VIRTUAL HOPPING UK IRELAND AND POLAND

VIRTUAL HOPPING UK IRELAND AND POLAND

FIRST TWO WEEKS OF NOVEMBER 2020

AT THE ARMCHAIR GROUND [with comfy cushions]

TV CAMERAS WOULD BE HIGHLY IMPORTANT IN THE NEXT TWO WEEKS HERE IS ONE AT AFC NEWTOWN

After a season of limited games and grounds for a lot of hoppers the current hiatus saw me continue to be reliant on the excellent S4C Wales coverage of The JD Welsh Premier League with the three clubs who were compliant to regulations filling in the next two weeks.  Attached to this though was the chance to dip the toe in the water of Pay Per View [PPV] games something that previously was not in my favourable column, at least not the big clubs games.  However with many of the smaller clubs becoming reliant on fans paying a reasonable price to watch a varying selection of coverage of their streamed games I jumped in for two weeks of virtual hopping that led to a fantastic selection of visits.

THERE WOULD BE NO TRAIN TRAVEL AT ALL TO ANY OF THESE FIXTURES

Regulars to this blog will know that for me its about the travel, the towns or area the club is situated in and of course the people so this would be a little different as I plumped up the cushion in my chair for various positions of relaxation to visit some of the new grounds that had taken my fancy along side it has to be said a few old favourites.  The pictures were selected from stock ones rather than use others so it is a little bit of a shame to not bring you some grounds that are less familiar but I'm sure Weszlo and Kelty Hearts are easily researchable.  Here goes,

After starting at the end of October with a Welsh Premier League fixture between Haverfordwest County and Bala, which was a tremendous encounter, the last live game was in The Chesterfield Sunday League which saw in November and is blogged a few posts back.

CLIFTONVILLE V GELNTORAN 2 NOVEMBER

So it all started with an old favourite Cliftonville who were welcoming Glentoran to Solitude for a Belfast derby in the County Antrim Shield a trophy that the hosts held.  That in itself had been a remarkable final trailing 1-0 they scored two goals in the 7 minutes of stoppage time to snatch the silverware away from the grasp of Ballymena United.  So for £7 the camera view would be from the upper tier of the old stand and although dark surrounding the ground the twinkling lights of North Belfast were visible.

A spectacle it was not with an 89th minute winner for Glentoran meaning a new name would appear on the large shield this season.

SHAMROCK ROVERS V ST PATS ATHLETIC 3 NOVEMBER

The next night and a trip into southern Ireland and with Shamrock Rovers due to pick up the SSE Airtricity Premiership League trophy tonight an interesting Dublin derby in prospect, wrong.  It ended 0-0 although the Tallaght stadium with its colourful seating arrangement added something to what was a dour affair.  But it had only cost 5 Euros so I had sort of had a night out in.

CLIFTONVILLE MANAGER PADDY MCLAUGHLIN

ABERDEEN V HIBS 6 NOVEMBER

Match night on a Friday is always different and although I thought a little while about this one at £12.99 I decided a trip to the granite city would be good with these two in third and fourth respectively in the SPL.  The dons led 2-0 within a quarter of an hour and after that it was all very steady stuff so much so that my eyes had a small closure for ten minutes in the second half although I was back awake to see Hibs first shot in target in the 91st minute.  This was a really poor encounter and the visitors never really showed up from the off.

KELTY HEARTS V EAST KILBRIDE 7 NOVEMBER

Saturday would see a quick dash down to Kelty and this top of the table clash in The Lowland League against former Scottish League opponents saw the top two competing and a chance to look at New Central Park.  Sadly upon tuning in just before kick off there was a very little to see of the surrounding area it was an afternoon shrouded in mist and fog.  Although it did relent at stages to see what looked like a very smart ground it was once again a very poor game from which the visitors took away a one nil win.  This one had set me back £8 and after four games I had not seen a good encounter yet under the PPV banner.

BALA V TNS 7 NOVEMBER

An even sharper dash to the Welsh Prem for this rearranged fixture and thanks to Sgorio it would be a free game and it turned out to be the best of a poor bunch so far.  TNS had taken the lead but Bala deservedly equalized.  It was a strange game in that three weeks or so earlier the game was abandoned at 2-2 with 88 minutes on the clock due to floodlight failure.  After much bewilderment at the FAW decision to replay it the same outcome in the sense of points was achieved but Maes Tegid is always worth a trip.

THE BEAUTY OF BALA AND MAES TEGID

RANGERS V HAMILTON ACADEMICALS 8 NOVEMBER

Like a gambling addiction I was now chasing the big one I needed a win in the form of a good game.  Having started the weekend in Scotland it was a mad dash back to Glasgow this time as I plumped up the cushion for a Sunday trip to Ibrox for top versus bottom.  In the sense of a good game this was not it but in the application of a ruthless Glasgow Rangers side it absolutely was scoring four goal in each half were some sides would have taken their foot off the gas Steven Gerrard was not letting his side do that.  So for a reasonable £9.99 this was probably the best performance so far.

FINN HARPS V WATERFORD 9 NOVEMBER

Back over the water to the north west of the Republic of Ireland for a league game which had it all to play for Waterford travelled up from down south to the delightfully named Ballybofey knowing they needed a win for a European place whereas the home side also needed three points to avoid a relegation play off.  Finn Park is an old and worn out ground but its one of those that all hoppers love it has character and characters with a new ground started over a decade ago in the town hopes are not high for a move.  However the supporters run club are making massive steps to keep the club going and are to be credited.  Once again 5 Euros in and I even went for an additional 3 Euros for what is an excellent match programme, I went for the digital format but its well worth a look in either.  Harps led through a first half Adam Foley strike a close range effort that the clubs declared a goal of the season contender with tongue in cheek, it was probably though their most important.  A superb game continued with Waterford now only needing a draw, due to other scores, being denied by an unbelievable goal line clearance in the 95th minute by David Webster.  The best game so far by a mile.

DUNGANNON SWIFTS V CLIFTONVILLE 9 NOVEMBER

Back into the north of Ireland and like buses you wait for one and two come along together in this case in another really good game of association football in The Danske Bank Premiership.  So it was £7 with an excellent commentary team of Jonny Martin and Darren Murphy making this one even better there were also three different camera angles on show.  Swifts were without a win but apparently playing well whereas Cliftonville travelled west looking to threaten the top of the league.  Dougie Wilson gave Swifts a half time lead but Cliftonville equalised in the second half thanks to an excellent free kick from Garry Breen.  But there was no denying Dungannon who as well as without a win had not scored a goal this season they got their second and first win when Wilson got his second from the penalty spot.

Another smart little ground it had been a pleasure to spend the evening at Stangmore Park and it was now two good games in a row.

GALA FAIRYDEAN ROVERS V BSC GLASGOW 14 NOVEMBER

Three whole days off without a streamed game and today there would be two to make up for it and both of the free variety.  A much wanted visit to Galashiels would be achieved virtually and although the camera was set in the concrete sweeping stand of the 1960s at Netherdale you got a feel for the place as this Lowland League encounter was watched by the adjacent rugby ground and the cloud topped mountains in the distance.  Excellent coverage and commentary was brought by the chaps on 'Mozza plays' on behalf of Broomhill Sports Club Glasgow.  Two second half goals would see the borders side win this Lowland League clash but only after the visitors were harshly reduced to ten men for an innocuous looking second booking by a referee who had a challenging second forty five minutes.  A nice game but this one was so much about the setting and its still on the list of 'to do's'.

ADRIAN CIESLEWICZ OF TNS FEATURING IN BOTH THE WPL SIDES GAMES

TNS V BARRY TOWN UNITED 14 NOVEMBER

Back to Wales or more accurately England and Oswestry for this Welsh Premier League game again thanks to Sgorio.  Another intriguing fixture in which at 2-0 TNS looked to have it sealed up for a certain three points but you lean never to write off a Gavin Chesterfield side and they came back with a goal and it has to be said towards the end were looking the stronger team but it was The New Saints who got over the line thanks to Louis Robles and the ever youthful Greg Draper.

KTS WESZLO V MADZIAR NIEPORET 15 NOVEMBER

The final day of this two week challenge[?] would start with an early Sunday morning flight to Warsaw International and Chopin airport, he of music and famous countryman, well I plumped up the seat again anyway in the armchair.  A noon kick off in the Klasa A Warsaw game that saw top versus third at the stadium of RKS Okecie whom it would appear KTS [Klub Towarzysko-Sportowy] share with.  I came across this one thanks to the Chesterfield Sunday League Secretary who was guiding me through his visits to Krakow and Hutnik Krakow Football Club and while researching found this game and had to have a look at some even further studying before viewing.  The ground upon doing that research is literally a ten minute walk from the airport on the main Franciszka Hynka Road.  Like so many eastern European grounds they are in the form of a running track or bowl around them, this though has long since disappeared to any intense purpose here.  The club operate a good social media stream and this is probably helped that the clubs president as his own media outlet  and today would be the main guest on presentation of this top of the table clash.  The ground has a smart clubhouse set up with a nearly full side of open aired banked seats, there is a vast space behind each goal and the far side although with banking contains just dug outs.  I believe this is somewhere around tier 5 in Poland although I stand corrected by the more knowledgeable.

Weszlo were romping the league with some big wins and are clearly a force to be reckoned with and on the up this will be the last game before the winter break in Poland and at half time a four goal to nil lead thanks to a third minute close range effort from Michal Kroplewnicki,  just over the double figure mark Bartek Januszewski made it two without reply the same player got his second ten minutes before the break before the fourth was a wonderful move.  A lovely one two down the middle fed captain Daniel Ciechanski, who had missed the target with a penalty mid way though the half, to convert from just inside the penalty box, clearly the class act in the side.

The second period was more measured but KTS did add to their tally although home keeper Domink Byszewski was called on to make a couple of sharp saves.  The game was wrapped up with goal in 74 and 82 minutes from Krzysiek Kondracki and Gregorz Zaleski who slotted home from close range.  This was a comprehensive win for a side who look destined for the title their league record so far has a goal difference of 83 and having conceded just four all season their four point gap at the top looks like extending in the new year.

A good game watched by 17,000 in the live stream which will have brought the club to many peoples attention I shall watch out eagerly for their results.

RANGERS WOMEN V CELTIC WOMEN 15 NOVEMBER

This one was £3.49 and I thought Glasgow derby why not, staged at the Auchenhowie training facility of Rangers it was an impressive performance from both women's sides with Celtic content to defend the Rangers early attack.  So it continued with Rangers looking good but as so often happens in the second minute of time added on Celtic secured a one nil win from the penalty spot thanks to Summer Green.  A fair encounter but I was tiring now.

NEVER DISCOUNT A BARRY SIDE UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF GAVIN CHESTERFIELD

WALES V REPUBLIC OF IRELAND 15 NOVEMBER

Back to Wales and courtesy of Sgorio game three of the day with cushion massager working overtime it was what most internationals have become, pass square for ten minutes and then pass back to the goalkeeper.  The second half was though better and David Brooks notched the winner for the Principality in this Nations League game.  Not a great match to finish on but the second week had certainly produced more excitement than the first.

GLASGOW DECKER COACH BUT HERE ON A RAIL REPLACEMENT SERVICE IN DERBYSHIRE CAN THE PICTURE LINKS GET ANY LOOSER 

A good filler for the shortage of live grassroots sport that allowed some free and not to expensive trips to different grounds and of course a return to a few old favourites in Wales.  The virtual trip to Poland was excellent as was the Lowland League grounds and it certainly whets the appetite to visit some of these in future fixtures but hopefully this time by travelling to the actual game.  As pop band M listed in their 1980s hit Pop Muzik, New York, London, Paris, Munich - this though was more like, Kelty, Aberdeen, Bala, Warsaw everybody's taking about ground hopping.

GOBOWEN FOR OSWESTRY FOR TNS

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL PART 3

REASONS TO BE CHEERFUL PART 3 --- NEW TUPTON IVANHOE FC

NOVEMBER 2020 AT THE A1 GARAGE DOORS ARENA

NEW TUPTON IVANHOES GROUND OVERVIEW

The brilliant wordsmith Ian Dury released his second single in 1979 titled Reasons to be Cheerful Part 3' a follow up to 'Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick' his number one from the previous year.  Well at this stage there had just been part one of the intriguing Ivanhoes story witnessed in the North Derbyshire village of Tupton, but now with The Derbyshire FA Community Club of the Year 2020 award it enters its third part.  Here is the story of those parts that have helped the club into being its current success within its close knit community and the ongoing development it seeks.

PROUDLY DISPLAYING THE NEW BADGE

To arrive at the current club which features double figures as its total teams from all ages to its current senior side which has progressed through the structures set in place to reach Hope Valley League status we have to go right back to the 1920's

Arriving in this era and realising the amount of local football taking place in villages were the players of the day didn't travel too much and so many of their matches were against local sides generating large crowds on the touchline watching the proceedings.  One of the early sides in the village was Tupton St Johns but our interest surrounds one of the most successful sides of its era in Tupton Ivanhoe and I was fortunate enough to in the 1980s to spend time with its captain Bill Chinnery and local football fan Dennis Raines who were happy to talk about their knowledge and experience of those times plus get out the old cuttings and pictures, as ever time often loses these and the stories when generations pass away.  Two of these pictures date from a year book in the 1980s when believe it or not no mobile phones existed never mind the ability to home publish so they were works of endurance with photocopying machines and typewriters, thank you Margaret Cartwright for the typing, so please take that into account when viewing the quality.

Part one of the clubs existence found them formed in the 20s and over the following years they played at three grounds The Recreation Ground, Tupton Primary School and a ground behind the New Inn.  Both of my interviewees confirmed Saturday 2.30pm kick offs with crowds often being around 200 watching with a small charge made to attend.  The kit as now was the famous black and amber striped outfit which the original club purchased from Elliott and Crooks in Derby the two surnames being of the former Derbyshire cricketer and Rams footballer.

IVANHOES MULTI COMPETITION WINING SIDE

The team picture, above, shows the sides most successful year winning The Chesterfield Hospital Cup, Grassmoor Nursing Cup, Morton Hospital Cup, Derbyshire Medal and The Graham League.  The first trophy was won by beating Bolsover Church Army 4-1 at The Robinsons Works Ground and mainly in the last fifteen minutes after the proceeding time had produced no goals.  Apparently Tommy Alton who went on to play for Derby broke the deadlock with I was told a 'forty yard drive'.  The Derbyshire Medal featured teams from all over the county and captain Bill Chinnery described it as "the greatest honour to win".  The game saw Ivanhoe's beat Clay Cross Star Rangers 4-2 on Sharley Park on Good Friday morning in front of an estimated 1,500 people.  

The Graham League was the summit of the league structure sitting above the Scarsdale and Lampson divisions and contained many local names such as Arkwright Welfare, Temple Normanton Old Boys, Alma Athletic, Bolsover Old Boys, Stretton, Markham Sports and Grassmoor to name a selection.  

Often travel to away games would involve two of ,village transport company, Heeleys buses and one for the players would be matched with one for following supporters.

One of the funny tales recounted was a trip to the pantomime, booking out two rows of seats in the clubs name when during the show three of the actors came on one in a red and white kit, one in blue and white and the third in amber and black.  With the question raised 'who do you play for'? we discovered Sheffield United and Sheffield Wednesday for the first two but by the time we came to the third the biggest cheer went up when the incumbent dressed in amber and black kit declared 'I play for Tupton Ivanhoe'.

Ivanhoe finished around 1940, with a collection of later named teams being Tupton Comrades, Avenue Athletic and in more recent times Tupton Miners Welfare alongside Tupton United and its reserve side and this is where we meet part two of the story.

TUPTON IVANHOES 1987/88 TEAM

Moving along to the 1980's and we find Tupton United alongside a reserve team basing out of The Royal Oak towards the south side of the village playing on The Recreation Ground and Tupton Hall School.  I was pleased to do a yearbook for the reserves who were a great bunch of lads mainly around the same age and after the end of the 86/87 season looked at forming a new side with a separate identity and with a look back for a unique name The Ivanhoe's were reborn.  At the end of their debut season in Division 9 of the Chesterfield Sunday League they finished a very credible fourth.  The picture above shows the side for that debut season as the new club looked to represent their fore goers.  The intriguing link to the club is current senior manager Dave Martin who played for the side and also at the time Clay Cross Works in the form if its new name Biwater FC.  Manager at the time Geoff Colwishaw described him as a 'player who will get you 30 goals a season with never less than 100% effort, a constant nightmare for central defenders'.  Dave certainly tucked the goals away and during a chat about this blog he did ask me to remind everybody he was the record goal scorer for the Ivanhoe's with 311 strikes, ha-ha sorry mate, he is though a lovely decent bloke a legend who loves the game and is full of praise for his current players.  As the members of the side moved into marriage, job changes and the strains of life the side drifted away and the name Tupton Ivanhoe was gone again.

Fast forward to 2011 and the birth of a community club for all ages under the Ivanhoe title this time with New proceeding the Tupton, something that had developed as the village took on a postal New and Old within its title.  The club though was based in New Tupton although the players arrived from all over the village and wider community.  Developing sides of varying ages requires many volunteers, helpers and officials and of all there have been a credible amount of, enthusiastic ones who have bought into the club and its ethos of 'growing together' and how they have.

Under the guidance of his team secretary Dave Hoult who has driven this club forward beyond anybody's wildest dreams and I'm sure much personal sacrifice it is now about to celebrate its tenth year anniversary.  It sits with double figures in sides from tots to under 18's and at the summit its senior outfit managed by Martin, who joined in 2012/13, has developed through the ages into its under 18's before representing senior football in the now defunct Matlock League before going on to compete in The Hope Valley League for what is now their third season in that competition.

LOOKING WEST AT THE A1 GARAGE DOORS ARENA

Over the current years not happy with no football during the summer the club have developed a festival of football tournament using The Recreation Ground something that sees sides come from all over the north to compete.  So big had the event become that previous to this years necessary cancellation the it had developed into a two weekend celbration now supported by a printed programme explaining all the rules and progression through the tournament.  The whole experience is further enhanced by stalls of many a variety while the main event takes place on the collection of neighbouring pitches and with trophies and presentations a plenty its a fantastic tournament put together once again by a super team at The Ivanhoe's.

With the collection of sides playing around the north of the county the limited pitch facilities led to only a few sides being able to regularly turn out on 'the rec'.

So we enter the new chapter as the club develops its own ground and facilities.  Again with the support of the club Hoult pushed for a lease on a piece of land that was adjacent to the recreation ground and had been a field overgrown and used for horses, many shook their head at his new project.  But with the support of the positive approach of the Parish Council a deal was signed and off went the club in developing the ground, with approach road repaired and gated, pitch developed and installed with advice from Clay Cross Town Fc and their award wining grounds man Lee Watson times were moving forward again.  Now just over a year later a selection of games are taking place although the senior side are still based at Langer Lane and they have to wait for the arrival of changing rooms which are next in the pipeline.

A1 GARAGE DOORS SPONSORED DUG OUTS

An important development for those who like to be fed and watered at a game has arrived in the form of senior assistant manager and former Ashover player Martin Cantrell who has transferred, on a free I believe, his garden shed now painted in club colours to serve this purpose.  With a flag pole sitting proudly alongside a new perimeter fence the north side of the ground is coming along nicely to add to the proud display of the badge adorned ground gates.

All clubs need support and importantly sponsors and over the last ten years Ivanhoe's have been no different with a fantastic amount of assistance from the business community.  The current developments at the ground have been enhanced by the superb involvement of local company A1 Garage Doors now become ground sponsors with the suffix of Arena added to their company name and then in the last few weeks a further wonderful gift arrived.  Two superb badged and sponsor adorned dug outs for the home away teams both with half a dozen seats built in for match day use are a sign of the partnership between the parties, hopefully everybody is going to replace their garage doors soon and with A1.

CORPORATE COLOURED REFRESHMENT FACILITY

Alongside all this development the club achieved and maintained its FA Charter Standard for a community club and the major achievement of being awarded Derbyshire Community Club for 2020 in the Grassroots Awards.  Coming out on top of 370 other county clubs was a credit to all and now the club goes forward to the national competition representing Derbyshire but with a chance of turning into a nationally recognised club.

NEVER SURE IT REACHED TOWNSHIP STATUS CLEARLY IN SOMEBODIES EYES IT DID

For New Tupton Ivanhoe the story goes on growing together as part 3 develops week on week and season on season.  In the meantime for the young uns you may like to take a look at Ian Dury on that popular net channel for the old uns rediscover your youth and remember the lyrics but for Ivanhoe's these are times that clearly portray reasons to be cheerful.

STENHOUSEMUIR, DAVID CAMERON AND THE ROMANS IN CLAY CROSS

CLAY CROSS UNITED 2 BARLOW KINGSTON ROVERS 2

HKL CDSFL DIVISION FOUR AT FURNACE HILL

1 NOVEMBER 2020 --- 1045AM

HOW MANY PLAYERS CAN YOU GET IN ONE PICTURE CX UTD V BARLOW KR

With Saturday being a washout for me in the new local blogging stakes I had a Midlands Regional Alliance game on the radar but after a morning of rain and more of the stuff at around departure time for the five mile hike the tactical decision was made to watch some sport on TV and thankfully a Crymru Premier League match between Haverfordwest and Bala which turned out to be very entertaining thanks to Sgorio for the coverage. 

So the normal following morning of selecting a Chesterfield Sunday League took on all the more importance and with this one adding a few extra snippets of trivia it looked an interesting choice especially with this probably being the last game before lockdown for the hardy few who play and watch at this grassroots level.

The normality of the blog is to describe the setting and the journey something that is always challenging on 'local' hops but todays really has enough to shake the proverbial stick at or sticks.  Setting off about half an hour before kick off the unclaimed part of the Lane that would take me towards Clay Cross has a preserved section of the old Roman road, Ryknild Street [Rykneld, Ryknield - take your pick here] running adjacent to our route.  The road is now highlighted at the far end of a new mini housing development but I guess as part of the granting of permission to build a smart information board has been installed describing the raised mound you are looking at while reading.

THE FORMER ROMAN ROAD AND INFORMATION BOARD

Just to the side was the former Quaker Friends Meeting House which is now replaced by a large stone home but by certain accounts states that the former 'meeting house' has one of its walls within the newer build and too its rear is reported to be a Quaker burial ground.  The place of worship was founded in 1677 and closed somewhere just before 1800 and is believed it provided a safe place of sanctuary as Quakers were a much persecuted faith in the times of establishment of the building.

Moving along, only a few strides, is Egstow Hall which dates to around 1669 but the area receives mention in the Domesday Survey of 1086 so certainly has a lengthy history.  The barn outbuilding has since been converted into accommodation but is a fine example of a cruck roof so named by its curved timbers making it resemble the framework of an upturned boat.

Leaving along a now old style cart track that certainly in the 1970's continued all the way into Clay Cross gives the feeling of a country walk but you soon encounter a narrowing of the former roadway an encounter a steep climb that at its summit falls away as steeply to the other side.  This was the result of outcropping for near surface coal in the 70's which when the ground was replaced I guess did not have the same stringent measures as now and the whole thing resembled a hill meaning the beauty that once was the lane had gone for ever.

At the other side we arrive at Furnace Hill and its sports ground but if you take a further short walk of around 500 yards the old Clay Cross Works Cricket and Football ground officially listed as John St but with its spectator entrance on Brassington Street would have come into play.  I say would have because with a further housing development on the site that contained a bowling green and the memorable Rainbow Cafe which was transported from the companies Ashover Quarry site to their sports facilities in Clay Cross.  Many a twenty minute walk to watch its then named Biwater FC was undertaken to enjoy some local football in past days.

ITS A BIT STEEPER THAN IT LOOKS AND A TOUCH MUDDY

We got to this state of affairs after Biwater was closed by it new owners Saint Gobain and made 700 people redundant, within months of purchase, alongside the support businesses in Clay Cross in 2000 and so the continued decline of the town accelerated after its loss of surrounding Mining employment in the previous two decades.  So after many false starts the housing developments were booked for the site and surrounding area but only in the last year have we seen these take shape but part of the development of the sports ground site was a replication of facilities to Furnace Hill.  

THE BOWL THAT IS FURNACE HILL

With the same facilities football, cricket, bowls, and now a children's play area alongside a modern changing rooms and self contained community hall it was hoped this would also add to the new developments.  Of course with the delay to these estates the grounds have sat out on a limb with a slightly distanced feel to the town, although the pitch was once privately maintained and up to a very good standard so much so that the Chesterfield Sunday League did stage some semi finals and a final on the ground.

Furnace Hill is I guess interesting in that it is very much a bowl surrounded by embankments on three sides but the whole grounds went down much lower previously and was a tip for the works and varying other depositors for many years who filled it up to the level it currently stands at.  I guess its best not to think about what is below you on a match day.

CROSS MANAGER STEVE RUSSELL LINES UP HIS MEN FOR THE TEAM PICTURE

Clay Cross United came into this game without a point sitting firmly at the foot of division four and with a new kit sponsored by a local hostelry and scaffolding company there was time for a pre match ad hoc Sunday side photo shoot line up.  After last week losing 8-2 away to todays opponents Barlow Kingston Rovers there was a slight fear of trepidation but it would appear the lads were out to enjoy their game.

Stenhousemuir then and it is a great link for Barlow one of the longest formed clubs in the league approaching the fifty year mark had local funeral director David Hattersley at its helm then and now, he's now interestingly moved onto being one of the directors of shirt sponsor Brampton Brewery too.  But the connection with the Ochilview Park side stems back to his being asked at school to pick a side to follow and all his contemporaries selected the big clubs David being different went for little known Stenhousemuir.  Having a season ticket purchased for him by his parents when he was too young to make the journey still did not quell his interest and when he was of an age to attend games off he went later joining the board of directors.  The clubs share the primary kit colour and even play friendly fixtures in the close season with alternate visits between Scotland and England a mixture of former players, staff and supporters make up the occasions which I guess end in a certain degree of merriment. 

TOM GRANT A CONSTANT THREAT TO THE CLAY CROSS DEFENCE

In a tense first half of few chances save for Gary Siddall of Clay Cross striking the bar probably summed up both sides league positions but we were about to start the second half at a roaring pace with three goals in the opening fifteen minutes.  It would be 'the cross' who took the lead with a cracking move Lewis Dickens cross off the right with Matt Walsh who ably chested down for Ben Goodwin to convert with confidence after 57 minutes.

ROUGH AND TUMBLE OF SUNDAY LEAGUE

Quality free flowing moves make good goals as do well struck free kicks and Barlow were about to provide one of those more or less immediately in reply awarded a free kick 25 yards out Will Eaton lifted the ball over the wall and it curled into the United goal to equalise despite the valiant efforts of the home keeper.  For a side at the foot of the table Clay Cross were straight back at it with Dickens pacing onto goal and slotting past Tom Bown in the visitors to goal to restore the advantage and when moments later Antony Brown hit a thirty yard free kick it was looking like 3-1 until at the last second his name sake Tom pulled off a fantastic save to deny him.

WILL EATON CRAFTS THE FIRST EQUALISER FOR BARLOW

Could Clay Cross secure their first three points they came under pressure as Barlow hit the woodwork but it was looking more likely until with eight minutes remaining the visitors found the equaliser with a smart finish on the inside right of the penalty box to make it two apiece.  The name of the goal scorer......David Cameron.