BORDERLANDS DERBY SEES CLAY CROSS DEFEAT THE IVANHOES

CLAY CROSS UNITED 4 NEW TUPTON IVANHOES 1
PRE SEASON FRIENDLY @ FURNACE HILL
8 AUGUST 2019 --- 6.30PM

MATCH ACTION FROM THE BORDERLANDS DERBY

Local bragging rights were claimed by Clay Cross United after they came from a goal down to beat neighbours New Tupton Ivanhoes thanks to a double from Callum Gill and strikes from Matt Walsh and Mason Hamlin.The most local of 'derbies' had seen all police leave cancelled as the bars, bistros and cafes, well mainly pubs, of Clay Cross spilled over with eager fans.  In all seriousness the village of Tupton, made up of Old and New, have an enterprising club in the form of The Ivanhoes with a large junior set up and on view tonight their senior outfit which competes in The Hope Valley League.  Whereas Clay Cross United are part of The Chesterfield and District Sunday Football League and I guess carry the town name which is more known for its senior step 7 side under the 'Town' banner formed in 1989 as Parkhouse Fc.

WELCOME TO CLAY CROSS

The village and town are connected by the main A61 which more or less mirrors the old Rykneld Road from Roman times however as development has continued on the former industrial sites the two encampments are more or less merging and battle lines are drawn somewhere around the new big yellow 'M' sign, which also supplied pre match meal tonight.
The town is a former mining and industrial settlement with its former pit, Parkhouse, closed over fifty years ago and the previous Clay Cross Works pipe making company which changed to Biwater and was then finally taken over by a French concern who closed it in 2000.  With the loss of this and the many satellite pits the area has, of course, suffered the post industrial ravages but there are many signs of glory days and struggles still around.
St Bartholomew's Church on the High St has the former stone base for the cross that got the town its name positioned outside the church which also contains a classic stain glass window in memory of William Morris the arts and crafts movement designer whose sister was the wife of the churches first vicar.

ONE OF THE 9 UNIQUE AIRSHAFTS IN THE TOWN

Over the way the obligatory winding wheels and coal tubs with floral displays surrounding them.  The area is synonymous with George Stephenson who helped drive the railway tunnel under the town in 1837, he spotted many rich reserves while excavating and developed 'the works'.  The railway tunnel runs just over a mile and at the northern entrance as a castle designed entrance something you can see on Clay Cross Town Fc's badge.  Because the line ran under the town the station was actually at the northern edge and based in Tupton so the link is set for tonight's game. 
Finally one of the many other weird 'spots' for any visitors are the nine airshafts that appear around the town centre to keep the tunnels ventilated and as you are in the town you can often here the trains travelling through to London and Birmingham  to the south and Chesterfield to the north some 150 feet below.

WALL ART TO SOME OF THE PAST STRUGGLES OF CLAY CROSS

The town is famous for its labour history with Bolsover MP Dennis Skinner brought up in the town and the Urban District Council in the seventies being known as the 'rent rebels' town when local councillors refused to implement the rent increases instructed by the national government.  To this end during recent developments a wall art was designed and installed to remember the town's past struggles.
Other famous people associated with the town were Sir George Kenning of the motor chain and Bill Lomas motorcycling road racing world champion on a couple of occasions, the town is awash with enough social history to shake more than the proverbial two sticks at.

FIRST HALF ACTION

Onward to Furnace Hill soon to be surrounded by the major housing development that take over the former Clay Cross Work site and the former neighbouring outcrop.  The grounds are on the
companies former tip and contain a cricket ground, bowling club and smart new changing rooms the overall site sits in somewhat of a bowl now with the surrounds overgrown with trees and shrubbery.  This development was a replacement for the adjacent Biwater FC and cricket club ground which was built on along the other side of Furnace Hill.
With both sides league seasons a good four weeks away from starting this was early preparation for the real thing but would provide a clear marker for the build up to the 19/20 season.

CLAY CROSS OPENING SCORER MATT WALSH

Tonight's game was off to an encouraging start for Ivanhoes who took the lead on the quarter of an hour mark when Alex Bond fired across the United keeper into the far corner for a lead that had come slightly against the run of play.  On the half hour mark it was all square when Matt Walsh was on hand to fire home from a rebound off the crossbar.
Referee for the game Matt Beniston was trialling out a new bit of kit in the form of 'ref six' which is well worth a look at keeping all the match facts on the highly technical wrist watch and then downloading them to your phone on return to provide immediate stats on the game and the referees fitness and miles covered during the match.

IVANHOES MANAGER DAVE MARTIN IN RELAXED POSE

The small crowd who gathered were added to by former Chesterfield FC player and now Teversal assistant manager Phil Greaves who the attendees were pleased to see taking a look at the game.
The second period started with Gill getting the second for Clay Cross on 53 minutes and when he created a bit of space for himself just past the hour mark he made now mistake to get his second and the home sides third.
New Tupton were looking reliant on the prowess of frontmen Connah Evans and Liam Walters who were a constant threat and it was the latter who nearly pulled a goal back with ten minutes remaining, racing down the left before cutting in to unleash his shot but the United keeper was in excellent form to push over at full stretch.

AND THE WINNERS TO CLOSE ON CLAY CROSS UNITED

The icing on the cake was secured by Clay Cross with three minutes remaining when Hamlin rose to head home superbly at the far post and for this season Clay Cross United just had a little too much on the night and secured the victory over local rivals New Tupton Ivanhoes in the borderlands derby.
Best wishes to both sides for their new season, annual fixture?