If your looking to create a fuel economy record then driving on the M1 between junction 36 and 24 is the place to be. Most of this journey is restricted to 50 mph for the creation of necessary safety measures and other repairs and on the rest watch out for pot holes.

Journeying on a large section of this I made my way to Loughborough University to see Loughborough Students play Skegness in the playoff final of the United Counties Premier North Division.

This is, as I have said before, one of my favourite venues. You drive into the immaculate campus through the security gates and head to The Loughborough University Stadium. Pre-booked parking on the very leafy car park  at £1 was easy and it was a short walk to the ground. Unfortunately the grey skies were emitting a light drizzle so when the lady on the gate gave me a blue band to upgrade to the covered stand for nothing I was even happier.

This new facility has three sides of hard uncovered standing and a majestic seated stand on one side that houses the changing rooms underneath, with a glass fronted high spec hospitality area and bar above the seating. No chips here so a coffee and KitKat were enough.

The grass pitch is immaculate despite our recent weather but a cold wind kept the temperature down to 7 degrees, crazy with May just around the corner. There was no printed programme but one accessed by a QR code in the ground, for such an important match I thought a printed version should have been on offer.

There are records of a team called Loughborough Technical Institute as far back as 1919 and a year later they became a College of Technology and a University in 1966. They have won University Trophy’s on many occasions in their history. In recent years they have re-entered the non-league football world in the Midlands. Initially in the Midland Combination in 2007 and then the Midland Alliance and as founder members of the Midland Football League in 2014. With recent seasons being curtailed and with the team being highly placed the restructure of the leagues has seen them placed in the United Counties Premier Division North. At the start of this new era they changed their name from Loughborough University to Loughborough Students a name they now use across all of their team sports for both Men and Women.

Skegness Town AFC were formed in 1947 after the demise of Skegness United and Skegness Blue Rovers. After playing local football they joined the Midland Counties League in 1958 where they played until being founder members of the Northern Counties East League in 1982 where they stayed for just one season. A move back to Lincolnshire football saw them dominate the Lincolnshire League for many seasons and returned to The NCE League again for a short while in 2018 before being moved to the United Counties in 2021 due to the re-organisation.

Loughborough Students FC 7 Skegness Town AFC 0

United Counties League North Play Off finals, Saturday 27th April 2024, 15.00 pm kick off

Loughborough Students; All Purple Kit Skegness; White Shirts, Red Shorts.

I had watched Skegness at Collingham (Against Newark and Sherwood) and at Quorn (Against Ashby Ivanhoe) this season and on both occasions they impressed, looking strong and quick so I expected a fierce contest.

Within 8 minutes and the wind getting stronger the Skegness centre back took out the Student’s player on the right wing but the referee played advantage and the ball was crossed in from the right for Edwards to hit the back of the net in the centre of the goal. A great start for the home team but they didn’t slack off and continued to play some clean, skilful and fast football that lead to a second goal 4 minutes later when Edwards was this time the provider as his pass found Spiteri who from distance hit the ball hard along the ground gaining a deflection on its way to the left hand corner of the goal.

With no time to get your breath Loughborough added a third and fourth after 14 and 15 minutes. First O’Toole, clipped it into the left hand of the goal after great inter-passing and then Watts made a quick pass out of defence for the ball to be passed to Wicks who chipped it into the net.

Skegness were stunned but managed their first shot on goal after 22 minutes and started to gain some traction in the game. Considering the onslaught they had experienced heads did not drop and they tried to play football. Their efforts were to be further deflated when on 45 + 1 minutes Bangura, who had shown some skilful play but also has given the ball away showed his true class when from outside of the box and to the right he let go of a rocket to the Skegness keepers left hand to make it 5 nil.

How do you come back from a five goal deficit when the opposition are showing great movement on and off the ball, brilliant cross field passes, never kick and rush but measured football and general speed and skill, the answer is you don’t but Skegness did not give up, it just wasn’t their day.

The students made it six when Wicks cut a ball back along the ground where Morales amongst the melee tapped it in.

With the 646 fans readying to leave on 90+2 minutes Loughborough made it 7 when the recent substitute, Thew, chipped the goalkeeper from 35 yards, wow, what a game.

I was so pleased that Loughborough Students won because last season I felt they were robbed of promotion partly due to the indecision of the FA in deciding that they could be promoted. That battle was finally won, which I believe leads to a greater diversity within the game at this level and hopefully this will encourage other University sides to follow suit. It also means that this is another route for players to get into higher level football instead of what can be a treadmill of some Academies. You also gain a qualification that can be used in the future.

Good luck to Skegness next year, I hope that if they are in a play off final next year I will be there cheering them on.

And on to The Villa.