'GREENE' LIGHT FOR ST HELENS PLAY OFF CHALLENGE WITH WIN AT BARNTON

BARNTON 2 V ST HELENS TOWN 3
NWCFL DIVISION 1 @ TOWNFIELD
30 APRIL 2016 --- 3PM

A first half double from Barnton captain Kevin Pollard was not enough to see the home side past play off challengers St Helens who after going in 2-1 down at half time had second half strikes from Stephen Rigby and Daniel Greene to thank for an exciting victory in this top of the table battle.
As planning got closer for the weekend we arrived at a couple of options and with some of our midland fixtures under threat from heavy rain we opted for a trip to leafy Cheshire and the village of Barnton who have seen their side have a fantastic season culminating in an already achieved play off spot in third place.  Today they would welcome 5th placed St Helens who have to keep securing the points to guarantee their spot in the season extension and with a Bank Holiday Monday fixture at home to Hanley Town who are second and fighting for the title its a tough ask for the visitors.

Start from base was not aided when the 10 minute 'Comet' journey to the station was done by swinging about in an upright position in a packed bus, its normally the trains but today had started with the bus service being packed.  Thankfully though our departure to Stockport for our first change was met by a service with seats gained and then with a five minute change we gained seats for the 45 minute journey to Northwich.
Upon arrival in Northwich we made a sharp dash to the small road side bus interchange and managed to board a 1.30pm aquamarine number 4 to Barnton.  Having taken the circular tour past the ground we departed and meandered back towards the ground via a visit to the local Coop for a few provisions.

THE EXTERNAL MINI LIBRARY OPEN THE DOOR TO SELECT FROM A SMALL CHOICE OF BOOKS

The village of Barnton was in quiet weekend mode with a lack of an obvious centre with not too much too photograph although the library did have an information board on the road side with information about the village and at the side a quaint little box which hosted a Picador Library were you could loan and return a book of your choice.
Barnton FC's Townfield ground is situated behind the Memorial Hall and I guess was formerly an open space to the rear now the club in its progression have installed floodlights and of course fenced off the exterior including the requisite amount of Herres Fencing which screens around the hall and entrance.
The usual tourist trail comes today at the end of the blog because it was a tightly timed arrival but at the end with time to wait for a service bus back to Northwich we decided to walk back to town and take in a few sights so the blog is out of normal sequence today, but stick with it!

THE BUSINESS AREA AT TOWNFIELD

A quick look at the ground then, we received a nice welcome at the entrance having paid our admission and purchased some programmes at £1.50 they were steady affairs but did include a selection of colour photos.  Walking onward the mini club house and café were housed in the same building which is smart and tide and Mick enjoyed some chips while I went on a circuit.  Behind the clubhouse are two Portacabins that house the changing rooms and to one side we have a toilet block.  The latter contained an inspiring list of construction health and safety warning of what to watch out for and not do, sadly there wasn't one for watching you didn't pee on your shoes while reading notices on the toilet wall!  Towards the seated stand which is slab hard standing and beyond the two dug outs and a scaffold gantry for some high up camera work we gravitate towards grass standing only this continues behind the far goal and then we come back to hard standing on the far side which has a similar small stand this time with standing room for protection from any poor weather, thankfully not needed today.  The three sides covered so far all have plenty of grassed space behind them and sometimes can create a delay with match ball retrieval.  Back to the top goal and the fenced off hall and a return to the bar area.  The pitch slopes down from this end to the far goal but overall the surface is looking good for this time of the season.   As the kick off time approached and we arrived at an attendance of 79 there was a feel of disturbing the sedentary village life as all seemed quiet around the vicinity of the ground.

RITCHIE MOTTRAM RECEIVES HIS AWARD FROM NWCFL IAN WILLIAMS

Just before kick off NWCFL member Ian Williams, who completed his 100 NWCFL and cup matches attended this season here at Townfield today, presented the goalkeeper of the month award to home keeper Ritchie Mottram.

PENALTY FROM POLLARD MAKES IT 1-0

The game started early in the goal stakes with a penalty in the second minute to the home side when Ant Whelan clipped Oscar Billington in the box and Pollard stepped up to convert the penalty for the first of his brace today.  It was an early shock for the visitors but they got themselves back in it on 21 minutes when home keeper Andrew Burgess got in a mess on the edge of his box and Andrew Gillespie nipped in to convert well from 18 yards.  Jason McShane tested the visiting keeper Matthew Hodge before St Helens nearly took the lead with a curling effort from Rigby.

GOOD TAKE FROM BARNTON KEEPER BURGESS

Just as it looked likely that the game would be all square at the break poor marking from a corner off the right from Daniel Laverty allowed Pollard to power home his back post header to make it 2-1.

RIGBY GOES CLOSE WITH A CURLING EFFORT

The second half we spent in the company of 2 enthusiastic St Helens supporters who made good company and were hopefully cheering their side on to victory and a play off spot.

NOT TO BE OUT DONE HODGES CLAIMS WELL FOR ST HELENS

St Helens stormed out of the traps and in the opening minutes of the second half home keeper Burgess pulled off two sharp saves.  The visitors were not to be denied though and levelled the scores after 57 minutes an excellent deep cross off the right from green saw Rigby steaming in at the back stick to head home.

Substitutions started to come into effect and St Helens brought on number 15 George Lomax who had a significant effect on this game and was proving a handful for the home defence who it has to be said saw Callum Richards, he of the Valderama hair style, have an excellent afternoon too.  It was Lomax who tested the keeper on 65 minutes but the goal that the visitors craved came on 70 minutes when Greene fired home a lovely 20 yard drive to make it 3-2 to St Helens.  Much as Barnton looked a threat on the it was St Helens who nearly extended their lead Green saw Burgess pull off an excellent save and then with 8 minutes remaining Gillespie struck the right hand upright.

CALLUM RICHARDS AND THE HAIR

The grains of time slipped away slowly for the St Helens fans but when referee Thompson blew his whistle just after 4.45 the visitors had secured 3 points and probably now need just one point on Monday to gain a play off spot.
Having missed the little trip around any local sights that we normally undertake on first time visits to towns we had some time to play with before our 1835 departure from Northwich we opted to walk out of the village to take a look at The Anderton Boat Lift a fantastic design that allows the different level between the River Weaver and The Trent And Mersey Canal to be solved.  After a quick look around we decided to walk back to Northwich and passed the massive former ICI site which is still in part operation but much of the site is being re developed.

THE ANDERTON BOAT LIFT

Noticing many mentions of the name Sir John Brunner it transpires he was the first developer of this site in the 1800's and a very socially aware business owner who also represented The Liberal Party of its day for Northwich.  As an aside to having a Flaming Grill public house named after Sir John he also has the towns library as a tribute too.  Passing through Winnington the cricket club were in action and the ground offered an interesting back drop with a superb pavilion contrasted by what is left of the former works site.

WINNINGTON CRICKET CLUB IN LATE SPRING EVENING ACTION

Arrival into Northwich via one of the two 1899 swing bridges we had moved on well ahead of schedule there was time for crafty visit to big 'M's'.  We made out way back to Northwich station and an on time departure saw us back in Stockport with just over half an hour to wait for a departure from our favourite platform 0 back to base station.
A good visit the blog will look out to see how these two perform in the play offs and wish both clubs all the best as they look to move up to step 5.

GOOD HUMOUR AT STOCKPORT STATION ALTOUGH WE HAD EXPERIENCED A FINE AFTERNOON MANY CLOSE BY HAD WITNESSED THE ABOVE INCLUDING AT CREWE FC WERE THE GAME WAS DELAYED BY 30 MINUTES