THE GOOD OLD DAYS

FRICKLEY ATH 1 ILKESTON TOWN 3
NPL SOUTH EAST @ WESTFIELD LANE
7 SEPTEMBER 2019 --- 3PM
Much like the BBC show that recounted the 'good old days' of the music hall in Britain these two clubs could be labelled in the same way with Frickley in a slide and the machinations of Ilkeston Town to many to enter into here.  Of course the former coalfield of South Elmsall, Moorthorpe and South Kirby are also desperately in search of the good old days too with some partial redevelopment taking place after of course decades of neglect following the destruction of the local mining industry.
Today would be a quick re visit in the revival tour of 2019/20, which takes in the more local grounds, with the last visit in January against Cleethorpes.

VIEW FROM THE PADDOCK AT FRICKELY ATHLETIC FC

The departure from spire town would need a change at Sheffield onto a Leeds bound service which miraculously contained three carriage of which I nearly had one to myself, with a departure at Moorthorpe just to the west of South Elmsall, it remains the best way to access the ground.

FORMER MOORTHORPE MINERS INSTITUTE WITH CARVING ABOVE THE ENTRANCE DOOR

On my previous visit I discovered a quirky fact that today would thankfully give me the chance to retell.  Within a few yards of the station is the martial arts centre that was formerly the Moorthorpe Miners Institute and above the entrance door can be seen a scene replicating a typical miners shift.  In its day you can but imagine the area being a buzz with industry and of course strife and in his short spell as Labour Party leader, 1932-35, George Lansbury visited the hall I guess to make a speech to the gathered crowd.  It appeared a non to popular surname so upon a little further research it was discovered that his granddaughter is non other than Angela Lansbury of Murder She Wrote fame and of course stage and theatre worldwide.
Moving down the terraces of Wesley Street and the short climb through the recreation ground I had to double take to see a group of young 'uns with bat, ball and stumps playing cricket, something I had not seen since my younger days but I suppose in Gods own country it should not be to amiss.
Passing the cricket ground situated over Westfield Lane and towards the turnstiles which now had a small queue of Ilkeston supporters who I guess made up half of the gate today and after purchasing a creditable programme and draw ticket the wonder appears before you.

TEAMSHEETS SUPERBLY MODELLED BY RUTH

The ground was described in the last blog so I wont bore again by going through it but its a classic old ground with its massive stand and paddock terrace and yes some parts have definitely have seen good service but this is football grounds as anybody over 50 remembers them.  Some of the visiting supporters had commented on the tenner entrance fee which would appear not to have been reduced since premier league days but this is a living breathing life study of a ground and to be honest you would probably pay that on a non match day just to come and breathe in the 'beauty' this ground holds.
Circuit completed and with the impressive public address system blasting out a selection of evocative scene setting music it was time to collect the chip butty with peas from the snack bar which is always a bonus on a visit to Frickley.

OPENER FOR ILKESTON IN THE FIRST FEW MINUTES

Team sheet was photographed and attractively modelled by secretary Ruth and here was another reason to visit Frickley and probably collect more than one team sheet.  Anyway back to business and with the home side having lost their opening four league games and Ilkeston on the edge of the top of the table I predicted a battle Frickley are a tough crowd and Ilkeston often find it hard to make themselves popular.

ILKESTON RETURNEE ROD ORLANDO YOUNG

It was all over by half time Derbyshire lead three nil, Frickley to be fair had been abject with little in the way of constructive football possibly this may have been due to the visitors superiority or their inability although the answer was probably as ever somewhere in the middle.
Inside seven minutes Conor Green had headed home a near post corner to give Ilkeston the best of starts, they would hit the bar before going two up with the break not far away which at this stage was looking the home sides best offer.  Good work down the left from Conor Green fed Jermaine Hollis who curled home an edge of the box finish and too add to this the games concluding goal in the first minute of stoppage time a mistake at the back saw Harrod lob the keeper to make it three.

JERMAINE HOLLIS [RIGHT] CURLS IN THE SECOND

The half time break was spent in the delightful company of an 82 year old ex miner who had been watching Athletic for 40 plus years and we chewed over the current state of politics and the feisty days at Westfield Lane especially in the old Alliance League when the southern softies came along the old terraced streets that often contained many flying hard objects that seemed to magnetically attach to glass coach windows allegedly,  I'm amazed some of them got off the coaches to play.  As with previous visits it was a pleasure to pass the time of day with so many friendly people its certainly a case that at many other grounds you visit they struggle to welcome people, I've never found that here.

MY HALF TIME CONVERSATIONALIST GRABS A CHAT WITH ATHLETIC CAPTAIN JACOB HAZEL

Just past the hour mark an improving Frickley pulled a goal back through Jack McMenemy whose crisp strike found the visitors net.  As Ilkeston probably took the foot off the pedal Frickley took advantage and talisman captain Jacob Hazel crashed the woodwork, had a penalty call waved away before in the final quarter of an hour Jack Currie forced Ross Durrant into a full length save for a corner.
Sadly Frickley had left it too late and it was too little by this stage as Ilkeston appeared to somewhat meander through the second half after a dominant first forty five minutes.

FIRST HALF CROSSBAR ACTION FOR ILKESTON

After the game Craig Spink resigned as manager of Frickley and the search goes on for another manager to try to break the fall towards NCEFL football and hopefully re instate a return to the good old days.  For Ilkeston even with the most recent doubts about the clubs future it all looks very bright with a capable squad that can more than hold its own and probably push on for a shot at promotion with their large following.
On the return to Moorthorpe the kids had gone in for the tea break or if they were matching the England side had probable collapsed before the interval and were already checking out of their hotel.  Train to Sheffield was delayed but amazingly had five carriages for a comfortable and seated journey.
Maybe I need to come to Frickley Athletic every home game!