having recorded 13 wins out of 13, while their opponents Whitwick Wanderers, sit in third place having only lost one league game so far this season.

About the game

Kingsway went into this game as favourites but the first chance came in the opening minute when Whitwick missed an excellent chance - as it turned out it was probably their best chance of the whole game. Kingsway took time in getting going but should have been several goals to the good at half time but poor finishing and a wasted final ball being the causes. Whitwick to be fair gave the home side some problems with the commitment and forced the keeper to make a couple of saves. It wasn't until midway through the second half that Kingsway made the breakthrough with an angled shot from their number 9. This relaxed them and they added the crucial second just six minutes later from their number 10. Whitwick never gave up but failed to create any chances of note and it was the home side that should have put a gloss on the scoreline as they were guilty of missing a couple of excellent chances in the last 10 minutes.

Final score: 2-0

websites:

Kingsway Rangers - www.kingswayrangersfc.webeden.co.uk
Whitwick Wanderers - www.whitwickwanderersfc.co.uk