I BET YOU LOOK GOOD ON THE FOOTBALL PITCH

HIGH GREEN VILLA 4 HOUGHTON MAIN 1
SHEFFIELD COUNTY SENIOR PREMIER @ ST GEORGE'S THORNCLIFFE
17 AUGUST 2019 --- 3PM

HIGH GREEN VILLA ON THE BALL VERSUS HOUGHTON MAIN

High Green's own Arctic Monkeys were more interested in the female of the species looking good on the dancefloor but let me tell you lads your own footy side looked good on the football pitch as they swept aside Houghton Main in this opening fixture to go straight to the top of the Premier League table.
Gradually but gradually there is a collection of Sheffield County League sides that have come onto the radar and after catching up with Villa at Dronfield in pre season they looked worth a visit and having only previously seen them in away fixtures a trip to another of Sheffield's St George's Park at Thorncliffe came onto the radar.

MICHAEL VELLA MAKES IT THREE FOR VILLA

It would once again be a weekend away from train travel and the chance to immerse myself in some more public transport journeys by bus.  Whether its my ever increasing age or modern day standards I know not but behaviour seems to get worse from screaming kids who insist on trying to break the decibel levels that Kiri Te Kanawa struggles to reach to the young women on the back seat of the bus whose phone conversation you endure for most of the journey, still I did learn Becky is a little madam, put in slightly more flowery language, and she was getting her nails done again for the second time in a week.  Still into spire town and out on an X17 to steel city before a meandering stripey boys 1 via many of the cosmopolitan areas of Sheffield would see me arrive in High Green around 1pm.

AARGH THE BALL

High Green is the last bastion of Sheffield some eight miles north and one mile north of Chapeltown which of course contains the oasis that is Thorncliffe Cricket Club right in the centre of the bustling town centre.  There appears to be little of note in the village with much of its older area made up of smart stone terrace cottages with the area undertaking massive re developments over the last few decades two large social housing estates have expanded this, I guess, previous hamlet.

WHEN YOU SAID STICK CLOSE TO HIM GAFFER

With the local chippy not taking my fancy I opted for the usual variety of produce in the St George's café, the centre is smart and comfortably appointed with two 4g pitches and the same amount of grass pitches.  Thankfully the teams were relatively easy to obtain with thanks to both sides officials for their cooperation and with a fine afternoon in prospect, apart from an unusually strong wind, there was half an hour to wile away before kick off.

MAIN IN CONTROL WITH VELLA CHASING

Purple seems to be becoming a popular kit and Houghton Main looked smart in theirs with High Green in original yellowy orange with black shorts. 
The grass pitch would be the chosen venue, it would appear Villa will not use 4g unless absolutely necessary, with a respect rope barrier to keep the small crowd away from pitch side we were underway with High Green utilising the wind at their backs.

TOME PEACE MAKES IT 2-0 FROM THE PENALTY SPOT

The strength of the wind was making it quite difficult to play with it even in what you may guess would be in your favour and although the home side were in the ascendancy possession wise the clear cut chances were not appearing.
It was just past the half an hour mark when the deadlock was broken though Tom Burns saw his shot pushed away by the Main keeper Jamie Oddy he fed the ball back across goal to Charlie Hobson who deflected it to the back post where Tom Peace fired home.  High Green tried a couple of long range efforts that flew just off target before doubling their lead from the penalty spot from Hobson with two minutes to go to the break.  On the whistle though the home side had to be alert when Jordan Kershaw looked set to pull the trigger Jordan Evans got in a timely tackle to deny the Main front man.

NO WAY OUT

The game was all over as a contest within three minutes off the re start Hobson beat the offside trap laid the ball across to Michael Vella who gathered his first touch and fired home past the stranded keeper and defence to make it 3-0.  Harley Wilson made it four without reply with ten minutes remaining of the ninety when he saw the keeper miss placed and fired in low from the edge of the box.

MAIN KEEPER ODDY COMES OUT ON TOP IN THIS BATTLE

Houghton Main were rewarded with a consolation goal for their efforts on the stroke of referee Grainger's final whistle a superb run down the left from Kershaw fed Zak Patterson who finished.
Mini Usain Bolt sprint saw a returning number 1 service caught immediately and with a quick change in Sheffield a brief interlude just short of spire town centre saw a fuelling stop at Chester's for fish and chips before the onward journey from an enjoyable afternoon out north of Sheffield.