ABH part 1

BULWELL 1-3 BASFORD UNITED
Greenwich Avenue
Monday 31st August 2009
Notts Senior League Senior Division

A rare chance for me to get to a game on a Bank Holiday, this being the first since Easter Monday 2008 when I saw two games in the Central Midlands League. One of my contracted nights at work is a Sunday but having done three previous bank holidays this year already I opted out of this one and took full advantage. An early kick off in the Notts Senior League (NSL) saw me make the 45 minute journey north on the M1, then the few miles towards Nottingham and specifically Greenwich Avenue which is home to both of these clubs with Basford being the landlords and Bulwell the tenants. When arriving at the ground I was surprised to find a programme had been issued for this game and cost £1 which included admission. The main pitch which is to the left of the entrance is part of a complex with at least three other pitches and is enclosed and fully railed off. A tea hut is located within the setup of the main pitch. I believe the only requirement that would be needed for Central Midlands League (CML) football is some hard standing, though on a today like today is was certainly not needed.

Bulwell, not to be confused with Bulwell Town of the CML were only formed in 2006 and played their first two seasons in the Notts Amateur Alliance (NAA), winning the Premier Division title two seasons running. A promotion to Division 1 of the NSL followed and another title league title followed as they won the division at the first attempt. Promoted was granted to the Senior Division but only after Basford United allowed them use of the main pitch at Greenwich Avenue as the other pitches did not meet the required standard of the Senior Division.
Basford United meanwhile are currently in their fourth campaign in the NSL having been invited to join the league in 2006 following Calverton MW’s promotion to the CML. Previously Basford were in the NAA and won the league championship in the 2005/06 season along with the Nottinghamshire Intermediate Cup. In their three campaigns to date they have finished 3rd, 5th and 3rd respectively.

At the start of play both sides had started the season in a positive fashion – Bulwell collecting six points from their opening four games while Basford were sitting at the top of the table unbeaten from their opening five games, and conceded only once. The game was a typical local derby with no quarter given or even expected and played at a good pace throughout with some good football from both sides played. It was the visitors who scored the opening goal on 13 minutes when Austin Wallace forced a save from home keeper Matt Singleton only for the ball to fall kindly to John Manders who tapped in from a couple of yards. Bulwell protested for an offside decision and it was their captain Jay Knight who protested too much and was sent off three minutes for foul and abusive language to one of the referee’s assistants. To be honest I didn’t even notice that Bulwell were down to ten men and only noticed it later on in the half. Bulwell were not fazed by the disadvantage and continued to give Basford a game of it. A crucial second goal for the visitors came on 34 minutes when following another shot from Wallace it was Manders again that was in the right place to tap home his second goal. Three minutes before half time and it was 3-0 when Manders proved he is more than a goal poacher when he drilled in a low powerful shot from a narrow angle on the right hand side which gave Matt Singleton no chance. The second half saw Basford guilty of missing numerous chances and Bulwell gave the game a much needed boost when Dave Warden struck home on 65 minutes. Ten minutes later and it could have been a one goal game only for an offside flag to disallow the goal. Basford had further chances to wrap up the game but could and did not take them.

Overall an enjoyable game in a league I am becoming to like a lot. The attendance was around the 70 mark which was boosted by a number of ground hoppers taking advantage of the early kick-off, which gave the chance to take in another game with a 3pm kick-off. I myself headed off to Kirkby Town in the Central Midlands League while others made their way towards Melton Mowbray and Sileby Town in the Leicestershire Senior League.

wesbites:

Notts Senior League: http://www.nottsseniorleague.co.uk/index.html

Bulwell: www.clubwebsite.co.uk/bulwellfc

Basford United: http://basfordutdfc.intheteam.com/

Shirley Town

SHIRLEY TOWN 3-5 ARCHDALE '73

Midland Combination Division 1

Tilehouse Lane

Saturday 22nd August 2009

After the usual night shift I made a point of depriving myself of sleep to make the most of the good weather by getting up at 1pm. I had originally planned to go and watch the Clifton – Basford United match in the Notts Senior League but having already been to two games in Nottinghamshire this season I fancied a change of direction as it were. The Midland Combination is a league I have a lot of time for so I had a quick check of the fixtures and plumped for this fixture between unbeaten Shirley Town and Archdale ’73. Shirley Town play on a small ground on Tilehouse Lane with the entrance opposite Whitlock’s End train station. The journey took around an hour from Leicester with the sat nav taking me off the M42 at junction 4 to get to the ground, and I arrived there at around 2.35pm. No admission was charged or programme issued with the attendance varying between 15 and 20 throughout the game. The clubhouse is home to (I believe) an independent café which served an array of hot food which included chips and burgers. The ground is not floodlit and there is a small stand on the far side of the ground which I would guess seats maybe 20.

At the start of play newly promoted Shirley had won their opening three games scoring 16 goals in the process while their visitors from Worcester had obtained seven points from their opening four games, whom themselves had found the net eleven times. The first half was a half of two halves with the visitors dominating the early proceedings and they hit the post with only two minutes on the clock. Shirley looked disjointed and struggled to get into the game, which I later found out they had all of their first choice back four missing and therefore was understandable that they took time to understand each other. Archdale deservedly took the lead on 19 minutes through a header from a right hand cross after a corner was not cleared properly. A minute later it was 2-0 though I missed the goal due to making a note of the first goal! A further five minutes passed and it was 3-0 to Archdale when the ball was knocked home from a couple of yards from a corner. Just three minutes later and it was game on – Shirley were awarded a free kick and the ball was bundled in from six yards or so. This gave the home side some impetus and seemed to rattle the visitors who were in complete control at the time. Shirley deservedly got a second four minutes from time when with the best move of the match their number seven beat the keeper at his neat post when a powerful shot went in off the woodwork. The start of the second half was a bit disjointed with neither side taking control but it was the visitors who struck next through a penalty on 66 minutes. To give the home side credit they did not let their heads go down and scored a third on 70 minutes to make it 3-4 with a header from a left hand cross. Archdale killed the game off with a fifth three minutes from full time. With the traffic light on the M42 and M6 I was home by 5.40 and unfortunately had to be back in work for 10pm.

Overall an enjoyable afternoon out in the summer sunshine at a pleasant venue.

Cotgrave Welfare

COTGRAVE WELFARE 1-1 WOLLATON

Tuesday 18th August 2009

The Woodview Ground

Notts Senior League Senior Division

With the weather being as it is, a lovely summers evening my preferred choice of game would be that of one that has little in the way of spectator facilities and also one that kicks off at 6.30pm. After trawling through various local league websites I eventually settled upon Cotgrave Welfare v Wollaton in the Notts Senior League (NSL). Cotgrave, rather obviously due to the name of the club is an ex-mining village, of which there is a plethora of in this part of the country. Other examples being Clipstone, Rainworth and Blidworth. I knew that Cotgrave had lights but presumed that they were not being used tonight hence the early kick-off stated on the NSL’s excellent website. Arriving at the ground with my dad with about ten minutes to kick-off we found the place locked up, but shortly after we were told that the league’s website was wrong and in fact kick-off was 7.30pm. To kill the hour we ended chatting over a pint in the Miners Welfare in which the ground is located behind. When time came for kick-off we were not charged any admission nor were any programme issued. To be honest it didn’t come as a surprise even though this was my first ever game in this league.

The game started with both sides up for this encounter and chances were created at either end with some pretty good football at times being played. It was the visitors from Wollaton who took the lead on twenty minutes when a through ball played in Bascombe who lobbed the ball coolly over the home keeper. This did not deter the home side and they came close themselves a few minutes later when a shot from the edge of the area went straight at the Wollaton keeper for a comfortable save. Cotgrave got a deserved equaliser on fifty four minutes when a free kick from the right hand side was fluffed by the keeper which allowed Bee to tap in from a yard or so out. No further goals followed and clear cut chances were at a premium and the game ended in a fair 1-1 draw.

Overall an enjoyable first taste of Notts Senior League football and I can say without doubt that I will be back for more this season, helped by the proximity to Leicester of a lot of the clubs.

Oadby Town

Oadby Town 1-1 Studley

Saturday 8th August 2009

Midland Football Alliance

Greene King Park

Today sees me attend my first competitive game of the new season at my spiritual home in football terms as it were, Oadby Town FC at their newly sponsored ground “Greene King Park” for their Midland Football Alliance (MFA) encounter with Worcestershire side Studley. The two sides first ever meeting was in the 2001/02 season when they played out a nil-nil draw @ Studley on the 14th August.

The name change means that, since I first watched Oadby Town during the 1997/98 season their ground on Wigston Road is under its fourth sponsored name, and follows the park prefixes of Invicta, Events & Leisure and Topps. Oadby have undergone a transformation on the field with a host of players leaving and joining the club during the close season along with former Leicester City and Scotland defender Matt Elliott becoming joint manager alongside Mick Holmes. Holmes was in sole charge last season in what to be fair was one of the worst in the clubs history winning only nine of forty two league games and finished in 19th place in the 22 team MFA. Since the club joined senior football in 1951 they have lost less than nine league game only once, which came in the 1955/56 season when the club won eight league games but they only played 26 matches. Hopefully this season will see a much improved showing from Oadby in both and league and cup competitions. Very little has changed off the field in terms of ground improvements but the club are currently laying a couple of steps of terracing on the grass bank to the left of the clubhouse.

The journey to Oadby takes around twenty minutes from my home in the Braunstone area of Leicester and when arriving at the ground I am charged the concession rate of £3 and £1.50 for a full coloured glossy programme. The programme is 32 pages and has 13 pages of adverts, though there is very little reading material. Let’s hope as the season progresses this will improve. A value for money rating would in the region of six out of ten.

The first half was dominated by Oadby from the off, playing some good football and they created at least half a dozen good chances during this period but they all lacked the clinical finish. The closest they actually games was when Brian Quailey hit the bar on thirty five minutes. Studley themselves refused to allow Oadby to have things all their own way and they had a goal ruled out when Craig Poutney was correctly judged to be offside. Oadby did make the deserved breakthrough on fifty two minutes when Nick Pollard scored from three yards out when the ball rebounded nicely too him following a Quailey shot. Just three minutes later and it was 1-1 when the visitors were awarded a penalty for a handball offence. Steven Ruck stepped up and scored with ease. This seemed to rattle Oadby a bit and the game became scrappy with neither side taking control. Oadby had their best chance of the half when Quailey forced an excellent save from visiting keeper Steve Grogan with three minutes left, but Studley themselves nearly won the match with in stoppage time when home keeper Damion Quailey made two equally excellent saves.

About time...

MANSFIELD TOWN 0-0 LEICESTER CITY
Tuesday 21st July 2009
Field Mill
Pre-season friendly

My first game of the new season saw me head up to Mansfield Town F.C. for their pre-season friendly with Leicester City. With the weather being bloody awful it does make you question why sometimes, but after having a three month break from watching football I was suffering from withdrawal symptoms and itching to take in a game again. I have visited a lot of non-league clubs in the area but not actually Mansfield Town itself, so tonight was an ideal opportunity to visit a new club that is not that far from home and also see my home town club Leicester City in action. I met my dad at the Trowell services on the M1, from then we headed north to junction 28 and headed across the A38 towards Mansfield itself with the intention of finding somewhere to eat and hopefully the premises allowing us to leave one car there while we headed to the game. This was achieved when we pulled into the Watermill @ Sutton-in-Ashfield and after having some lunch we found the ground very easily and managed to park for free in the adjacent health club. Mansfield charged a £10 pay on the turnstile admission policy for the game and £2 for a programme which covers all four of their home pre-season games. The away fans situated behind the far goal which backs onto the retail park.

Leicester settled the better of the two teams and created a fair few chances with the home keeper dealing with the ones on target. Midfielder Max Gradel wasted at least two good opportunities when he blasted the ball high and wide after cutting inside on his left foot. The home side got into the game around the half hour mark but could not find the breakthrough. Six minutes into the second half Mansfield had the ball in the net but it was ruled out for offside and this was the closest either side came to breaking the deadlock. Overall a typical pre-season game I suppose and it was good the see Leicester in action at a ground that I have not been to before.

I can’t imagine I will go to man more pre-season games, though one is confirmed as I have tickets for Leicester’s home game with Spanish side Real Valladolid on Sunday 2nd August. As I have previously stated on numerous occasions my work plays a large impact on when and where I can watch football, and as most leagues have finalised their constitutions and started to release fixtures my list of clubs has changed a few times in the last couple of months.

At present it now looks something like this:

Melton Mowbray BS [Leicestershire Senior League] – hope to go to their first game on Saturday 15th August v Dunton & Broughton Rangers. This will complete the LSL in terms of 1st team clubs again. With Kingsway Rangers being promoted to the Premier Division of the Leicester & District League (L&D) I would like to take in at least half a dozen of their away games, examples being County Hall, Blaby United and Welby Lane United. As well as games in the L&D I intend to break my duck in the two other feeder leagues for the LSL, the North Leicestershire League (NLL) and Leicester City League (LCL). With the early fixtures released by NLL a possible is the Asfordby Village – Markfield fixture on Saturday 5th September. Before league fixtures commence in the LCL the clubs play in the Mick Booth Memorial Cup and I am thinking of taking in a game involving defending league champions South Wigston Wanderers. Away from football in my home county I would like to tick off a few more clubs in the following leagues: Central Midlands, Midland Combination and the United Counties.

Over the summer

Since the end of my last game of football at the end of April I have not been to and also had many chances to watch sport of any kind. On only two occasions in June has this occured, one greyhound racing meet and one game of rugby league.

The greyhound racing was at Sittingbourne on Saturday 6th June whilst on holiday at Allhallows-on-Sea in Kent and the game of rugby league saw me take in the Leicester Phoenix - Coventry Bears game the following Saturday. Leicester won this encounter with two late tries to win 34-30.

The pre-season friendlies for me will begin on Tuesday night with a short trip to Rothwell in Northamptonshire for their game against Conference side Rushden & Diamonds. I don't want to be the bearer of bad news but the last two times I have seen Rothwell play they have conceded 13 goals and scored none. Other possible fixtures at present are...

Tuesday 14th July: Brixworth All Saints v Wellingborough Town
Tuesday 21st July: Shepshed Dynamo v Kirby Muxloe
Saturday 25th July: Desford v Ibstock United
Tuesday 28th July: Blaby & Whetstone Athletic v Friar Lane & Epworth
Sunday 2nd August: Leicester City v Real Valladolid

End of season report

As it turns out my last game of the season was the Castle Donington v Newmount game at the end of April - my earliest ever finish. It has not been a bad season in terms of watching football, not helped by my shifts at work. I never had any plans to watch any games in the Spartan South Midlands League but ended up taking in four games during the early part of the season. I'm not good at sticking to targets or predictions that I make as this season I only managed one - to complete the Leicestershire Senior League (LSL) in terms of 1st team clubs. This saw me watch home games for Ashby Ivanhoe, Evington and FC Dynamo. Over the coming years there will be less likely that I will watch any more games in the LSL. At present it seems that the only new club in the LSL next season will be Melton Mowbray BS. This is because I have started watching games in one of it's three feeder leagues - the Leicester & District League which is due to time and cost and I hope to watch all remaining clubs in the Premier Division next season, preferably involving Kingsway Rangers. Six games were watched this season, four in the Premier Division and two in Division 1 and all games involved either Desford or the afore mentioned Kingsway Rangers.

The list of new clubs watched is as follows:

Central Midlands League: Bulwell Town, Parkhouse, Thoresby Colliery Welfare

Conference: Histon

Hellenic League: Witney United

Leicester & District League: Broughton Astley, Burbage Old Boys, Desford*, Glenfield Town, Kingsway Rangers, St Patricks

Leicestershire Senior League: Ashby Ivanhoe, Evington*, FC Dynamo*

Midland Combination: Continental Star, Loughborough University*

Midland Regional Alliance: Castle Donington Town

Northern Counties East League: Shirebrook Town

Southern League: Bury Town

Spartan South Midlands League: Aylesbury Vale, Buckingham Athletic, Langford, New Bradwell St Peter

West Midands (Regional) League: Gornal Athletic, Wolverhampton Casuals

* - clubs playing at venues already seen games at

As I have already stated I am no good at making predictions but I always do and this is a list of 25 clubs that I hope to watch next season: (subject to changes during the close season)

Central Midlands League: Church Warsop, Kirkby Town, Nettleham, Pinxton

Leicester & District League: Belgrave, Blaby United, Cosby United, Houghton Rangers, Welby Lane United

Leicestershire Senior League: Melton Mowbray BS - if promoted

Midland Alliance: Tipton Town

Midland Combination: Castle Vale, Fairfield Villa, Meir KA

Southern League: Nuneaton Town, Romulus

Spartan South Midlands League: Ampthill Town, Winslow United

United Counties League: Olney Town, Rushden & Higham United, Sleaford Town

West Midlands (Regional) League: Bloxwich United, Goodrich, Shenstone Pathfinder, Tividale

No doubt this will change as the season progresses.

see you in August.