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.