Having intended to visit Quorn previously but getting mixed up with fixtures I decided to try again. The match was Quorn FC V Heanor Town FC in the United Counties League Premier Division North an evening game with a kick off at 19.45 pm. We were able to park in a very good car park through the entrance to the club and after going through the turnstile we were met with a colourful sunset which I felt was apt in that Non-League clubs may soon have to review floodlight games in view of the increase in fuel charges. I cannot understand the fuel charge system in the UK that seems to favour only the suppliers. The cap that generates the domestic home price does not apparently apply to businesses and so some eye watering increases are being reported. Will football clubs be able to survive these and in particular afford to put on the floodlights. Was this the final sunset on floodlight matches for a while,
Quorn’s ground is impressive for this level of football, there is hard standing all around, a covered standing area at one end and a covered seating area that runs almost the full length of one side and a very well appointed club house for the public and officials on another side. The pitch is a modern synthetic surface that has a very slight fall from end to end and from side to side. There are three mobile phone masts within the ground, two of which also have floodlights attached. Although there were a few spots of rain on getting out of the car the evening turned out warm, dry and with little wind.
Like other football clubs Quorn were founded by attendees of a religious group (Wesleyan Chapel) in 1924 and started as Quorn Methodists FC changing to Quorn FC in 1952. Most of their footballing life was spent in the Leicester Senior League and after a period of ups and downs won the Premier Division title in 2001 and promotion to the Midland Alliance. In 2007 a re-organisation of leagues found them in the Northern Premier League Division One South but relegation followed 4 years later and they now play in the very competitive United Counties Premier Division North.
I have written about Heanor Town before when I visited their ground just after Christmas last year.
Quorn FC 0 Heanor Town FC 3
The Farley Way Stadium, Tuesday 30th August, kick off 7.45 pm
Quorn all red strip – Heanor white shirts, black shorts and white socks.
The Fox Hunters v The Lions
It didn’t take long for Heanor to take the lead when James Sleigh clinically took a beautiful pass and his control lead to a masterful finish and the lead and it was two nil ten minutes later when Ethan Wiesztort struck the ball into the net after some neat inter play by the visitors. It wasn’t that Quorn weren’t playing well and trying to fashion chances it was just that Heanor were quicker, more direct and robust. The fact it was only two nil at half time was down to some good goal keeping for Quorn.
Quorn seemed to be trying to create the perfect goal and Heanor showed them how to do it with a third only 8 minutes from the restart when Marley JohnsonFearon headed home from a corner.
Heanor looked to make it 4 nil when on 64 minutes they were awarded a penalty for hand ball, which seemed harsh as the defenders hands were by his side. James Sleigh strode up but the ball hit the bottom of the post and went out. A goal kick was given but it looked like the keeper, Charlie Woods, had managed to get a finger tip to the ball to guide it onto the upright.
Heanor’s win meant that they go top of the table on goal difference from Loughborough Students. This was a very different Heanor to the side that I saw playing at home eight months ago and they will take some stopping on this show.
One aspect of the game that was not good was the constant swearing and questioning of the referee and linesmen’s decisions, the scuffles that ensued after any foul and the physicality of the game. The Quorn Manager was booked by the referee later on for questioning a decision which was very harsh considering what had been happening on the pitch.
The chips were cooked for us and were piping hot, golden, good quantity, fluffy inside but left a bit of a greasy after taste getting a score of 74.
Payonthegate 