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.