FIVE STAR SHOWING FOR PRIMS WHO OVERCOME IVANHOES

ASHBY IVANHOES 0 GRAHAM ST PRIMS 5
EMCL @ LWR PACKINGTON RD
25 AUGUST 2018 --- 3PM
A strange day indeed Graham ST Prims hit five goals without reply, the Derby based side were previously on my dour list never having seen a particularly good performance or a good game involving them but today they swept aside their Hosts and too top it all off two Cross Country trains with seats gained on both and the latter return journey arrived fourteen minutes early......strange days indeed.

HOMELY SET UP AT LOWER PACKINGTON RD

Todays game was a late dash that saw me arrive in Burton one hour after base station departure mainly due to the continuing closure of Derby station necessitating a diversion around the varying back routes before re-entering the main line at Willington.  Over the coming weeks, 5 to be told, Northern Rail will have strike action taking place and as Derby works continue until October the planning has to become more precise in public transport world.

BACK TOWARDS THE CLUBHOUSE AND BUSINESS END

A steady walk through the wonderfully historic town of Burton on Trent found me just outside the shopping centre in time for the 19 to Ashby De La Zouch after a tour around the edges of Staffordshire and Derbyshire we were soon, 40 minutes anyway, in the football hot bed of North West Leicestershire at 2.05pm and of course you guessed it the chippy shut at 2!
Ashby is somewhat typical of a midland England town shops either side of a busy main street offering up old and new buildings alike.  The lack of famous people from the arae was strange but I believe Foxes player Russell Hoult was an option, varying sources seemed to show cricket and rugby union in the town but no mention of the football club.  The town lost its train line to passenger transport in 1964 and attempts to reopen the Ivanhoe line - Leicester, Coalville, Ashby and Burton have so far not been successful.  Its always interesting to pop along to the tourist information centre but its amazing how on the times areas are likely to get visitors, Saturday afternoons and Sundays, they are closed things are no different in Ashby.

AFTER EARLY TENSION ON THE PRIMS BENCH IT SOON BECAME A RELAXING AFTERNOON

A sharp walk out by the adjacent footpath to the castle, which sadly offered up no photographic views, I later found out it was £6.50 to enter the grounds and ruins but I would not have time today or the inclination for a few photos at the price. 
The south edge of the town offered up The National Farmers Union Sports Ground and Ashby Ivanhoe Fc who have been situated here since 2012.  Entrance and programme paid in and the homely ground opened up, well two sides if it did.  Before moving onto the ground lets do the programme rant thing of clubs moaning about producing them but sometimes its about presenting an issue that represents your club and is something to be proud of and that is worth buying each week.  Well here at Ashby Ivanhoe they have just that a cracking production for just £1 offered up lots of information and all very professionally produced, well done!
The ground then well entering behind the goal to your immediate right is the clubhouse offering a warm welcome with snack bar and alcoholic bar all within an old building which had clearly had some attention to bring it up to spec.

BRAD SCARD CELEBRATES HIS OPENING GOAL

Behind the goal there is a media hut perched in a heightened position which produced a good public address system again just adds to the match experience a seated stand directly behind the goal with a covered terrace wooden stand that takes you to the corner flag.  The touchline running parallel to Lower Packington Road is the only full side open and first up is a lofted stand of an Atcost type which splits its depth with a disabled seating enclosure beyond this the dug outs as the concrete terrace stops at the far goal line.  Two sided grounds are always a little bit of a disappointment but needs must and other demands probably stop the club but overall its a smart little set up and they have been able to concentrate their efforts on the two sides available.
Having arrived with 25 minutes to kick off it all happened quickly with little time to spare however both teams had got off too a good start this season and I just didn't know what to expect especially as my previous Prims experiences had been to say the least challenging.
It had been a opening were both sides challenged one another to the full but on 27 minutes the visitors broke the deadlock when Brad Scard lashed an un-cleared corner into the roof of the net and worse was to follow just four minutes later.

AIETAN MAKES IT 2-0 TO PRIMS

Jake Conkay stopped a Prims attack illegally and was cautioned from the low free kick Bhunpinder Aietan flicked the ball home from close range.  It could have got even worse moments later when Mathew Harris struck the base of  the post for the Derby side.  At the other end Ashby needed something but they were denied when Prims keeper Andrew Fretwell pulled off a wonderful save from a powerful Kerr Horn header.

THE RACE IS ON

The home side went into half time shell shocked and I for one was struggling to see a way back for them but after a good old half time orange and a chat who knows what could happen.
After a promising opening minute we thought we might have a game on our hands Graham St put all that out of the window when Harris dashed through and calmly slotted past the home number one to make it 3-0 and game over on 47 minutes.
Two more goals were to follow more or less straight away Scard got his second and then on 57 minutes the fifth when Harris supplied a low cross for the impressive Dominic Wilkinson to convert.  The tempo went out of the game somewhat although Prims were a little disappointed for Scard who missed a sitter for what would have been his hat trick before sub Kurt Dallison failed to convert in the middle and on a day were all chances had gone in who knows where the score line may have travelled.

THE CHALLENGE IS ON

This was a bad day at the office for the home side who after the first goal looked off the pace and at times were muscled out of the game by a hardworking Graham ST Prims for whom I know have to re write my thoughts.
A steady walk back with nearly an hour for the service back to Burton saw Bath Gardens displaying some cricket but with food in mind I attempted the local chippy but was put off with small child playing in food prep area so I'm afraid dear fish and chip shop review reader there isn't one.
Reverse route on the Midland Classic which alongside its Routemaster has a modern fleet certainly if this journey was anything to go by a departure in Burton on time allowed a connection in Burton for the train to base which arrived 14 minutes early!  I know there is time built in at the moment but it was still quite remarkable and a seat into the bargain that is a blessing in modern day train travel.

THE NATIONAL FOREST STARTING AT PLATFORMS ONE AND TWO BURTON STATION

One thing though East Midland Trains take a look at your central platform 'garden' you may be taking the National Forest thing a bit too far.