ALL SQUARE AT ARMTHORPE AS OLLERTONS KING SCORES AGAIN

ARMTHORPE 1 OLLERTON TOWN 1
NCEFL 1 @ CHURCH ST
23 FEBRUARY 2019 --- 3PM

ARMTHORPE V OLLERTON TOWN

Honours were even at the end of ninety minutes of football but Gavin King showed the prowess that has made him the leagues top scorer by pouncing to give the visitors the lead in the first half against the run of play before Armthorpe equalised straight after the half time break through Joshua Dodd.
Armthorpe pushed on for a winner that wouldn't come even after the visitors were reduced to ten men by the dismissal of Brandon Shaw mid-way through the second half.
After weeks away from travelling north due to the Northern Rail dispute and recent journeys to the South Midlands league proving somewhat frustrating today would see a short journey to a ground that had been on the 'to do' list for too long.  Coming from mining stock and a mining town its always interesting to visit some of the former colliery villages around Yorkshire for football or cricket and today would be no exception.

MAIN STAND BUT YOU HAVE TO LEAVE THE MAST/FLOODLIGHT IN DONT YOU

Short hop over the border to Sheffield with a change to arrive in Doncaster station, whisper it quietly but I got a seat on a XCountry service, with departure from the adjacent bus station to Armthorpe more or less immediately.  Just short of the village Doncaster Knights Rugby Union ground was starting to get busy for their fixture and on approaching the ultimate destination we passed the site of the former colliery, Markham Main.  Closed with 50 years of reserves in 1996 after 76 years of service the village did not give the impression of some of the former struggling locations around South Yorkshire after the axe fell on this proud and fruitful industry.
Departing on the busy Doncaster Road just four miles from Doncaster itself there seemed to be a selection of two shopping areas and having sampled Cooplands before wondering back in I managed a quick pastry from Greggs all in the aim of being fair to both companies you understand!

LOOK AT THEM BEAUTIES ALTHOUGH I DONT FANCY CHANGING THE BULBS

Armthorpe seemed to have moved on better than most former mining areas from the devastation of losing its main source of jobs mind you the massive Wheatsheaf pub was still proudly displaying a banner 'summer pub of the season 2013'.  Directly over the road is the Markham Main miners
memorial garden and having failed to gain entry via its locked front gates I disappeared down to the community centre which sat to the side, thankfully it was at that point the side gate, open, came into view.  The obligatory half cut pit wheel could be inspected more closely with a plaque to the 87 miners lost in the colliery during its history, including a 15 year old in its earlier years and in memory of all the men and women who had worked there.  Outside to the road side there is also a nice touch with a further sign highlighting the garden.  As an additional note the village was the birthplace of former England international Kevin Keegan not sure how many re visits he makes back to his homeland.
Having already been asked by two different car drivers where the ground was I was a aware of a small roadway just before the Morrison's and indeed was able to find the home of Armthorpe Fc fairly easily.

FIRST HALF SWAYING

The season started with a need to do some of the local grounds that had evaded me or just been put off constantly as not being fancied too much and there has been some surprises along the way with pleasant visits and todays trip to Armthorpe Fc can be added to that list a tidy ground, smart in presentation, with a collection of volunteers, alongside a programme, public address system and bar/snack bar the club seemed to have it all sorted.
Immediately on entry the business end offers up to the left the changing rooms while to the right the referees room and the secretary's office and beyond the smart bar area which was well run and was thankfully doing chip cobs and it would of course have been rude not to sample a couple during the afternoon.  The stars of the show are the old style, pit yard, type floodlights displaying non-league grandeur.  Behind the far goal is a covered terrace area but right up by the entrance is a half pitch side bench seated stand with snuggled up to its side a massive phone mast with floodlights mixed in within the structure.  The whole ground has a wide walkway and it was a pleasure to have four sides to walk around again and the overall tidiness of the place was a credit to the club with most things being in their place not strewn around the ground.

REFEREE PONTIN LOOKS TO MAKE RABBIT EAR SHADOWS ON THE FLOOR

These two have little to play for in stakes of promotion or relegation but it would be Armthorpe who got off to a dominant start and it was danger man Chris Simpkins who tested the visiting keeper Joe McCormack with two early efforts, he then turned supplier for Dodd to fire just wide. Ollerton did get an effort in Aaron Sennett-Neilson saw his shot blocked but then more or less immediately Simpkins was just off target at the other end.

CELEBRATION FOR GOAL NUMBER 28 FOR GAV KING [LEFT]

As so often happens don't take your chances and the other team do and with NCEL 1 top scorer King on show for Ollerton give him a chance from 8 yards and you have a good guess where it will end up as he notched goal number 28 for the season just after the half hour mark.
Half time brought the riposte of the day when snack bar wag approached the counter and asked "have you got any sausage rolls" when the reply came back to the negative our customer further light heartedly asked "what sort of canteen do you call this"?  Cue snack bar lady's response "a canteen without sausage rolls"!

SIMPKINS SETS OFF FOR ARMTHORPE

Reinvigorated by a half time team talk Armthopre who had seemed to have the stuffing taken out of them by the Ollerton goal came out with a new vigour and were level within two minutes with a sweet edge of the box strike from Dodd after the initial attack was cleared towards him.
Mid way through the half Shaw was a little unlucky in bringing down an Armthorpe player who ran right across the front of him 30 yards out and although you have seen referee's issue yellow here Mr Pontin selected red.

SHAW IS SHOWN THE EXIT

Lewis Price struck a post for the visitors but it was now all Armthorpe with Luke Williams becoming the conduit for all things dangerous to the Ollerton defence and when he went down under a challenge from Ben Bowring he was adamant it was a spot kick.  Referee Pontin didn't agree and he was supported by Reece Conroy who informed the Armthorpe player he should stay on his feet.  The pressure was mounting and the visitors appeared to be lucky in the closing stages when keeper McCormack came out and while going for an aerial ball absolutely flattened Armthorpe sub Darren Mansaram but again their was nothing doing in the eyes of the official and so we arrived at the final whistle with a goal and a point apiece.
A swift departure back to the dark cave that is Doncaster Bus Station with a quick change for the Northern service to steel city a further platform hop saw base station arrived in a remarkable one and a quarter hours later after departing Armthopre.  A pleasant visit on a sunny spring like day and always be ready to be surprised by your own perceptions, this is a nice little set up.