Although many will wait a few more weeks for the Premiership to start to pronounce the season open, the real start is with the Extra Qualifying round of the F.A. Cup.

So I made my way to Bradford to watch Albion Sports play Trafford F.C. The M1 and M62 were quiet for a Friday night, but this is the holiday season. The Horsfall Community Stadium is 4 km southwest of Bradford City Centre and a venue I have visited before to see Bradford Park Avenue play. This year aswell well as sharing the ground with West Bowling Amateur Rugby League club, Albion Sports will also be playing their home games there. The Stadium was opened in 1931 as a running track and in 1996 the whole complex was upgraded to a synthetic running track and the centre was prepared for Bradford Park Avenue to play football.

Today it has a large 1800 seat stand on one side, what looks like a cricket pavilion on the other, a small covered terrace behind one goal and a group of buildings in the entrance corner that serves as a club house, meeting rooms a shop and administration. The downside to the ground, with its 3G pitch is that you are along way from the action. Bradford Park Avenue still have 31 years left of the lease on the ground which they have passed on to the Community.

Albion Sports have for some time been looking for land to build a permanent home and with little success so far have opted to be at the Community Stadium.

This is the 50th anniversary year for Albion Sports who started off playing Sunday League football. Steady progress led them to be winners of The Asian Cup and Bradford Senior Cup and League in 2000. That same season and 2005 they went all the way to the final of The FA Sunday Cup but were runners up on both occasions. In 2007 Albion moved to playing on Saturdays where they were successful in local leagues and were elected to the Northern Counties East League in 2011 which they won 3 years later and gained promotion to the Premier Division where they play today. An impressive rise in their short History.

Trafford FC’s history is even shorter, being only 34 years since their formation. They soon rose through the Mid Cheshire League to gain entry to the North West Counties League in Division 2 and two years later were promoted to the next level. Further success saw them rise to the Northern Premier league in 1998 where they stayed for 5 seasons before being relegated back to The North West Counties League. A few seasons later they won promotion back as champions to the Champions Northern Premier League where they rose up into the Premier Division in 2013. Only 2 seasons later they were back in Division one after a poor season saw them relegated.

They are still playing in the Northern Premier league which has seen reorganisations that see them in Division One West. Certainly an exciting roller coaster 34 year run.

So with the game due to start and Trafford favourites to progress being from one level higher I settled down to watch the game on a dry but breezy evening that seemed cooler than the 23.5 degrees the car said when parking the car in the large car park. I was then lucky to meet Ian, a professional grounds man from the North West of England who with his friend who kept me entertained with their whit and knowledge of the Non-League game all match. Thank you.

Albion Sports FC 1 Trafford FC 2

Friday 2nd August 2024, F.A .Cup Extra Preliminary Round, Kick off 20.00 pm.

Horsfall Community Stadium, Cemetery Road, Low Moor, Bradford, BD6 2NG

Albion Sports; Yellow Shirts, Blue Shorts: Trafford; White Shirts Black shorts.

Both teams started competitively and there was an early booking for an Albion player. Soon after the floodlights were turned on as it became overcast and with 15 minutes gone a short outburst of drizzle greeted us. Trafford had the most chances of the game and finally went ahead on 41 minutes Matty Lusakueno took a through ball to the left of the goal and coolly drew the keeper and slid it underneath him into the net. Just two minutes later the away team made it two when the home defence were dispossessed and Matty Morgan received a through ball which he dispatched into the corner of the net. Albion were now on the ropes and were lucky not to go further behind before the break as they seemed to be reeling.

What happened in the Albion dressing room at the interval? Three substitutes and a positive attitude saw them create more and more chances as they pushed forward. They hit the underside of the cross bar , the ball bouncing down but not into the net, a shot just dipped over the bar and Sam Booth made 6 outstanding saves all keeping Albion from scoring. On 88 minutes Albion were rewarded for their pressure when a ball hit the arm of a Trafford defender and the referee pointed to the spot. The penalty was converted by Sunaili Cisse and it was game on until the finish. Despite there having been little stoppage time during the half the referee played on for numerous minutes as Albion battled forward and looked like creating an upset. It was not to be and Trafford had to thank their goalkeeper, man of the match Sam Booth, for their passage into the next round.

Albion though must take heart for the season ahead after their part in an intriguing game.

Finally, the chips, which at this venue under Bradford Park Avenue had won my chip league one season. These were served in a different location to before, were hot, good texture to the centre but had little taste apart from a greasy after taste that lingered the whole game. A score of only 55 to start the 2024/25 season.