CRAWLEY GREEN DEFEATED BY FOURTH PLACE BIGGLESWADE UNITED

CRAWLEY GREEN 0 BIGGLESWADE UNITED 3
SPARTAN SOUTH MIDLANDS LEAGUE PREMIER @ THE BRACHE
9 FEBRUARY 2019 --- 3PM

EARLY CRAWLEY GREEN V BIGGLESWADE UNITED ACTION

A brace from David Parkinson helped Biggleswade United consolidate their fourth place in the Premier League as a handful of clubs chase down top spot, Crawley Green just outside that zone started off at a fair old pace and in the opening twenty minutes should have been ahead but when the early challenge fell away it was the visitors who commanded the remainder of the game.
After a week of the wet stuff and heavy winds in the north The Brache home of Luton Town for their training and now for their second season Crawley Green came back into play following some research three weeks ago.  Just a couple of weeks back the 'dirty clarets' had been viewed at Harpenden, this blog is just a couple back if you wish to take a look, and today would be just my second encounter with The South Midlands League.

BIGGLESWADE CLEAR THROUGH JOE GAUGE WITH VAUXHALL HQ IN THE BACKGROUND

The nature of the capital bound trains from base station means that with a brief change in Leicester Luton Parkway Station can be reached in just under two hours so an 1140 departure was comfortable with seats gained on both journeys this is becoming a favourite time and journey!  Parkway sits just to the south of Luton and although I fancied a look at the town it all seemed to much of a rush and the decision was made to meander along to the ground which is a mere ten minutes walk from the station platform.  Exiting and passing the Parkway retail shopping area the slight incline brings you to the head office of Vauxhall an impressive tall building with flags flying high.  Turning into Park St and the entrance to The Brache is reached within a few hundred yards.

PARKWAY IN THE BACKGROUND AS UNITED CLEAR AGAIN FROM EARLY PRESSURE

The whole site was the former home of Vauxhall Motors FC and Luton Vauxhall and of course was the works sports site with numerous facilities and a bowling green which remains but in a derelict state.  Around three years ago the site was secured by Luton Town who now train there and thankfully Crawley Green, which by the way is a suburb of Luton, along with The Hatters worked out a deal to bring the senior non league side back into the town from their decade plus ground share at Barton Rovers.

UNIQUE STAND AT THE BRACHE WITH BAILEY HILL WATER TOWER ON THE HILL

A pleasant welcome by the lady and gentleman on the entrance allowed admission and programme to be gathered for £7, the latter is a thick booklet with some informative pieces however most is a season long wrap round but the insert contains most of the current facts you would require. 
Arriving early I was allowed to approach by the smart modern cabin changing rooms and up the narrow steps too the 3g playing surface.  Immediately to the left is a small standing cover behind the goal is uncovered with a two step terrace towards the corner is The Pavilion and The Hub the latter which would house eats and drinks ably manned by once again more pleasantry this time from
Vicky.  This operates as a self service facility a bit like going to a supermarket café you pays Vicky and collect a cup and away you go to the water boiler it all worked fairly well clearly the locals had been well trained although there was no hot food a selection of rolls was on offer, I just opted for copious amounts of healthy Mars bars.  Back outside and continuing the circuit this far side has behind the boundary caged pitches and behind the far goal excellently manicured grass pitches and once again a small step terrace backed off by a hedge.  Coming back to the entrance touchline the star is a very smart wooden stand which was well maintained behind this The Bunker for the grounds mans and we are back at the changing rooms.  Days of old are certainly revealed by the side of The Pavilion a sweeping set of steps brings you up to this higher level from the entrance road and other examples of this are around the site revealing I guess the glory days of a major company supplying recreational facilities much like The NCB in the mining days of old up north.

THE FLATS OFF STRATHMORE OFFER ANOTHER BACKDROP TO THE GAME

Some trips have you in anticipation and disappoint, some prove to be wow inducing, some you set off on with the sole idea of just visiting and some your not quite sure but it will be a game.  Todays was probably the latter but it proved for me a wow I really enjoyed the history of the site, the friendly welcome and while some countryside based grounds have interesting back drops to add to the flavour The Brache offered a selection of backdrops all around to keep the hopper entertained.  The Vauxhall offices badged up were viewable behind the Luton end goal as were the two high rise blocks of flats off Strathmore Avenue.  Behind the hub is Parkway shopping precinct, station and the airport which constantly entertains Ryanair, easyJet [happy corporate spelling] planes on a five minute basis flying directly over the pitch.  Behind the far goal the busy A1081 adds to the noise factor and then the rising streets behind the stand are topped off with Bailey Hill Water Tower aloft their highest point, so plenty to keep your attention if the action on the pitch is a little quiet.

SOME EARLY LYING DOWN ON THE CARPET

Onto the proceedings then and Biggleswade visit in fourth place a couple behind their fellow league neighbours who have no prefix or suffix and have had a successful FA Vase season, indeed the town has a ridiculous, for its size, three senior football clubs.  Crawley Green are back home and in their second season back enjoying a position just outside the top set but looking to step on with manager Chris Devane at the helm, who I must thank for his response to my match and direction enquiries on the morning of the game.
If the opening salvo was anything to go by Crawley Green would upset the second place club when Matt Clark cleared off the line from Jake Alderson, it was then the turn of United keeper Ollie Leslie to come to the fore turning away efforts from Aaron Morgan and Phil Draycott.  You had to develop the thought that the home side were going to take the lead and then quickly extend it however the chances had come and gone and slowly but surely Biggleswade got into the game and the inevitable happened on 33 minutes they took the lead with probably their first chance.  Debut keeper Daniel Gould stopped from Sam Holmes but as the ball broke free Parkinson was on hand to squeeze it home.

DAVID PARKINSON [LEFT] CELEBRATES HIS OPENING GOAL

The second period saw an increasing dominance of proceedings from United and they extended their lead on 59 minutes when Parkinson cut in on off the left and curled the ball in at the far corner with Gould probably beaten as the ball bounced fractionally in front of him as he was going down.  Crawley Green were thankful to Gould soon after when he denied Holmes and then Joe Gauge to keep it at 2-0.

EARLY CRAWLEY GREEN ACTION

With three minutes remaining then goal of the game started from the back when keeper Leslie lofted a wide ball out to Kane Farrell who skipped past the Clarets player over the half way line a one two with Parkinson saw him whip in a low cross for Holmes to despatch with confidence into the Crawley Green goal.  A sweet flowing move aided by the 3g surface and some distant defending from the home side but a lovely goal all the same.  In the final minute Gould again kept the score line down when he saved from livewire Holmes.
With a good half an hour to get back to Parkway a quick check of the scores in The Hub was the call of the day before bidding farewell to a very enjoyable visit to a friendly club situated in interesting surroundings. 
Returning the same way with a brief change in Leicester the 5.25pm soon had me back at base at just short of 7.30pm with seats gained again this had been a weirdly wonderful day on public transport, for a change.