APPLEBY FRODINGHAM LATE COMEBACK SHOCKS BENTLEY

APPLEBY FRODINGHAM 3 AFC BENTLEY 3
CMFL NORTH @ BRUMBY HALL
18 NOVEMBER 2017 --- 3PM

AN OPENING GOAL FOR BENTLEY BUT EVEN AT 3-0 THEY WERE NOT SAFE FROM A COMEBACK

A stunning comeback from Appleby Frodingham 3-0 down with 20 minutes on the clock and seemingly chances not been taken and looking at 'it was just one of those days quotes' when up stepped captain Tom Wilson with a brace and a penalty from Luke Robinson secured a deserved point in the fifth minute of stoppage time.  For Benltey this must have felt like a defeat and for the third Saturday running the blog had witnessed a home side come back from behind to gain something from the game.
A visit to Appleby Frodingham Fc had been on the cards for a while but in the list of 'to do's' it was one of those that always fell off the schedule but having met some of the merry band of their supporters at Renishaw this season I was encouraged to make the trip.
Heading north a quick change a Sheffield allowed a change onto the express service through to Cleethorpes stopping a couple of stations short in Scunthorpe at just after mid day the arrival allowed a nice bit of down time to take a further look at the town.

THE MASSIVE EXPANSE OR THE SCUNTHORPE STEEL WORKS IN THE DISTANCE

Previous visits to Bottesford, Glanford Park and the former Old Show Ground had made the town reasonably familiar and I opted for a walk to a nearby vantage point to take some views of the steel works before a walk through Frodingham district of the town to the works entrances.  It really cannot be put into words the size of this industrial complex and looked at from an aerial shot the area is about the same size as Scunthorpe's town centre.  In its day I'm led to believe it employed around 20,000 but now that figure as dropped to just over 3,000, indeed on a previous visit last year the whole site was under threat but luckily some preservation has taken place.  This is vital because if one industry sums up a town like Scunthorpe the loss of the works would be devastating on a similar scale to the pit closures.

THANKFULLY A REMINDER OF A PAST GROUND SO MANY TOWNS FAIL TO DO THIS

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly a film title that probably sums up todays visit, firstly the good is definitely the friendly Appleby Frodingham Football Club and the superb sports facilities on site with the adjacent Central Park offering a resplendent contrast to the town.  The bad and the ugly, sorry, is Scunthorpe town centre without being too harsh it has little in the way of redeeming features, the whole centre is one long shopping street into a indoor precinct and enclosed market.  With many closed and bordered up units the whole experience was summed up by an elderly gentleman wandering the streets in a red and white onesie with Christmas hat adorning his head strolling around in a rambling fashion.  Having found the two possible fish and chip shops researched I decided to wide berth them both and head off for a picture of the stone within the Sainsbury's grounds that marked the site of the former Scunthorpe Utd Old Show Ground, the home of England's first cantilever stand in the 1950's.  I well remember watching Wolves in I think a Sunday fixture in the 80's when Brian Little was in charge of the visitors and taking up a position in the said stand.  Still long gone now and probably not even remembered by many of todays younger footy fans.  With a shortage of lunch it was then that I decided I could take up corporate hospitality in the former main stand region that now was the supermarkets café.  A 20 minute wait was offered and accepted only for it to be nearer 45 minutes and when the fish and chips arrived it was a distinct case of trying to find much of the sea fairing animal.

THE IMPRESSIVE CLUB AND CHANGING ROOM FACILITIES

Time for the stroll out to the game arrived and the 'App Frod' sports complex at Brumby Hall is really impressive with a whole selection of sports on offer from bowls to tennis and football to cricket, to name just a few.  The site was formerly associated with the steelworks that brought together Appleby and Frodingham into partnership for an early name for the works before British Steel days.  The site is now owned by the council after a deal was struck to build the adjacent Pods Leisure Centre although the buildings are leased back to the sports clubs and just to keep a level on it all the steel works has a major representation on the operating body.  The bar and function rooms facilities are massive and obviously tell their own story of days gone by having got past the door security buzzer I popped in for a lemonade and a look around.  Unfortunately here there appeared not to be a single board representing the clubs and works history which would have been of interest to the visitors because there was and still is a clear attractions to this whole complex.

SEATING READILY AVAILABLE

To the ground then and a side entrance brings me into first contact with committee member Glenn who offered a warm welcome and some history and with programme and admission sorted the ground to the left offered hard standing and a small Atcost stand before access to the behind goal area is not allowed.  Coming back towards club that overpowers the whole ground we have a nice terraced area with a wide selection of changing rooms on offer the hard standing continues around behind the opposite goal and over to the far side with the whole pitch neatly railed off.

PRE MATCH WITH BRUMBY HALL IN THE BACKGROUND

The whole ground is of a smart and workmanlike appearance and of course shows its former NCEFL status by its overall impression.  Before kick and during half time there was a chance to catch up with secretary and long term club man Dusty who offered me some information on the set up and the steel works.  Its been said before but people like Dusty and Glen are what makes non league work and their encouragement to others is a credit as well as their welcome to visitors.  In a week of the BBC releasing their annual study into the price of football tickets at professional clubs why more supporters who are being priced out of the game don't take in a trip to their local non league side is a mystery to me.  Today for £3 both Afc Bentley and Frodingham put on a sterling effort that in entertainment matched any of your football league fixtures.

REFEREE SIMON SWAIN LEADS THE TEAMS OUT

To the action and with both sides just off the pace at the top a win would be vital and with that in prospect should set up a good encounter.  It was Bentley who struck first, second and third on 20 minutes Josh Paskell set up Luke Flannagan to convert before Matty Hughes made it 2-0 slotting past the out coming Jordan Quibezl in the home goal.

FIRST HALF ACTION

Half time arrived with the home side in need of a turn around in fortunes and they started strongly forcing back Bentley but as the clock drifted on the chances that fell their way didn't rustle the back of the net and as so often happens the opposition take their chances.  Great pace from Jack Varley allowed him to cross low to Alex Irwin who converted unmarked in the middle to you would have thought put the game behind doubt.  Still The Steelmen plugged away to try to get something from this fixture and a goal did arrive on 70 minutes when Tom Wilson headed in at the other end Irwin struck the bar.  It was all action now as the home side threatened but Bentley remained a clear danger on the break in the second minute of stoppage time Appleby Frodingham pulled back another what looked like consolation goal when Wilson got his second firing past the visiting keeper James Brookes.

FRODINGHAM JUST ABOUT IN CONTROL

With the tempo further increased and as the game entered the fifth minute of stoppage time Zak Shipman weaved into the box only to be bundled over in the box from behind and referee Simon Swain had no doubts in awarding a penalty and coolness personified in Luke Robinson saw the comeback completed as his penalty struck the back of the Bentley net.
An exciting finale to this game that looked way out of the home sides reach at 3-0 down but it was probably about the correct result but for Bentley they will feel like they had lost this game I'm sure.

CLOSE THE GATE ON YOUR WAY OUT

A steady walk back to the station found the 5.08 train slightly late and allowing me to board it and arrive in Sheffield just under an hour later and with a comfortable change for departure to base station this had been an enjoyable afternoon watching a first game at Brumby Hall the home of Appleby Frodingham.