WHITCHURCH ALPORT ONE STEP AWAY FROM PROMOTION

WHITCHURCH ALPORT V SANDBACH UTD
NWCFL PLAY OFF SEMI FINAL @YOCKINGS PARK
12 MAY 2018 --- 3PM

WHITCHURCH ALPORT PLAY OFF FINAL APPEARANCE BECKONS

Alport secured a play off final berth with a strike 14 minutes from time thanks to a Joe Cuff strike and will match up against the bottom placed play off side Cammell Laird.  Sadly for Sandbach the effort took a deflection that gave the visiting keeper no chance at all however United had been denied earlier by a super save from the home custodian and missed a golden opportunity with the goal wide open.
The end of season tour continues and like any old rock band in the last week or so we have taken in gigs in Cheshire, Powys, Northamptonshire, Derbyshire and today Shropshire or to give it that horrible name of a few decades ago Salop. Whitchurch Alport as with most of the last few new grounds had been on the radar before but due to the inclement weather of recent seasons had always looked an on its own risk but with the weather now showing signs of summer this fixture was a great option to visit.

EARLY CHANGE AT DERBY ALLOWED A SHOT OF THE NEW PLATFORMS BEING BUILT

Departure from base station twenty before ten saw changes in Derby and a fast one in Crewe onto the lengthy, in mileage, Manchester to Carmarthen train a packed of course Arriva Wales train but it was 20 minutes of standing so acceptable. 
Arriving in Whitchurch just at half past midday there was time for a gentle wander into town and first spot was the Turret clock manufacturers building a skill that the town is noted for but now operated by auctioneers.  Mind you not any old auctioneers but partner Christina Trevanion the popular BBC personality from shows of the ilk of Bargain Hunt, as we moved into the town the most notable attraction was the collection and variety of wonderful buildings and the architecture of them.  The town itself other than this is unremarkable and very much gives the feel of the border town that it is situated by the Welsh border.

A SMART WELCOME TO WHITCHURCH ALPORT FC

Having admired the buildings and resisted Watergate Bakery which had the biggest 'PIES' sign you could imagine in the shops window they either like pies around here or have poor eyesight.  You see temptation was resisted because on the way in we spotted Chesters fish shop so drifted back their to sample the goods.

ITS NOT ALL ABOUT THE LIGHTS THIS IS A SMART SET UP

On the way to Yockings Park we discussed the Alport part of the clubs name so given from Alport Farm in the town where local footballer Coley Maddocks, who had been killed in World War 2, lived.  Struggling to find the reason why its called Yockings Park I will leave that for another day but there is a further nice touch in the ground which after some excellent developments and new pitch side fencing the club left in one of the concrete posts that supported the former railing.  This bares a memorial plaque to Bert Nelson and with further class there is now an added floor encased light that shines onto the post.

THE FAR SIDE AND IT ALL SAYS SMART

The tight lane that gives up the approach road to the ground allows a first sight that says straight away smart set up, a warm welcome at the turnstiles just before 2pm allows us to pay in and collect the creditable programme.  With a crowd of around 500 expected and achieved the clubs toilet facilities were probably a worry and they had invested in three Portaloos the one I sampled worried me slightly as soon as I closed the door it wobbled around and I feared being transported to a football league ground!  Safely extricated from the plastic time machine and the ground descriptor the first most notable things are the floodlights four poles with a mass of floodlights on them its almost like being in one of those old school eastern European stadia.

NO WORDS NEEDED

To the right is the new hospitality/bar area with large fridges keeping drinks cool, nestled in between here and the small clubhouse are today a food van and ice cream van which on todays hot day was a further good move.  The bar is cosy but very smart and also offers the clubs on snack bar once again a smart impression with many of the volunteers kitted out in club polo shirts.  The main stand cuts off the terracing and to get to the far side you need to walk round but back to the stand a smart affair with new seats in small blocks give an executive box feel with large backs and seats and with the front sloping roof it looks loved.  Around the ground then to the left hand side an open terrace and onto the opposite touchline two separate pitch length covers split by the dug outs and within the far one a single row of the executive seats appear.  Behind the far goal its open but once again with the new meshed fencing you see at 3g facilities and new concrete hard standing continuing right round to the opposite end of the stand the overall feel is off a superb facility.  Behind this far goals the rolling fields of Whitchurch gives way to its farming and agricultural home. Club officials had been hard at work preparing for the game with balloons attached to the fence at regular intervals and before kick off a drone flew around with a Whitchurch flag wafting away.  We were not finished though as the teams came out externally to the ground a selection of corporate red coloured flares were displayed to add to the experience.

WARNING ALPORT CAPTAIN SIMON EVERALL WILL FEATURE HEAVILY ON HERE IS SOME OF HIS TATTOOS

As a neutral you couldn't but help like this clubs set up and admire the work that had clearly gone into the ground and was further promoted in advancing this club as a community based side, indeed the average crowds of 228 are astonishing and they are being appreciated and hopefully will continue to add to these numbers from the impression I gained today, superb effort everybody!

THE ICE CREAM VAN IS OVER THERE

To the game well play offs are often tense nervous dour affairs with moments of heartbreak for one side and complete joy for the other well that probably sums this encounter up.  Sandbach had won both previous league meetings and although Alport had finished higher the winner would have to be resolute.  Both sides were the latter word in the former sentence and also their work rate was unquestionable but the nerves and tension got them I guess in a dour first half  there really was little of note except for a substitution of the injured Nicky Porter by the in the end match winner Joe Cuff after 29 minutes.

I KNOW HE IS IN THE PICTURE AGAIN AS WELL AS THE ACTION

The second period continued in much the same game and the dreaded penalties were starting to warm themselves up but as time drifted it was Sandbach who had the chance to gain the advantage a tremendous 25 yard shot from Adam Clayton saw home keeper Adam Clayton fly to his left to push the ball effort around at full stretch for a corner.  Then on 63 minutes the one chance you ned in a game like this looked to be Sandbach's option Jordan Davies broke through rounded the keeper and from a tight, but achievable, angle with the goal open he found the side netting.

OK ITS £10 TO JOIN THE SIMON EVERALL FAN CLUB

Big let off for Whitchurch who within ten minutes had snatched their chance as home captain Simon Everall completely missed his kick on an edge of the penalty box cross the ball drifted through to Cuff who fired the ball towards the bottom left hand side of the visitors goal cue massive deflection and said corner was avoided and the ball nestled in the opposite corner to spark off wild scenes of delight.
Could Alport hand on......... you bet!  There was really on a melee on the stroke of time to note following a late challenge form a Sandbach player which I guess the referee and his assistants lost because how it wasn't a red card I'm not sure but following the calming down of reactions the ten minutes of stoppage time added were not too nervous and the red army can look forward to a Thursday night final.
Lets put on record here the blog enjoys the neutrality its given with not following one club or the other but I hope Whitchurch Alport go on to win the play off final and take their place in step 5 you just couldn't help but love the club on this visit today, I hope to return here soon.
An about turn to the edge of the town for hopper provision saw once again a busy service back to Crewe before changing to the one carriage bus on rails to Derby and a swift change to arrive back at base station just before 8pm.