WISPA IT QUIETLY ITS AN ENTERTAINING DRAW FOR CADBURY AND HINCKLEY

CADBURY ATHLETIC 2  HINCKLEY AFC 2
MFL 1 @ TRIPLEX GROUND
28 SEPTEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

CADBURY ATHLETIC HOME THE TRIPLEX GROUND

The ninety minutes ended in a draw and overall Hinckley would be the more disappointed of the two sides as they looked to secure their third consecutive league win, sadly for them in the second period their strikers took quite a liking to the house behind the goal they were attacking.  For Cadbury their threat was on the counter attack for which they always looked like they could be the 'Heroes' and secure the points.
Usual mid day start for a trip to the West Midlands for the second week running, this time the planned 125 train was reduced to a five carriage make up and I enjoyed the obligatory one hour of standing to Birmingham but a prompt change allowed me to catch the local service towards Kings Norton todays ultimate destination.  Time built in for a cattle prod visit to Bournville departure at just after 1.30pm at Bournville station all painted in corporate colours of purple allowed for a more or less immediate approach to Cadburys factory complex, now under the guise of Mondalez the holding company for a stack of confectionery products.

THE PAVILION AND FORMER FIRST TEAM GROUND WITH CADBURYS FACTORY

On the approach for a visit to the village all the lampposts also had received the purple coating but it would be upon passing the large swimming baths built by the Cadbury family for all at the turn of the last century that I would start to realise the difference that this family provided grounded in its Quaker faith it believed in fairness, peace and looking after people, I guess a rounded social caring that is so missing in today's society.
George Cadbury, who had taken over from the original founder his farther John, moved the factory out of Birmingham to the newly named Bournville after the river Bourn which runs through the massive site but in the process of increasing staffing levels from around 250 to an eventual figure of just short of 7,000 he added social housing, amenities and schools, however being part of the temperance movement no public house would be within the village.

THE REST HOUSE AND BOURNVILLE GREEN

After passing the swimming baths the first port of call was the recreation ground with its wonderful pavilion for both football and cricket and I guess the spiritual home of todays home side but with facilities missing floodlights it is left to the reserves to play at this site and they had a 3pm kick off today.  Moving past Cadburys World and onto Bournville Green the experience of the buildings and row of neat shops with black and white frontages starts to bring home the nostalgia. The Rest House an octagonal type of building is situated on the sloping green now surrounded by trees, the whole area has become what I guess George Cadbury wanted at its inception.  The building was a gift from world wide employees to George and his wife for their silver wedding anniversary in 1914 and now remains restored and open.  To the top side of the Green is The Friends Meeting House obviously a focal point for the Quaker abiding Cadbury's and the building remains an exception to I believe all Meeting Houses in that it had installed an organ which is not normally the case.

THE BOURNVILLE CARILLION TOWER

Coming back towards the western edge of the Green and the large Carillion tower is linked to the school this was an idea spotted by George on his European travels and is a large tower containing in this case 48 varying size bells that are played from a keyboard and foot pedal instrument, this was a facility donated to the people of Bournville by the family.  Time was moving along and when the bells chimed for 2pm I knew I had to make my way on the twenty minute walk to the Triplex ground in Kings Norton.
Having found a short cut over the railway line and towards the ground its worth noting that this is the former home of PilkingtonXXX and with the Pilkington glass HQ behind the ground we had already located two large employers in this area of south Birmingham.

A PRE MATCH OBSERVATION OF THE TRIPLEX GROUND

With admission paid and handy little programme purchased there was time for a brief walk around the two sides of the ground that were officially open before nipping back out of the ground for a comfort break and upon return grabbing the teams from a Athletic official and the referee, thanks.
The ground then entering by the corner flag at the near side goal this has a three stepped terrace with banking to the rear with what looks like former factory units at the top and in the near corner the back of the social club which offers doors out on to proceedings.  One of the rear rooms offers a snack stall with cobs and drinks but sadly no chocolate today!  Moving around the mini terracing continues and we approach a stand that separates into seating and covered terrace, onwards and large dug outs offer plenty of head room around the other side the terracing and banking continues with behind this the station approach only partly visible.  The far goal again has a mini terracing but is out of bounds and the far side is grass only with no official entry, I guess this was probably a double up ground formerly with cricket, there is certainly a crown green bowling club on the approach also.

JAKE MARSDEN CLAIMS FOR CADBURY WITH ST NICHOLAS CHURCH IN THE BACKGROUND

Cadbury Athletic probably have one of the most intriguing kits with purple and white quarters and with Hinckley in an attractive red and blue it made for a good kit match up. 
Proceedings started as I thought they might with Hinckley on the attack and within three minutes Cadbury had cleared off their line from Lewis Commins.

AN EARLY AERIAL CHALLENGE

Strangely though it would be Athletic who would taste the sweet success of the first goal Anthony Fitzmaurice provided the tempting cross and at the back post Deon Colstock provided the touch that mattered just five minutes in.

DEON COLSTOCK GETS THE OPENER FOR CADBURY

Hinckley came straight back at their hosts Michael Wright showed blistering pace but his shot crashed back off the bar and Luke Richards could not get over the header and it looped over the bar.  Then just over the half hour mark the equaliser with what was a touch fortunate but deserved at this stage Isaac Cooper was pushed wide by the home keeper but he got his cross in and in the closeness of a couple of home defenders the ball struck Wright on the knee and bobbled over the line.
Hinckley sensed the breakthrough and Richards again used his head and this time only at the second attempt did the Cadbury keeper Jake Marsden claim it.  It was all AFC now and they struck the bar for a second time when Ash Gray saw his effort crash back off the woodwork.

IS THERE A SMARTER KIT THAN THE CADBURY ONE

With three minutes to the break and against the run of play Cadbury took the lead with a wonder strike from 25 yards out when Emmanuel Quartey took up possession looked for a moment for an option and then just though I might as well lash this one into the back of the net for 2-1.
Hinckley had not had the best of fortune in front of goal but within two minutes of the re start had clearly decided anything you can do we can do too and it was Richards with his feet this time who superbly lobbed Marsden to level the scores at 2 apiece.

HINCKLEY KEEPER TY BELFORD CLAIMS WELL

Hinckley hit the woodwork for the third time after and Wright with a follow up back heel flick saw his effort just miss the target.  Following this it became a game of Hinckley losing their radar with a whole collection of shots ended up in the neighbouring garden but Cadbury looking to hit the visitors on the break but the end of the ninety minutes it was to be a draw from an entertaining encounter.
Return journey like last week was delayed but this time a KFC at the end of the approach road would keep me busy for half an hour before departing in the 5.47 from Kings Norton and with an adjacent platform departure to spire town sat on its platform a hop on had arrival back at just after 7pm.
An educational visit fully enjoyed both the game and the history tour around Bournville something I should have allowed a little more time for, I will eat my chocolate bars more regularly and with a little more vigour from now on, if that is possible.