Cat

CATERPILLAR 1-2 SHEPSHED DYNAMO

Saturday 17th July 2010

Pre-season friendly

Caterpillar Sports & Social Club

I don’t do many pre-season friendlies at present, though the chance to get out of the house on a Saturday afternoon for the first time in a while tempted me. This fixture was originally scheduled to be played at Shepshed, but a check on their website stated that the game had been switched to Caterpillar’s ground in Desford. This was not a new ground for me having seen a Leicestershire Intermediate Cup tie there in January of this year, but as Desford is only a ten minute drive from home I was not bothered. The game took place on the second pitch which is adjacent to the main one but is not railed or roped off. I know some ground hoppers would have classed this as a new “tick” as it were but not me.

Caterpillar won the North Leicestershire League last season and with it promotion to division 1 of the Leicestershire Senior League. Shepshed reformed their reserve side in the summer and have also been accepted into the Senior League. Two other sides will join them in the league – Belgrave (champions of the Leicester & District League) and Newhall United who have transferred from the Midland Combination.

The game was not bad considering it to be both clubs first outing of the season, with Shepshed settling quicker and forced a couple of corners in succession but nothing came of them. Cat gradually got into the game and the majority of the play was in the middle of the park with clear cut chances few and far between. With around five minutes left in the half Cat nearly took the lead when a free kick which was heading for the top corner was tipped over by the Dynamo keeper. Two minutes later and it was 1-0 when a shot on the turn from one of the home centre forwards looped over the keeper. Shepshed again were quicker out of the blocks following the half time interval and drew level just four minutes in from the penalty spot. A second penalty mid way through the half for Dynamo gave them the decisive goal. The home side’s best chance of the half came later on when a low cross from the right saw the centre forward fail to make contact which surely would have brought the game level again. The last five minutes or so saw Shepshed create a few chances but alas none were converted and the game ended 1-2.

The attendance was around the 50 mark with the majority from Shepshed. There was one prat who had to bring a vuvuzela along but thankfully did not have enough lung power to get a proper sound of it. I did suggest to the Shepshed manager that it needs to be shoved up his arse!!!

FA draws

The FA have finally released the draws for the early rounds of the Cup, Trophy, Vase and Youth Cup. Below is the opening round draws in the competitions for Leicestershire based clubs:

FA Cup - Extra Preliminary Round (14th August)
COALVILLE TOWN v Stone Dominoes
LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY v Stratford Town
Pegasus Juniors v HEATHER ST JOHNS
KIRBY MUXLOE v Walsall Wood
BARDON HILL v Bewdley Town
Tividale v OADBY TOWN
Norton United v HINCKLEY
Wisbech Town v ST ANDREWS
BARROW TOWN v Arnold Town
Gedling Miners Welfare v HOLWELL SPORTS
Lincoln Moorlands Railway v FRIAR LANE & EPWORTH

FA Trophy - Preliminary Round (2nd October)
LOUGHBOROUGH DYNAMO v Romulus
SHEPSHED DYNAMO v Warrington Town
Lincoln United v BARWELL

FA Vase - 1st Qualifying Round (4th September)
HINCKLEY v Walsall Wood
ELLISTOWN v Highgate United
Boldmere St Michaels v LUTTERWORTH ATHLETIC
Castle Vale JKS v ANSTEY NOMADS
Pelsall Villa v BARDON HILL
Ellesmere Rangers v KIRBY MUXLOE
Rocester v LOUGHBOROUGH UNIVERSITY
Tividale v OADBY TOWN
Alvechurch v IBSTOCK UNITED
Racing Club Warwick v THURNBY NIRVANA
BARROW TOWN v HEATHER ST JOHNS
Dudley Sports v ASHBY IVANHOE

FA Youth Cup - Preliminary Round (w/c 6th September)
Spalding United v BLABY & WHETSTONE ATHLETIC
Glossop North End v OADBY TOWN

Abysmal England

I've let the dust settle for all of three hours after the most embarrasing performance I have seen from an England team. It seems to me that the players are more interested in Champions League glory than World Cup glory. All apart from David James were abject and if I was a scout watching the tournament there were none in a red shirt today that I would consider having a second look at let alone recommending one to buy. Let's hope the players take a long hard look in the mirror at themselves and feel ashamed that they have let themselves down, the manager down, the FA down and the football supporting country down. I think offering to reimburse all the fans that watched the four England games is the least the players can do.

Match ratings (out of ten)

David James: 5
Glen Johnson: 1 - waste of space
John Terry: 1 - as above. Better shagger than defender
Matthew Upson: 1 - apart from goal, absolute bollocks
Ashley Cole: 3 - best outfield player, but not difficult
Steven Gerrard: 1 - selfish in second half
Frank Lampard: 1  - apart from the obvious, did f-all
James Milner: 2 - put in a couple of decent crosses
Gareth Barry: 1 - did bugger all
Wayne Rooney: 1 - worst England player in the tournament
Jermaine Defoe: 1 - gave ball away too much early on, very little service

I am not going to comment on the "goal" that Lampard scored but if you want to vent your anger you can join the Facebook group "Blatter is a Wanker" and post any anti Blatter comments on there.

2010/11 preview

As always I make a list of twenty five clubs I would like to visit during the course of a season, and as always this never goes to plan.

Now that the majority of leagues have released their constitutions for the forthcoming campaign my targets this year are as follows:

Central Midlands League Nettleham, Nottingham United, Pinxton, Whatton United
Leicester & District League Blaby United, Guru Nanak Gurdwar, Houghton Rangers, Midland Syston St Peters
Midland Alliance Ellesmere Rangers, Malvern Town, Tipton Town
Midland Combination Brocton, Clements '83, Glades, Hampton
Midlands Regional Alliance Derby Rolls Royce Leisure
North Leicestershire League Asfordby Village, Genesis
Notts Senior League Clifton, Keyworth United, Wollaton
United Counties League Harborough Town, Olney Town
West Midlands (Regional) League Goodrich, Tividale

Watch this space to see if it happens...

2009/10 report

With the football season now ended for me, below is a brief outline of the season...


Number of games: 45
Number of new grounds: 40
Number of new clubs seen: 41
Number of different leagues seen games in: 18
Number of new leagues: 7


Central Midlands League: Easington United, FC 05, Kirkby Town, Louth Town, Parramore Sports, Westella & Willerby
Cheshire League: Whitchurch Alport
Conference: Mansfield Town
Coventry Alliance: Witherley United
Football League: Burton Albion
Leicester & District League: Belgrave, Cosby United, County Hall, Glen Villa, Mountsorrel Amateurs
Leicestershire Senior League: Melton Mowbray
Midland Combination: AFC Smethwick, Lichfield City, Shirley Town
Midlands Regional Alliance: Allenton United, Melbourne Dynamo
North Leicestershire League: Caterpillar, Markfield
Northants Combination: Brixworth All Saints, Medbourne, Ringstead Rangers
Notts Senior League: Attenborough, Bulwell, Cotgrave Welfare, Magdala Amateurs
Peterborough & District League: Uppingham Town
Shropshire County League: FC Hodnet, Morda United
Southern League: Cirencester Town, Hednesford Town, Nuneaton Town
United Counties League: Sleaford Town
Welsh League: Newcasgtle Emlyn, Treharris Athletic Western, Troedyrhiw
West Midlands (Regional) League: Lye Town

Best game: Burton Albion v Cheltenham Town (5-6) Cheltenham were two goals down three times before winning it in injury time. Nine goals were scored in the second half.

Worst game: A choice of three and struggling to decide between them: 1) Mansfield Town v Leicester City (0-0, pre-season friendly); 2) Cirencester Town v Thatcham Town (0-0, Southern League) and 3) FC 05 v Easington United (1-0, Central Midlands League)

Best team in relation to level: Lichfield City - hit division leaders Kenilworth for six and played some good football to boot.

Worst team: Cirencester or Thatcham - flip a coin!

Best ground in relation to level: Treharris Athletic Western with Hednesford Town a very close runner-up.

Most picturesque setting: Attenborough (Notts Senior League).

Best programme in relation to level: Easington United (Central Midlands League)

Worst programme: Lye Town (West Midlands League)

Best punch: Melton Mowbray v Barlestone St Giles (Leicestershire Senior League Division
1) - mass brawl and a Barlestone player lands a lovely right hook on a Melton player, which knocks him off his feet. I heard the punch land from sixty yards away. Referee missed it completely.

Most friendliest club: Louth Town

Best goal: Michael Pook's winner for Cheltenham @ Burton.

That's all folks from this season. Back in July or August.

End of season

WITHERLEY UNITED 1-3 WOODLANDS WMC
Thursday 20th May 2010
Coventry Alliance Premier Division
Church Road

This is to be my final game of the 2009/10 season and a decision made only about two days ago at that. I seldom have the chance to take in mid-week games due to work but, having booked the night off from work due to my wedding anniversary tomorrow (Friday 21st) I took this opportunity. For the first time since November my dad agreed to come with me and picked me up at 5pm to make the thirty odd minute drive down the A47 and A5 to Witherley.

The following information on the village is taken from Wikipedia:

“Witherley is a village and civil parish in the Hinckley and Bosworth district of Leicestershire, England. It is in the far north-west of Leicestershire. The Warwickshire/Leicestershire border runs along the parish boundary, along the River Anker to the west and the A5 to the south, with Witherley village close by the town of Atherstone and the village of Mancetter. One of its notable features is the church of St Peter, noted for its very tall steeple, "52 yards (48 m)”. The village school is located next to the church - Witherley C of E primary school. In most circumstances, children attending the school later transfer to Market Bosworth High School when of age.

Proximity to the county border meant that parliamentary troops from the Warwickshire garrisons made several visits to Witherley and Atterton during the Civil War. A list of claims for losses and "free quarter" to the Warwickshire county committee in June, 1646 includes a claim for free quarter for a hundred men and horse under the command of Captain Levell and Captain Astewe from Colonel Purefoy's regiment of the Coventry garrison, estimated to be worth £9. Mr Lloyd, the rector, charged Captain Ottway's lieutenant for four horses and mares worth £13.6.8, and for three heifers worth £7.10. In 1650 this same Robert Lloyd was “sequestered” and forced to pay a fine in 1650 as a ‘malignant’ or for neglecting his duties (it is not certain exactly which as few details of his offences are provided).

William King claimed that Captain Flower's men had taken a horse worth 5s and John King claimed for a saddle worth 8s taken by Captain Flower's lieutenant and asked for £2 for quartering about forty soldiers from Coventry. The Astley garrison also plundered the villages, leading to a claim for forced requisitioning including the "carriage of a load of hay from Hartshill Leaz to Astley House" worth £1, and the carriage of 14 loads of hay worth £2.6.8. Francis Orton claimed he was taken prisoner by Lieutenant Hunt of Astley about Michaelmas, 1643 and forced to pay £1.13.4 for his release. The constable of the parish claimed 12s 9d for provender. John Mason senior wanted compensation for his gelding, worth £2.10 taken by Lieutenant Hunt to Astley and William King for a mare worth £2.13.4. (Exchequer accounts, SP 28/161)

The civil parish includes Atterton.”

The club play their games on Church Road in the middle of the village and is a typical village recreation ground affair. The pitch is roped off along the two touchlines and they have their own clubhouse on the site. Next to the pitch is the Blue Lion public house where we were before and after the game having a drink and something to it. I have never been to a game in the Coventry Alliance before and was unsure of the standard that would be on show. My verdict was that is off a decent level and is no worse than anything in the Notts Senior or lower division of the Leicestershire Senior League. The game is one that visitors Woodlands should have won more comfortably than they actually did as they dominated the first half but only had two goals to show for their dominance. The opening goal came on five minutes when following a mistake in the home defence, the ball was played across the box and was slotted home from twelve yards out. Woodlands continued to press and deservedly make it 2-0 on 32 minutes, when following a cross from the right, the ball was volleyed home from a few yards out. Despite being outplayed the home side should have gone in only a goal down after the referee and linesman failed to spot the ball going under bar from a header. The second half was not as entertaining as the first but Witherley got a goal back midway through when the centre forward rounded the visiting keeper and rolled the ball into an empty net. Woodlands sowed the game up right at the death when they hit Witherley on the counter attack to give the scoreline a deserved look.

Welsh double part 2

TROEDYRHIW 1-0 CORUS STEEL

Saturday 15th May 2010

Welsh League Division 3

The Willows

Game two of our Welsh double sees us make a ten minute drive in the Merthyr Tydfil direction to the village of Troedyrhiw for their Welsh League division 3 clash against Port Talbot side Corus Steel. Corus still have a chance of promotion to the second division after being promoted to the Welsh League in the summer from the South Wales Amateur League while Troedyrhiw's current stint in the Welsh League has been since 2001. The club play at the Willows Community Centre, a short walk from the railway station. The club are currently in the process of building a stand along the far touchline as the only cover at present is in the form of an overhang attached the changing rooms.

The following history on the club is taken from their website:

"Although Troedyrhiw have come from the very bottom of the pyramid system to attain Welsh League status in five years, this is not a new club. In fact the former mining village between Merthyr and Aberfan has a long football history, with Troedyrhiw Stars first putting it on the map in 1908-09 when they won the South Wales Amateur Cup. In the years leading up to the Great War, the Stars enjoyed some good Welsh Cup runs, notably in 1912-13 when they reached the last eight beating Abertillery, Rhymney, Cardiff Corinthians and Colwyn Bay before losing 1-0 at Chester.

The Star's successors Troedyrhiw FC started to make their mark in the 1930's, winning the Welsh League's Division 2 in 1932 and starting a 20-year unbroken spell in the top flight, with again some good Welsh Cup runs (in 1933-34 and 1934-35 they reached the last 16) though their best league achievements came in the years following the World War 2, when they finished 4th, 3rd and 2nd in successive years. After that it was downhill until relegation came in 1951-52. After over a decade in Division Two East, they found themselves in the midle division when the Welsh League re-organised in 1964 but finished last-but-one. Rather than drop into the lowest of the 3 non-regionalised divisions, Troedyrhiw withdrew from the league in 1965.

And there their story might have ended, as the decline in importance of the South Wales coalfield saw so many village's clubs disappear from the scene. For 30 years Troedyrhiw was barely on the football map, though its Boy's Club continued. A local pub team, in 1993, approached Brian Harbord, who was on the committee for the Boys Club, and asked could they play at The Willows as the senior team and use the unused facilities on a saturday afternoon. Brian, with the help of John Phelps pushed for this to happen and won a majority vote. Troedyrhiw Boys Club Seniors were formed with John Phelps as Chairman and Brian Harbord vice-Chairman. Mark Harbord took over as player-manager with the team based in the Merthyr Premier Division. After two seasons Mark Harbord brought in Brian Sparks to take over as manager, and Mark took the player-coach role. In their first season together they guided Rhiw to the title in dramatic style, needing to win their last game. After going a goal down they came back to win 2-1 and clinch promotion to the Amateur League(1995-96).

For some technical reason Troedyrhiw Boys Club Senior team had to become seperate to the Boys Club and then Became its own club, forming Troedyrhiw FC. After finishing in the top half on their first season in the Amateur League they went on to clinch the double in their second with the Division 2 title and the Intermediate Cup, beating Aberaman Ex to both. They then went on to finish 7th in division One in 1999, and 5th in 2000. Then the next season, lying handily in mid-table while Bryntirion and Barry Athletic made the running, Troedyrhiw did not emerge as obvious promotion contenders until the closing weeks, when a fine run of results as they cleared a big fixture backlog put them in the frame. The disappointment of losing the SWFA Intermediate Cup Final did not deter Brian Sparks's side, who finally went top of the league well into May as the season reached a climax that bettered any boy's comic storyline: Troedyrhiw led Barry Athletic by one point and entertained them at The Willows in the last game - if they drew or won, they would win the league and promotion to the Welsh League, if they lost, the visitors would be champions. Watched by a crowd of over 400, Rhiw fell behind in the first half before battling back and deservedly equalising through Andrew Richards after the break as they put an ageing Barry side under mounting pressure.

Troedyrhiw FC were in the relatively unusual position these days of having a ground already fit for Welsh League Football, and it was this advantage that guaranteed their automatic promotion without the need for a play-off with the Senior League winners. The Willows ground, situated next to the railway line a couple of minutes walk frpm the station on the Merthyr Branch line, is an enclosed ground dominated by the huge Boys Club building at its western end, behind one goal, the overhang of which provides a covered terrace. At the opposite end and on the southern side, the pitch is tightly hemmed in by the railway and houses respectively. Rhiw are back where they belong! "

We were charged £3 for admission which included a programme, though the programme was unfortunately was for the original game scheduled in November. The home side went into the game in the bottom three but on the day it was hard to tell which side was which as Corus did not look like a side going for promotion. To be honest it was a poor game and thus I have very little to write about that was settled five minutes from time when Chris Quinlan scored from the penalty spot at the second attempt, after the referee disallowed the first attempt for I believe encroachment.

websites:

Troedyhiw: http://www.troedyrhiwfc.bravehost.com/