With games being called off again through Covid and the feeling that we have been here before I chose to watch the highest level of football in Northamptonshire on Saturday. Hopefully this will not be the last for a while.
It was grey, wet, still, cold and foggy as I walked across the large car park to Steel Park to watch Corby Town play Bedworth United in the Midlands Division of the Northern Premier League. Steel Park is a modern arena opened in 2011 with great facilities including a large seated area and good banked covered terracing behind one goal. The playing surface is flat but the grass is beginning to wear and there are some muddy areas.
Contiuous Christmas songs sung out to lift the gloom but the fog was thickening.
Corby have been struggling recently and have parted company with 5 of their players in the last 7 days.
Corby Town were founded in 1948 and have developed well since moving from local Leagues through the United Counties, Midland League. Southern League and now Northern Premier League (Midland Division) through promotions, relegations and F.A. reorganisations. Floodlights were added to their Rockingham Triangle ground in 1958 when they stepped up to the Southern League and their current modern stadium was opened in 2011.
Bedworth United are based in Bedworth, between Nuneaton and Coventry and were formed in 1968 due to the demise of Bedworth Town. They joined the Southern League in 1972 and have switched between the Southern and Northern Leagues on numerous occasions partly due to their location on the border of League territories and on going Non League reorganisations..
Corby Town 0 Bedworth United 2
Steelmen v Greenbacks Saturday 18th December 2021 3.00pm
Bedworth Town were off the blocks quickly and caused problems for the Steelmen.
It was no surprise that they took the lead when a very long throw in from the right was headed out to only fall at the foot of Bedworth’s No9 Brian Nesbitt who hit it into the top corner of the goal for the lead. Bedworth pressed on and Brian Nesbitt was on hand to meet a very good cross from the right with his head and the ball rocketed into the top left hand corner of the net.
Bedworth continued to cause Corby problems with long balls beyond the Corby defence but the home team settled and stemmed the tide but had little in the way of an attacking edge.
By half time the fog was getting thicker and colder and after 15 minutes of the half it was nigh impossible to see end to end. The local crowd were calling for an abandonment and there were two chants for the Manager to resign but after 20 minutes more the fog cleared a little. The fact that you could only just make out what was going on did not disguise the fact that I cannot remember one near miss for Corby in the whole game.
Everyone was pleased when the referee blew for time and the 389 fans could make their way to some warmth.
Perhaps it was the weather but the chips from the Steelmen Refreshment Bar were the worst I have tasted since AFC Mansfield a few seasons ago. They were cold, limp and soggy and even a covering of tomato sauce could not induce me to finish them. By contrast the very hot coffee and free mince pie from Baxters at half time certainly helped to revive me.
Payonthegate 