THE X47 TO DEJA VU

DAVENTRY TOWN 3 HOLBEACH UNITED 1
UCL KNOCK OUT CUP  KILN PARK RAUNDS TOWN
6 MAY 2019 --- 3PM

UP FOR THE CUP DAVENTRY TOWN CAPTAIN ROSS HARRIS

Daventry completed the double with the Knock Out Cup added to their UCL league title thanks to a comfortable victory over Holbeach United who created very little mind you that's not saying much in a final that was a complete contrast to yesterdays CMFL encounter.
Last seasons final was played in sweltering conditions but today was if anything slightly chilly certainly away from the covered enclosures.  Having visited Raunds last year for the final on the same date and seen Leicester Nirvana create an upset by beating Yaxley I opted to take up the engineering challenge that is Bank Holiday rail travel.
Whisper this quietly but on the two trains down connecting at Leicester seats were secured, amazingly as was the return journeys too!  The only hard work was the fourteen minute connection from Wellingborough station walking to the town centre for the X47 to Raunds.  Thankfully completed we were soon upon the bottle neck that is Rushden Lakes Shopping Centre but our driver was well versed in getting around this and via Rushden centre we were in Raunds about 50 minutes later.

THE BUSINESS END AT KILN PARK

Once again I wont go into the village and the ground if you take a look back at May 2018's blog its available there, needless to say its an interesting village with a good reference to early workers struggle on this of all days, May Day.
Departing on the north of the extending village by the A45 the equalling expanding retail area of Asda, McDonald's, M and S and now a new KFC.  The latter I ended up in after the yellow arches was packed.  Soon over the way at the ground of Raunds Town Fc and its a strange set up with both touchlines, especially the far side, an unnecessary distance from the pitch.  Other than that its a standard ground for a club who this season have struggled in League 1 of The UCL.  The set up has a 70's feel too it and as probably mentioned last time here its strange how they would have been out on a limb when the ground was built but now they are of course being built around.

THE PURPLES OF DAVENTRY IN FULLY COMMITTED ACTION

Holbeach came into the final with a fifth placed league finish signalling a closely contested encounter but it went wrong as early as five minutes when Kieran Fitzgerald gave the champions the lead.  Holbeach found a way back into the game on 35 minutes awarded a penalty for a trip Josh Ford put away the spot kick and the neutrals in what looked a disappointing crowd of around 150 hoped for the underdog.  That was soon put to bed two minutes before the break with the ball pin balling around close in to the Holbeach goal line Adam Confue pounced to restore Daventry's lead.

HOLBEACH SCORER JOSH FORD ON THE BALL

If the first half had been a slow burner the second half, without denying the effort ratio, was a complete bore from an unattached spectators point of view.  I'm not sure Holbeach would have scored in the second half if they had stopped out their all afternoon and the amount of long ball did have one advantage when it drew the crowds eye to the sky to spot a Red Kite majestically taking the thermals for a flight in a neighbouring field, it was probably the highlight of the second period.
Daventry extended their lead with a harsh penalty away on 83 minutes and Adam Creaney got himself on the score sheet for the purples.
It was all very forgettable as a match but as a visit very enjoyable, short walk back for the X47 to Wellingborough and upon boarding and showing the stripey boys day ticket to the driver I realised it was exactly the same driver as this time last year, day ticket to deja vu anyone?