HEY DOUBLE HELPS CAMPION TO 3 MORE POINTS

CAMPION AFC 3 V TEVERSAL 0
NCEFL 1 @ MANNINGHAM MILL SPORTS GROUND
15 OCTOBER 2016 --- 3PM

CAMPION ON THE ATTACK WITH LISTER MILL IN THE BACKGROUND

A double from Eli Hey helped new comers Campion to a 3-0 victory over visitors Teversal, with a first half penalty from Scott Eastwood starting the ball rolling.  The league new boys are settling in and are well paced in the top half of the table alongside Hey the impressive and ever dangerous Jacob Buchanan were the highlights in a solid home performance.
Back to West Yorkshire today for the first time in a little while and a return to Bradford, or should that be 'Bratford', a city that I have visited on only a couple of occasions previously.  The journey from base station started much like last week wondering where Richard Branson and more to the point Jeremy Corbyn where when you needed them a 'rammed' full Northern train for the first 20 minutes nearly as bad as last weeks Stockport journey.  Having secured a seat after the delightful [?] shopping centre of Meadowhall was passed we arrived in Leeds a few minutes behind.  Not to worry we soon departed by New Pudsey to Bradford Interchange for the short walk to the adjacent bus station.  This was my memory a few years ago of one of the first interchanges and I have to say it works very well or at least it did today as we soon boarded the First Bradford 620 service to Lillycroft Lane.  The service travels along an interesting inner city route before we depart in Manningham opposite the massive Lister Mill.

LISTER MILL, WITH MORE BEHIND OUT OF VIEW

This building dwarfs the area with its massive chimney visible for miles around part of the 2 parts of the mill are now apartments and part industrial units, having found an area to take a picture just about impossible to get the chimney and building in the same frame.
At the ground a club official who previously worked at the mill before its closure around 1992 told me some of the history alongside the early formation of a pre runner to the Labour Party.  Research shows that in 1890 the 5,000 workers went on strike for 19 weeks over a reduction in wages and when the dispute was over a month later The Bradford Labour Union was formed before in 1893 The Independent Labour Party was born in the town.

CAMPION TREASURER ANDREW SHEPARD PRE MATCH CONCENTRATION

I don't normally do too much history but while we are on the subject Campion AFC previously held the name St Edmund Campion Youth Club in its formative years before in 1976 the shortened version won the day.  The club gained admission to step 6 by finishing third in The West Riding Amateur League last season and gaining an acceptable ground grading.
Having arrived through the local housing estates the grounds gates have their former tight association with the mill clearly installed in the ironwork.  Flush to Scotchman Rd are the double decked community rooms which include changing rooms, bar areas and a selection of other rooms and offices.  We made are way to the bar area for a soft drink and bag of Mr Linekers crisps first here we met club treasurer Andrew Shepard who made the time to make us feel welcome and tell us a little about the club before we met the gentleman running the bar who as previously mentioned used to work at the mill.  While deep in conversation Bob from the snack bar passed by and gave us a greeting, once again other clubs take note this is the way to do it a friendly welcome that continued throughout the afternoon at Campion.

BOB'S TAKING A PHONE ORDER FOR DELIVERY FROM THE SNACK BAR

It's always interesting watching a team local to you play away from home and todays that was certainly the case with Teversal being one of the blogs nearest non league sides so we managed to say hello to secretary Kev Newton and Chairman Pete Cockerill.
Having gained the teams really early it was a pleasure to relax take a few pictures and then have a further informative chat with the home Chairman Richard Holmes and so to the ground.
The site houses cricket as well but upon entrance through the gate with just beyond a wooden pay box there was once again a warm greeting from the lady taking gate money and selling raffle tickets.  Round the corner Bob had set up the snack bar and programmes are available here at £2 this looked a good effort but in real terms for the first time visitors it was but for repeat visits it just an 8 page inlay inside that changes each game.  Straight on down the concrete pathway we split football from cricket and the dug outs are the primary buildings on this side apart from a few modern bench seats.  The bottom goal is sadly out of bounds so its back towards the entrance goal and behind the entrance goal is were all the business goes on.

MAIN STAND AT MANNINGHAM MILLS SPORTS ASSOCIATION GROUND

Moving over to the far touchline the stand is a scaffolding format supported by an old exterior wall with new paving blocks added and in time tip up seats are to be added from Bradford Park Ave cricket ground.  As the covering roof leaves us behind around the half way line we come out into the open and before too long we have to stop because the last 40 yards or so are once again out of bounds.  The club worked hard to install lights before the start of the season and are now in a period of redeveloping parts of their ground that probably need a little bit of work on them but overall this is a cosy little affair.  Its always a challenge for any club gaining promotion from step 7 with an increase in costs and travelling and Campion are looking to meet that challenge with as ever a small match day staff and sadly today a small crowd.  Its really disappointing that with Bradford City not at home and you just have to wonder why when its just a fiver some of The Bantams fans don't come along and support a team who are just a mile up the road from their ground.

JACOB BUCHANAN RISES TO HEAD ON A THROW IN

That said we had made the trip from deepest Derbyshire and Mick and I got talking to visitors from Newark, Brighouse, Martin a Cambridge exile who studied in Leeds and to stop up here and cover the non league circuit widely.  As ever guys a pleasure to hear your stories and swap non league news best wishes for your season.

TEVIE TUSSLE

Lining up for the start I think I was witnessing to of the smartest kits of the season so far, Teversal's blue and white looking particularly good.  A prompt start from Teversal saw them looking to push home an early advantage in the possession stakes but as so often happens it was the home side who took the lead Buchanan skipped into the box and was upended by Jason Dawson to give referee Macrae an easy penalty decision with Eastwood converting as the watch clocked up 14 minutes.  Buchanan was prominent in the move that doubled Campion's lead on 35 minutes skipping down the right to set up Lee Bradshaw to square to Hey to slot into the Teversal goal.  We went into the break with a 2-0 score line in the home sides favour and it was time to frequent Bob's snack bar again.

ELI HEY ON HIS WAY TO A BRACE

Within 4 minutes of the re start Hey was testing visiting keeper Josh Turton who was equal to his effort.  After an encouraging opening for Teversal it wasn't long before Campion took a grip of the second half Buchanan struck the bar before he once again turned provider with a cross off the left for Josh Cooke to head against the crossbar.  The visitors goal was leading a bit of a charmed life but their defences were breached again on 78 minutes when Cooke put in a lovely cross of the right for Hey to smash the ball first time into the roof of the Teversal net to make it 3-0.  With a few minutes remaining on the clock Turton pulled off a lovely full length save from Matt Jones 30 yard effort just managing to deflect the ball over for a corner.

An enjoyable game and an excellent visit to a friendly club, Campion are a new club I'm sure on many hoppers lists if you want a friendly club don't delay visit them soon we were certainly made welcome today.

The return 620 service got us back to the interchange in time for a late running train which once again was full and saw us stand to Leeds before a brief dash to get a pasty from one of the concession stand saw us add a shortbread and bottle of pop drained the blog of just over a fiver.
Seat secured on the direct Northern service back to base we arrived back at home station just before 7.30pm to meet the Alfreton lads who had just returned from The Reds 2-2 FA Cup draw at home to Gateshead.