STONE IN ROCK SOLID WIN

STONE OLD ALLEYNIANS 3 CHEADLE HEATH NOMADS 1
NWCFL SOUTH 1 @ WELLBEING PARK
12 JANUARY 2018 --- 3PM

SAM WILSON [10] CELEBRATES THE OPENING GOAL

Stone OA secured a comfortable maximum points return thanks to a three goal half time lead amassed while Cheadle Heath had a day away from the office although with an improved second half they made the main reception and pulled back a late consolation goal.  But the match belonged to the Staffordshire side who led through Sam Wilson and had that extended via a brace from Jack
Tomlinson they had been tough and uncompromising with a clear flair upfront.
Once again on Friday morning this was not on the radar but a visit to Stone and the neighbouring village of Yarnfield where both OA and the towns other side Dominos also turn out had been investigated before.  The one major back burner excuse was the public transport situation which was non to frequent but cometh Saturday morning cometh the 'sod it lets have a go at it' attitude.

A CLASSY LOOKING STONE STATION

Usual standing to Derby for twenty minutes and then with one carriage bus on wheels arrival in Stoke just 5 minutes after the hourly Stone service.  The wiling away of 55 minutes was done and soon on board the Euston bound train within 8 minutes Stone station was achieved with the main line 'fast track' going straight on we deviated eastwards for the Stafford line and departure was right by the impressive station building down the long approach road awaited a first visit to the town.
This was a centre that gave the feeling of an average mid town about it with much of its history around the canal, the centre was fairly busy but offered nothing to inspiring with the busy circuitous surround roads offering a by pass to the town.

STONE DOMINOS FELLOW USERS OF THE COMPLEX GUESS WHEN THEY WERE FORMED

After a thirty minute interval the D and G 14 to Stafford which serves Yarnfield on a two hourly basis departed me at Wellbeing Park which is on the west edge of the village some 2.5 miles from Stone, with the feeling of being in the middle of nowhere.  The village has one of the largest conference
centres in the country with over 300 rooms and was formerly operated by B.T.  Wellbeing, formerly Springbank, Park is a collection of football pitches serving a wide selection of teams with the main pitch being floodlit and used by both OA and Dominos and with todays visitors Nomads a nice collection of nearly Rugby League type names.  Indeed Dominos were named after St Domonics school whereas todays Old Alleynians where named after the local Grammar school now a modern day academy.

IMPRESSIVE STAND AT WELLBEING PARK

Entrance via the pay booths marked Tunstall Town who indeed were at home today with a goal less draw well under way to the left a wooden clubhouse which really served more as a café and committee area to the near side the toilet block and the far side offered a entrance path to the changing rooms and the far fenced off walkway an approach to the turnstile for spectators.
With forty minutes to go there was no sign of the turnstiles being opened so a quick circuit of the ground found an excellent full length stand with seating in the half way line portion, the remaining three sides were all concreted and the dug outs on the far side.  Its probably the easiest descriptor that this season will see its smart and tidy but functional is the call of the day.
Back in the business area it was as ever a pleasure to catch up with visiting secretary Nev Pearson who previous contact was made with at Knutsford and the glory days of Gamesley.  As ever it was good to catch up with a man of football and talk about many aspects of the game including how well both sides have done in their first season in the league, indeed The NWCFL must be delighted that all the tops sides are within their first two seasons in the league a real testimony to the clubs efforts.

THE THREE TEAMS ON THEIR WAY

A smart programme with a brightly badged front cover was obtained from the snack bar and then it was onwards to pay the very reasonable £4 admission into todays spectacle. 
The dread of the team of the month, for December, was presented to Stone OA and thankfully for them it didn't turn out the way it normally does for other recipients.

SAM WILSON SCORES THE OPENER FOR STONE OA

An increasingly murky afternoon made pictures a struggle again but the action was soon going the way of Stone after just seven minutes good work on the left from James Lee saw a low ball crossed that Sam Wilson in the middle couldn't really fail to convert for an early lead. 
Cheadle were struggling to get a foot hold in the game and seemed all out of sorts and when Jack Tomlinson spotted that visiting keeper Aaron Tryer had slipped flat on his back in the penalty box the quick thinking front man lashed the ball home from 30 yards showing no mercy to make it two goals without reply five minutes before the break.

FIRST HALF STONE IN PLAY

In first half stoppage time it all went from bad to worse when Tomlinson slotted home his second and the home sides third and you couldn't see where Nomads were coming back into this one.
Strangely the second half was won by Cheadle Heath thanks to a consolation goal seven minutes from time when Issac Graham held up for Kieran Herbert to fire into the bottom left hand corner form the edge of the box.  The closing stages saw Cheadle find their confidence and it was all the visitors and if they could have found a second who knows the draw may have been on but it would have been an injustice on Stone who dominated their fellow high flying visitors for most of the game.
Its an isolated ground that although smart you cant help feel needs to be nearer to its geographical centre to pull in a few more on the attendance figures especially the young and old with a poor public transport service available to them.  Today just 47 attended with a figure, I would guess, around twenty lower being on the 'paid in' list its a shame because clearly the club are having an excellent first season in The NWCFL.

MATT SMITH STONE OA MANAGER IN CHARGE OF DECEMBER TEAM OF THE MONTH

The reverse journey was massively aided, well my stomach was by a trip to the Uni Chippy, thanks to a very courteous lift back to Stoke Station by the very generous Nomads secretary, thanks Nev!  It was all fairly comfortable going with the luxury of two carriages back to Derby mainly entertained by one child using the nearby seat as a trampoline, Olympic star of the future who knows but I wished they wouldn't.  From Derby the whole carriage was entertained by two young travellers playing their computer game at full volume another day in the life of this grumpy old git and public transport mind you seats were gained on three of the four trains, result!