BIRSTALL AND MALVERN MUST DO IT AGAIN IN THE VASE

BIRSTALL UTD 2 V MALVERN TOWN 2  [AET-90MINS 2-2]
FA VASE 2ND QUALIFYING ROUND AT MEADOW LANE
24 SEPTEMBER 2016 --- 3PM

Birstall face a long mid week trip to Worcestershire after these two slugged it out like a heavy weight boxer that by the end both sides had given so much they were happy to hear the bell or in this case the referees whistle.  The game was played in a blustery wind that seemed to affect proceedings 1-1 at half time became 2-2 at 90 minutes and following the extra 30 minutes neither side could find the winning goal so they must do it all again next week.
Off we go then to Leicestershire this week to the home of Birstall Utd freshly promoted to the East Midlands Counties League after winning the Leicestershire Senior League last season for The Buildbase FA Vase game versus West Midlands Regional League Malvern Town.  It would be the chance to catch up with a team in todays visitors who we will probably not see too much during a season.  Base station departure went well we even managed a seat but by Loughborough a 10 minute journey to Leicester became 30 minutes due to a signal fault.  Still not to be outdone we made a sharpish bit of foot movement to get us into Leicester's new Haymarket bus station for the Centrebus 22 to Birstall.  Having arrived in the village on the northern edge of Leicester we had a look around the shops before electing to eat at Birstall Fisheries a smart chip shop sadly today no pictures of food or premises but the fayre was in the top half of the fish and chips league!

A steady walk with dinner in hand saw us arrive at the ground just before 1.30pm, down a long lane the ground opened up to the left with the back of the club house and changing rooms and a smart little entrance with at present an unmanned turnstile.  We popped inside, past a chap who had cycled from Malvern to watch the game[!], and took a few early pictures. 
A quick ground descriptor would probably be given by the clubs Chairman Gary who we chatted to when he described it as a 'work in progress'.

Following promotion the ground is being worked on with a smart new stand put in place last season its all looking smart and more advanced than the basic Atcost varieties this is too the touchline too the right with below this stand a terraced area taped off under early base construction.  Sadly the bottom goal is out of bounds as is the side opposite the stand which houses the dug outs making this a 2 sided ground with hard standing on the habitable sides.  Behind the goal by the main entrance is the club house with changing rooms attached and to the far left a very smart new double turnstile block recently built.

SMART NEW TURNSTILE BLOCK AT MEADOW RD

When the club had a gateman on duty we paid our admission fees and obtained programmes today a not too inspiring effort although in the clubs defence they did only charge 50p.  With Malvern supporters and others in the ground it did take the club a while to operate a gate and it must have lead to the club missing a bit of revenue, although the extra time did seem to help bar takings later on in the afternoon.
Before the game there was a good chance to catch up with a few hoppers including two chaps from Wales also Mark from Worksop who had made the journey on bus, train and tram.  Thanks guys really good to chat and catch up with some non league news, Mick had gone off in search of the large selection of Malvern supporters who had travelled today and also an interesting selection of locals who had spotted this enticing game.

MALVERNS PLATT FEELS THE FORCE OF SAM KEE BIRSTALLS RIGHT BACK

The opening minutes of the game were mainly in Malvern's favour trying to play on the floor with Birstall playing long with the wind at their backs but after 5 minutes the home side took the lead.  Visiting keeper Charlie Weaver was beaten by a header from his own defender when Jamie Smith placed a aimed for header back to his keeper wide of the custodian.
Birstall went close again with an effort cleared off the line before on 17 minutes the visitors equalised Nathan Platt weaved a cross into the back post for Nathan Hughes to head home.  Malvern nearly went ahead when a sliced clearance had to be cleared off the Birstall line before the home side went close with a Dan Jelly effort well saved by Weaver.

DAVE REYNOLDS FLYING THROUGH THE AIR

Half time was arrived at with the scores level and with the wind at their backs you favoured Malvern now and just 4 minutes into the second period Dave Reynolds struck the post.  On 72 minutes good play down the right saw Bryan Craven fashion out a chance that struck the top of the bar.  Just 3 minutes later the visitors did take the lead when an initial shot was charged down it fell to Reynolds who reacted to fire home for a superb finish from just inside the box.  Within a minute the home side were level a cross from the right was met by a back post header which went in by a deflection goal accredited to captain Lewis Dodd.

MALVERN SUPPORTERS SIGNAL FOR BRYAN CRAVEN LONG CORNER OR SHORT

We went into extra time knowing the clubs had not agreed to go to penalties and if they could not be separated it would be back down to Malvern next week.

CRAVEN FREE KICK GOES JUST OVER

The extra 30 minutes saw both sides clearly getting tired and like that heavy weight boxing match in the final rounds they pushed their energy levels to the limits but it wasn't to be and the game really filtered out into a box to box match.  But all things told both teams had given it a really good go to find a winner.

CLOSE CHALLENGE

Just short of 5.30pm referee Simon Kavanagh called an end to the proceedings an we made a hasty departure for the bus back to Leicester with a steady pace back to the station we were in time for out train with provisions gained for the wait.  It was then that we learnt most trains were still suffering delays through Leicester and we finally departed half an hour late around 7pm.  Arrival back at base station around 7.45pm had seen a later than planned return but we had experienced an extra 30 minutes and met up with some interesting non league supporters and of course visited a new ground and enjoyed seeing a new club in Malvern Town.