WEBB WINTER WONDERLAND

EASTWOOD CFC 3 WEST BRIDGFORD 1
EMCL @ CORONATION PARK
27 NOVEMBER --- 8PM

BIG MATCH ON THE TELLY

OK so its not winter for another few weeks officially but for any non league fan that's travelling around its felt pretty much like it for the last two months with the continuation of the constant downpours and here tonight with the help of the 3g carpet we suffered yet more heavy rain in the afternoon and during the game.  The winter warmer though was an excellent showing from the red badgers front man Paddy Webb who scored two beautiful goals to 'be the difference'.
Journey start time was brought forward half an hour and it was a good job to with The Comet service to Alfreton stuck in some inter-galactic traffic out of spire town that made it fifteen minutes late, thankfully from here on in the Rainbow 1 allowed a departure at Hill Top close by the ground one and a half hours before kick off.

LIGHTS AND VERY SOON ACTION

A small expedition into the local mini 'T's allowed for a sandwich to accompany a soft drink and a selection of behind the counter snacks at the grounds bar and a chance to catch up with Mr Bob L Hatt of that much travelled blog fame.
The blessed safety of 3g pitches means a further visit to Eastwood and I'm sure with this being my closest it wont be the last of the season so just a couple of pictures from different angles from previous ones and even from two weeks ago when the Developments game against Magdala was covered.
The visitors from south of Nottingham were in mid table but in steady old form whereas a win for Eastwood would see a second place spot come the end of proceedings.  With enough blogers to shake three sticks at Mr S of the excellent on the road blog joined us for the action. 
When I say action that may be a lose term as the first half didn't contain too much save for the opening goal after 25 minutes when Joe Harrison converted after good work from Webb.

FROM THE LOW END

The visitors equalised when the Red Badgers keeper pushed out a free kick for John Whitehurst to snap up the crumbs after 56 minutes, just over ten minutes later though and Eastwood had resumed the lead with Webb cutting in off the right to fire gloriously past the visiting keeper who got a hand to the ball but could not keep it from nestling in the back of the net.

THE TOP END

There was time for the West Bridgford keeper to pull off a smart save from a back post header but as the game entered the last quarter he could do nothing as he raced out to meet Webb who elegantly lobbed him to make it 3-1 and Eastwood were breathing down the neck of Hucknall Town.
A wet old night illuminated by a performance from Webb that went a long way to stopping me from thinking for too long about 'why I do this on nights like this', well done two lovely goals.
With thanks to Mr Hatt for the return to Alf and a taxi secured back to base with the usual crew who once again were on time and courteous so return was around an hour after the final whistle.
Onto Saturday then anybody fancy some rain.

MADE IN SHEFFIELD A HANDSWORTH RETURN

HANDSWORTH RES 8 WOMBWELL MAIN DEV 1
SHEFFIELD COUNTY SENIOR 1 @ OLIVERS MOUNT
23 NOVEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

THE NEW OLIVERS MOUNT

A first visit to Olivers Mount for a Handsworth FC game in 2012 culminated with the ground failing its grading for promotion and a move away via a convoluted set of titles and ultimately now still residing, as a first team, at Sandy Lane in Worksop in North Nottinghamshire a good distance from the club who would want to be at their spiritual home in Sheffield.
Fast forward to a chat with first team manager Russ Eagle before a pre season game at Sandy Lane and the club were enthusiastic about the new installation of a 4g playing surface and the hope of a return in the not to distant future for the first team, of course in the mean time a whole host of the clubs sides playing on the selection of pitches that surround the clubhouse including the reserves who would be enjoying early usage of the new facility.
In truth todays game was probably not on the list until Friday and when an afternoon of the usual transport chaos struck, I know again- you really should try public transport, thankfully this fixture saved the day.  Bus journey in met traffic 3 miles short of spire town, stripey boys then decided to terminate short of the station and even after a sprint I missed the train to Loughborough and it just felt right to undertake Olivers Mount that had seemed to be given to the schedule so late on as the rain had continued to fall for most of the last few days yet again.
Arrival in Sheffield and the hourly train to Darnall was rejected in favour of a walk into Sheffield for the ten minute frequency bus service that would drop me within a few minutes of the ground, once again things did not go to plan.  Joining the queue on Arundel Gate the selection of people increased as we waited over half an hour and by this time five buses were all bunched together, we departed at 2.20pm.  Not the best of starts to the day and probably the most frustrating of any of the blogs days even with this being a relatively close journey but climbing up to the entrance to Olivers Mount arrival would be achieved at around 2.40pm slightly breathlessly.

CLUBHOUSE TOWARDS THE MAIN PITCH

The complex contains a centrally positioned clubhouse which is smart and with a selection of TV's offers a bit of shelter for the small crowd.  Going in search of the teams sheets and both sides were superb in facilitating this so much so it allowed for a circuit to be completed before kick off.  One of the first teams biggest problems was the distance from the changing rooms to pitch side and this is still to be rectified but I believe with some modern cabin builds behind the goal this should solve one problem there will probably be a need to provide some covered standing too.
High green fencing protects the ground as per most 3g pitches with the low level stuff at pitch side, entering by the clubhouse walkway there are three stands to the left the first is the largest seated enclosure with by its side the old structure from the good old days and then an Atcost stand with seat frameworks but not backs or seats, this maybe a conversion to a terrace who knows.  The furniture sits on a higher level and providing standing is stopped to its front will offer a good viewing position.  Moving to the right were the entrance used to be would appear to be the site for the changing rooms and behind this the Sheffield to Lincoln rail line sits in a cutting, the far side contains the dug outs and then close behind you is the constant intrusion of the Rotherham Gateway A630 which gives your eardrums little rest for the duration.  The far goal has behind it one of the further grass pitches at the Handsworth Sporting clubs site.

TRIPLE STANDS BESIDE THE MAIN PITCH

Sadly the match pictures would be non existent it was dark, misty and with the lights on from the start it felt like 8pm from kick off and the first half an hour matched up the mood of the weather it wasn't good but then all of a sudden we had a goal fest.
Just shy of that half an hour mark Sam Morley gave Handsworth a lead weaving around in the box he fired home before the lead was doubled on 33 minutes with Tiago Bravo slotted in the far corner and he doubled his tally two minutes later to send the home side into the break 3 goals to the good.
A short pitch side break for both sides saw the return of the wet stuff for a second half played in a constant variety of the persistent variety as the mist started to drop but it only signalled more goals.  Wombwell started better but on 52 minutes all that fell away when Rene Marsden put in a sharp finish across the keeper for the ambers fourth.  The visitors sensed a comeback when Dan Evans rewarded their efforts with a quick reply but normal service was resumed when Perry Jackson saw his stooping header find the net two minutes before the hour mark.

STANDS AGAIN WITH MATCH ACTION FOR THE SMALL CROWD

The visitors keeper elected to go outfield and after the change his replacement chipped up a goal kick to his own player who played it straight back to him the resultant indirect free kick was tapped short to Mohamed Saeed who added another to the score-line.  Jack Charlsworth struck a smart 20 yard free kick to make it 7-1 and we had seen eight goals in just under forty minutes.
Not to be sent home without a final strike Owen Darwent slotted away an eighth three minutes from time before referee Pepper signalled an end to the proceedings.
A steady walk back to the Handsworth Road found the ten minute frequency back in play and after a few lengthy stops in nearby Darnall we arrived back in Sheffield with time for a quick trip to KFC for post match eats, what had started as a nightmare on the travel radar turned into an interesting little afternoon with a net full of goals and the chance to take a look at the new development at Olivers Mount. 
Hopefully it will not be to far away for all the clubs family to be back together once again on one site and Handsworth FC can return to their natural home in Sheffield.

27 PENALTIES IN A NIGHT OF HIGH DRAMA

DINNINGTON TOWN 1 HOLBROOK SPORTS 1 [HOLBROOK WIN 11-10 ON PENS]
CMFL FLOODLIT CUP @ LAUGHTON ROAD
19 NOVEMBER 2019 --- 7.45PM

HIGH ENTERTAINMENT ON A COLD NIGHT IN DINNINGTON

As the evening became increasingly colder and more frosty the game rose in its temperature and entertainment stakes that finally settle only after 26 penalties were taken in the decider after full time and when Mathew Brittle smashed home the wining penalty just short of 10pm nobody could grumble at their three pounds worth of entertainment.  [In fact so many penalties were taken that the CMFL website wrongly states 12-13 on penalties an understandable oversight unless you had your abacus out]
Dinnington sitting in South Yorkshire is a former pit town, closed 1992 that's the pit not the town, surrounded by Sheffield, Rotherham and Worksop and after a previous visit a few years back in my non blog days it was high time to revisit.  Tonight with the superb help of a chauffeur service by Mr R of the whistlers parish it became possible and although evening games lack the pictures a daytime encounter would provide you could get the feel for the place as a former industrial community once again struggling with the loss of its major employers.
The club sits on Laughton Road behind the Dinnington Resources Centre and previously had received many problems that were mitigated by the tremendous hard work of former manager Steve Toyne who spent many years here dedicating many, many hours to the club.  Times have now moved on from NCEFL days from which I remember a giant killing act in the game I attended when they somehow at rock bottom defeated the high flying money men of Shaw Lane Aquaforce one nil on a gale swept afternoon.

IT STILL LOOKS COLD BUT WARMS UP AS THE GAME DEVELOPS

The ground is entered by the centres car park and with its own entrance booth and shows some signs of its former higher step status, to the left a snack bar and the Cowshed stand a covered terrace of smart build type of which all three stands are made of here.  Moving around its hard standing and panelled concrete fence boundary walling.  The dug outs are on the far side and as we approach the top goal the Ultra Stand is a two breeze blocked stepped stand that you can either sit in or remain upright on the blocks coming back towards the entrance the Family Stand is bench seated and then immediately to its side is the weaving path way to the back of the resources centre for the changing rooms.
The ground was looking smarter than on my last visit and pitch wise it had drained well from recent horrendous rain and although looking very bobbly and with a cold night developing we were more than happy to say 'game on'.

MR OC AND MR R OF THE REFEREEING PARISH ENJOYING SHARING A WARM BEVERAGE

The Floodlit Cup can be described as far from a competition most clubs are enthusiastic about although tonight these two sides set about providing a very close fought entertaining game that belied that theory.  Holbrook Sports were flying high in The CMFL South despite a fair few call offs recently and Dinnington sat in second spot behind Newark Town in the CMFL North.
The opening exchanges saw Dinnington take the upper hand in possession but as the half developed the clearest chances fell to Sports first Joe Evans saw Joshua Branch save after a misjudged cross that the home defence believed, mistakenly, had gone out, Chris Dring put over from close range and Brittle saw his shot re-gathered after an initial stop under the cross bar.
Half time arrived and the Ultra stand duo had been in good voice and during the second half the enjoyment of spending some time in the Ultra Stand was undertaken, the two guys in there and their fellow fans encouraged and shouted on 'dinno' and it has to be expressed supporters like this are the life blood of the non league game with one of these chaps conscious of his need to get the last bus back to Rotherham at 10pm, keep supporting guys great effort all of you behind the goal.
Dinnington started the second period strongly had a goal disallowed for offside and then Cameron Evans saw his shot well held by Scott Whittingham.  The match looked to have been settled by a highly debatable penalty with nine minutes remaining Evans was adjudged to have tumbled Mason Barlow and the 'offended against' got up to convert from the spot.
With three minutes remaining a more than fair equaliser for Holbrook came with a lovely 25 yard strike from Aaron Coyle but just as we lined up for Penalties Dan Cain from the home side hit a superb shot that fell just inches too high of the Sports crossbar.

DINNINGTON ULTRAS IN FINE FORM TONIGHT

Penalties with the decision made to take the kicks towards the Ultra Stand there was no need to move and we could enjoy the lottery that would commence.  Here is were the fun starts with official adjudicator by my side and in true Brian Hanrahan style 'I counted them all in and all back' it finished 10-11 with five missed or saved however if you want a few more the CMFL site wrongly states 12-13.
At 1-1 Dinnington number 9 Jason Short missed and we moved onto 4-4 as visiting keeper Whittingham dragged his effort wide and so we were into who misses loses.  Arriving at 9-9 Dinnington keeper Branch missed out and with Evans just having to score Branch made immediate amends with an excellent save and so we went on.  At 10-10 Short missed his second of the night for the home side and it left Brittle the nervous task of putting this game to bed something he achieved and we could all finally enjoy breakfast. 
A fantastic effort by both sides who showed a real willingness to lock horns in this competition and as the game warmed up in the second half we concluded with a monumental shoot out that probably surpassed any previous experience of penalties I had witnessed.

RUNAROUND NOW

EASTWOOD CFC DEV 0 MAGDALA AMATEURS 2
NOTTS SENIOR LEAGUE PREMIER @ CORONATION PARK
16 NOVEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

EASTWOOD CFC DEV ON THE FIRST HALF ATTACK WITH THE TOWN CENTRE IN THE BACKGROUND

The classic TV quiz of the 1970's Runaround hosted by the late great Mike Reid gave the young competitors three options for an answer and on the hosts staggered 'GGGGGGGGO' they ran to stand beneath there chosen one.  But they could change their mind as the studio lights dimmed Reid
allowed his dulcet cockney tones to shout out 'runaround now' and with that you could opt for a different answer.  Well this seasons hopping is becoming very much like a spoof of the Southern Television produced classic although in my mind Reid allows me to 'runaround now' more than once.
Again with the appalling weather and flooding for a second week the train lines were in chaos, games were being postponed all over the place and with a few late pitch inspections somehow I came down to Pinxton, Heanor and a back up on 3g at Eastwood Community.

HERE COME THE TEAMS

Boarding a departing Comet towards Alfreton found the traffic queue a mile short of the centre snarling up and gridlocking due to a very small set of road works, the normal 20 minute journey would take 45 minutes and by the time we managed to exit back onto the main road to re-join the logjam the Police had taken over the temporary traffic lights and were directing traffic so ridiculous had the situation become.  One and a quarter hours later Ripley arrived, I could almost have got to Congleton in that time, for I had now decided to visit Heanor again with the Eastwood back up being more achievable from there than Pinxton.
The lovely crew that operate BBC weather had predicted a dry day but on travelling to Heanor had changed the forecast to rain, modern technology and brewing heavy drinking sessions spring to mind.  Departure onto the Market Place and I just had that 'things are not right' feeling and decided to 'runaround now' for the second time on this journey and make the trip to Eastwood after seeing the next bus heavily delayed and being unable to obtain a taxi I looked up to see a Rainbow 1 pulling into the stand which thankfully allowed an arrival adjacent to the ground just before 2.30pm.

REFEREE MICK LESLIE CHECKS IF HIS ASSISTANT HAS ORDERED THE HALF TIME REFRESHMENTS

My first greeting on approaching was a text from Mr O of Burnley FC fashion catalogue territory to console with me with the fact that Heanor was off, postponed by the match official at 2pm after previous 2 inspections and before any afternoon showers that occurred.  For supporters this is an all too regular happening now and really needs looking into I can well understand if conditions have changed and do before kick off but they clearly hadn't an option to have just trained match officials to do inspections needs studying because this needs stopping.
Anyway a secure 3g game was achieved and a quick catch up with Mr Hornby of the NSL Parish and a gathering of team information with thanks to Magdala and Mick Leslie, the referee, allowed for a positioning behind the goal on a very dark afternoon that once again limited pictures.
Magdala came into this fixture off the back of a 10-0 drubbing at Eastwood's near neighbours Awsworth Villa but they still sat above second bottom Eastwood Development.  The first half was a tight affair and saw the teams only separated by a wonderful opportunist 30 yard strike by Tom Groves after seven minutes as the ball fell to him he saw the home keeper leaving the goal slightly ajar and he went for it.

MORE EASTWOOD BACKDROP PICTURES

The second period provided little of entertainment with Eastwood struggling to put much of note together despite a lot of possession it was Magdala who created the chances Oisin Coffey hit a 25 yard effort that the Eastwood keeper saved and with fifteen minutes remaining he did the same to a Dan Burton effort.
Magdala Amateurs put last weeks disappointment behind them when the wrapped the encounter up two minutes from time when Ethan Lespeare saw his shot deflected past the stranded keeper and the three points were safe.
Thankfully 3g is becoming the saving grace and although the game would be immediately forgettable there was a chance to catch up with a new side in the form of Magdala.  Return journey went unbelievably smoothly with a 5.05 departure and one connection later an hour saw me back at base, don't you like it when a plan comes together.  Runaround now.

SLEIGH TRANSPORTS HEANOR TO THE TOP

HEANOR TOWN 3 GRAHAM ST PRIMS 1
EMCL @ THE TOWN GROUND
13 NOVEMBER 2019 --- 7.45PM
A clinical period of finishing from Heanor Town just past the half hour mark was enough to send The Lions to the top of The East Midlands Counties League but strangely for the rest of the game the Derby based visitors were far from out of this encounter.

A WELCOMING SIGHT

A strange night as I entered the once described comfortable armchair of  The Town Ground strange in the extent that I was on high infusion of Lemsip, other products etc, and the most bitterly cold night of the winter so far made this fell like Mr Clarence had turned the heating off in my welcoming seat.  Warm greetings from the gate to Mr Squires jnr, Mr S senior had made the wise choice of a meal at friends and a roaring fire I guess, the ladies Kim and Elaine and the pleasure of meeting Lesley the clubs photographer.

ELAINE AND KIM HAD SECURED ANOTHER ADDITION TO THEIR PLAYERS PANTS COLLECTION

Lesley it appears has left behind her Derby County season ticket now and jointly discovered non league football and the ability to put together some fantastic actions shots from The Lions games, you can view here work on the clubs official websites.  It was a pleasure to get to know her and with her long lens and camera her evening results would well surpass any effort I could make.
Having travelled in on a packed direct service to Heanor it would be nice to escape the noise of the double decker and by the time we were ready for kick off I had further supplemented my evening by a trip to the snack bar for the only reason for a visit to Heanor a chip pea cob of course.

CLUB PHOTOGRAPHER SENSIBLY WRAPPED UP

Game wise the visitors were more than holding their own until a mad spell of three quick goals on the half hour mark Sleigh set up Kyle Daley who finished unmarked at the back post. 
Four minutes had advance and Daley struck a lovely finish across the keeper to double the advantage and then more or less immediately the livewire that is Sleigh delivered the ultimate present a third that more or less wrapped the game up when he broke through and finished with confidence.

ADDITIONAL FLOODLIGHING BY MR MOON

A sloppy half littered with stoppages and an over fussy referee who pulled in the captain for talks alongside the bench and by the end of ninety minutes he had booked eight players in a performance that so clearly said 'observer in attendance', a good referee but different performance to normal.
Prims sub Perry McGrath pulled one back on 72 minutes with a semi overhead and much as the visitors had made the running in the second half it did seem to wake up a relaxing Heanor when Sleigh hit the top of the cross bar and Daley forced the visiting keeper into a sharp save.
On a night when connections as ever from Heanor needed to run Trent Barton were, as usual on this service, late meaning a missed connection allowed for a thirty minute wait for the next service to Alfreton were it would now be a taxi return which as ever was an excellent service form the local private hire company.  A brief blog for a somewhat local regular visit that has been made harder in these austere times of public transport and as age creeps on these cold nights are becoming less for me than ever.

THREE POINTS FOR CHRISTMAS

SHIREBROOK TOWN 0 DUNKIRK 4
EMCL @ LANGWITH ROAD
9 NOVEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

THE LIGHTS SHINE BRIGHTLY OVER LANGWITH RD HOME OF SHIREBROOK TOWN FC

Walking off the Model after a post match fish and chips one of the properties had a bay window festooned with a vibrant multi coloured Christmas tree flashing away in full festive celebration as we entered the second week in November, how Shirebrook can hope for the season of joy to begin and for lots of wrapped up packages containing three points to be opened at Langwith Road.
A season with just two league wins so far is in danger of sending this proud club tumbling into the bottom rung of the non league ladder and with its ground and set up it will be a crying shame if that happens.  To that end new manager Jordan Johnson sets about re building the side but so far and with today's defeat its three down.  There was no lack of passion and commitment and if your like your uncompromising then Shirebrook is the place to be with this game having an unforeseen edge from the off.  But sadly that passion could not deny high flying Dunkirk from leaving with three points after two goals in either half were also not helped when Shirebrook were reduced to ten men in the second forty five minutes.

THE FAMOUS VIEW WITH ITS TWO NEAR IDENTICAL STANDS AND ICONIC LIGHTS

Weather and more of it had seen local flooding and many train lines were blocked including the main line between Chesterfield and Derby so today would see a search of a local game with a playable pitch.  Where better than Shirebrook as pre season readers will know I love a trip to the town and the club, its tough and friendly all rolled into one.
Much has been written before on here about this former mining community both on previous blogs and elsewhere but the replacement was the big sports clothing emporium which went no way of course to replacing what was lost and so the town centre suffered with the collection of anti social problems the destroying of a town brings about.  Arriving in from spire town on the newly numbered stripey boys '1' a decision to depart in the Market Square was made and the small market was winding up and trading was left to the Coop, betting shops and a selection of eastern European supermarkets.  Two of the discount stores have brought budget shopping into the town one site taken over after the big 'T's' decided against coming along.

DUNKIRK CHECK THE ESCAPE ROUTE

On a grey and dark day with car lights already being on it did not bode well for a selection of good pictures and it was a struggle but arrival was with a warm turnstile greeting and once through committee man and raffle adjudicator Ian Oxley offered a warm welcome which as ever for any hopper is always a nice extra touch.  I won't describe the ground again needless to say it is of course one of the better set ups and could easily cope with step 4 football which the club have flirted with in the past and I hope will soon restore some former glory days for Shirebrook as a town and a club.

SECOND MINUTE WONDER STRIKE SEES ELLIS EVANS SUROUNDED BY TEAM MATES

Having purchased a programme and obtained the teams I had to hold myself back from going to the normally excellent snack bar because I had post match lined up at the 'chippy'.
With Dunkirk looking at the top of the table todays hosts were staring at the wrong end and were only kept off the foot of it by a pointless Borrowash so I didn't expect to much from the new management teams third league game in charge.

EARLY GREETINGS CONTINUE PAST PRE MATCH HANDSHAKES

Hope would spring eternal for the first couple of minutes that was until the ball fell out to Ellis Evans who from 30 yards out hit a wordly back into the Shirebrook goal to give Dunkirk the advantage.
Shortly afterwards there was a warm greeting for a whole host of players on the half way line the result of which was a caution for the home sides Simon Johnson.
On the half hour mark the visitors Mark Green also went into the book for what looked a two footed challenge and could easily have been a red on another day.  The challenges came thick and fast and Mitchell Wilton picked up a yellow for Shirebrook a few minutes later and then they came close to an equaliser as Johnson and the keeper challenged for a ball the ricochet took it just the wrong side of the post for the home sides point of view.

YEARS OF EXPERIENCE LINE UP ON THE SHIREBROOK TOUCHLINE

Four minute before the interval Dunkirk doubled the lead just as Shirebrook had started to get a foothold in the game when Tyrell Shannon-Lewis converted at the back stick despite the valiant efforts of Wilton on the line.
As the light dropped the temperature reminded us, if we needed any, football is a winter sport and the darkness descended behind the floodlights on the terraced Langwith Road and so to the second half of moving the round object about.

GREAT SAVE FROM STRYCHARZ IN THE SHIREBROOK GOAL

A superb save from Pitor Strycharz in the home goal from a 30 yard free kick from Michael Pearson gave hope for Shirebrook.  The fourth caution of the game saw Tom Bradley of Shirebrook enter the refs notebook and then just short of the hour mark it went even further wrong when Tobin Grant went down under a challenge from Jake Wilton that left referee Wood with no option but to show a red card.
Dunkirk proceeded to hit the bar before doubling their lead in the closing stages Jordan Alls with a looping back post header and Shannon-Lewis with his second two minutes from time courtesy of a deflection off a Shirebrook defender to make it four without reply.
A long hard winter is well into full flow at Langwith Road but with the new manager only three games into his reign time of course has to be the call of the next few months.  Here is hoping the club can pull away from the danger zone and currently they are not marooned away from safety three or four wins will see Shirebrook take on a more comfortable position, that is the challenge I hope they can achieve in the short term.

JAKE WILTON RECEIVES A RED CARD FROM REFEREE WOOD

Pre match meals have become post match meals and previously in Shirebrook I have found a little gem of an establishment, The Model Chippy, which sits on the 'model' a large collection of houses that were adjacent to the pit and have seen a refurbishment of some.  Much like many similar developments at its inception it was designed to give everything a worker could want close by home and work sadly the loss of the towns colliery have meant a change in social conditions and the area survives with a different feel to it now.  What it does contain is an excellent chippy and with a constant flow of customers you now its a good establishment and after ordering small chips and a large fish today.  I knew what defeat felt like as even for me it finished 'whale 1 hopper 0' even I couldn't finish it all.
Departing back leaving the massive Victoria pub, showing the former prowess of the area and chippy behind just before arriving back in the Market Square you pass the parish church once the serving minister was the farther of the famous actor John Hurt.  While on the famous and a physical man for the footy team I hadn't realised that former swimmer and now turned Holywood actor Jason Statham was from the town, he now resides in Beverly Hills there's a contrast.
Departure after an obligatory tour of the Coop for a few on journey snacks saw an arrival back in spire town just before 7.30pm from a thoroughly enjoyably afternoon that had a shortage of unused superlatives by the end of it.  But if you like your communities and football clubs uncompromising, tough, determined and more than anything down to earth friendly then 'get yer sen' down to Shirebrook Town ma duck at 3pm on a Saturday afternoon.

CLASS SHOWING FROM ATHERSTONE

HARBOROUGH TOWN 1 ATHERSTONE TOWN 6
FA VASE 2 @ BOWDEN PARK
2 NOVEMBER 2019 --- 3PM

BOWDEN PARK AWAITS THE FA VASE ROUND 2

Atherstone Town put on a superb show of free flowing football that was packed full of goalmouth action besides the half a dozen they did notch against Harborough Town, a step higher in the non league structure, who were swept away in the second half.  A turning point in the game certainly surrounded the dismissal of home keeper Daniel Farrell after twenty minutes for handling outside of the penalty box but even by this stage The Adders were in the ascendancy.
Rain, rain and more rain called for 3G again and with many games in peak land called off late due to the heavy downpours the choice was taken for a revisit to Market Harborough and with a new surface laid it would be a chance to catch up with the progress at the club.  On my last visit here I found The Bees a friendly outfit with plans and clearly some of them have come to fruition, they have a large selection of sides and espouse the 'community club' tag.  Today was no different a pleasant set up on the southern edge of the town and with the last round attracting nearly 300 on the gate today they would surpass that with 343 watching the only shame for them today was the outcome.

THE NEWLY LIVERIED EMR SERVICE AWAITING ITS SHEFFIELD RETURN JOURNEY

'Train travel' I hear you cry with engineering works past Market Harborough all services were terminating at the station and it made for a very steady journey with a seat and upon
arrival having covered the town in a previous blog a few years back the decision was made on a blustery afternoon to head straight down the Northampton Road to the ground.

FLAGS AND FANS IN NUMBER FOR ATHERSTONE

The club house was pretty full with many Atherstone fans in attendance and after a warm greeting at the gate for all the necessary purchases a tour of the new pitch was undertaken.  The ground has now thankfully become four sided and has an extra Atcost terrace stand added to previous two amber and black seated stands, the whole area is smart with sponsorship from that famous big yellow fats food restaurant emblazoned in banners at the far end of the ground with a small hillock adorned with sheep too add to its semi rural feel.
Todays programme was a creditable effort, the club had added extra catering facilities and with bar and hospitality doing well I hope Harborough had a good day.  The only downside was they have an excellent looking club shop that failed to open, so much like Consett last Saturday on a big attendance day they missed out on revenue.

STEFAN MOORE AND MIKE FOWLER A HAPPY START WITH ATHERSTONE

Harborough from The UCL and a step above MFL 1 Atherstone would start as favourites but it looked an enticing prospect non more so with the visitors new management team in place.  Manager Scott Rickards, ex Mansfield Town and current Tamworth academy manager would not be here today due to imminent family arrivals but Mike Fowler and ex Villa player Stefan Moore would take charge.
The opening twenty minutes provided a clue to the game with the visitors obtaining a possession advantage but nothing much in the way of clear cut chances.  But it all changed when Bees keeper Farrell came right onto the white line on the edge of his box and at a slight angle wafted his arms to deny Sam Fitzgerald a way through the ball struck the lofted hand and after consultation with his assistant referee Lathan had no option but to show a red card.  Handily a substitute keeper was on the bench but it would mean a player down for seventy minutes and so often this galvanises the rest of the side.

REFEREE LATHAN SHOWS FARRELL A RED CARD

Here today this was not the case and Atherstone performed somewhat of a demolition job that should have resulted in many more goals so were the second half chances.
Eight minutes after the red card the goals started Ryan Quinn and Kyle Baxter combined with the former lifting the ball over the keeper.  Joe Obi made it two nil with a superb back post header that he tracked all the way from a perfect Sam Belcher cross and it was three five minutes before the break when provider turned scorer turning one way then another he finished by slotting past the replacement keeper Glen Giles with the outside of this right boot.

MATCH ACTION ATHERSTONE BRING THE BALL AWAY

So many chances littered the second half for the visitors it was a miracle double figures were not reached Ben Ashby had and effort cleared off the line early on before Fitzgerald cut inside past a defender and fired home.  The flowing moves were coming thick and fast and had it been a boxing match the referee would have stopped it so was The Adders dominance the goal of the game came on 67 minutes.  A glorious move from back to front involving Quinn, Obi and Ashby before Belcher struck home a superb finish for his second.
As the intense pressure continued in one move Fitzgerald hit the post and the rebound looked goal bound from Baxter  only for a Harborough defender to clear the effort off the line.  There would be a consolation goal for the home side and a smart finish it was to from Barnes Gladman.  But Atherstone were not to be denied their attacking prowess Baxter looked to have all but struck the unstoppable shot until Giles flew at full stretch across his goal to deny the Adders Player.

FIRST HALF ATHERSTONE FREE KICK FROM SAM BELCHER

As  the chances continued to flow Baxter was not to be denied though on 84 minutes good work down the left saw Ashby put a low cross in for Baxter to divert home.
As good a performance from a side that I have seen this season fast free flowing football on the 3G surface that encouraged the visitors to continue when others may have taken the foot off the gas.  For Harborough Town you had to feel for them a lovely club whose big day did not goes as planned but I guess they will want more of this FA Vase action next season and who knows it could be a different outcome for them next year.  I look forward to a UCL visit as on my couple of visits I have more than enjoyed the time spent here hopefully the team will put this one behind them soon and progress up the league.

MATCH PROGRAMME AND BOWDEN PARK OVERVIEW

Looking at the recent weather forecast I'm sure I will be calling into Harborough Town again soon.
After match meals are becoming the 'norm' and extensive research revealed Harborough Fish Bar on Western Avenue in the estate about ten minutes from the ground but on the right side of the town.  Reviews were good and although along with a massive fish and chips in the dark is not always the easiest I can vouch for the reviews up near the top of the table and well worth noting if you plan a visit for a match.
Leaving Market Harborough about one and a half hours after the final whistle the Sheffield bound service would start its journey in the town and so seats were easily available for a more than relaxed train journey back to spire town.  I know seats and a service that had to wait for time on route, what is going on?  Can I catch this service every week, no I thought not.