The Farther Corner – A Sentimental Return to North – East Football.
Written by Harry Pearson. Published by Simon and Schuster UK Ltd 2020
Two outstanding books.
On holiday in August 2019 I read and reviewed ‘The Far Corner’ a book by Harry Pearson that had been first published in 1994. I summed the books up as, ‘The humour and idiosyncrasies of Football fans shines through, who else would try to find where the Charlton brothers were born and succeed. The holiday was made better by my suppressed laughter.’
I have just read ‘The Farther Corner’ again by Harry Pearson a follow up to the ‘Far Corner,’ 25 years later which is about Harry’s journey through the 2018/19 season. Again the humour just drips off the pages and his amazing knowledge and research into all things football in the North East, the players, teams, history, games, grounds but most enjoyable the people he meets at matches and on his way on the Metro, trains, buses and in the street. Already I had a curiosity for North East football brought on by teams from the area winning the Amateur Cup and FA Vase and knocking St Albans out of the former trophy and this book has reinforced me to visit and learn more.
Harry Pearson’s team of the season was Dunston UTS but there are visits all over. The humour and writing style has not been diminished and I only hope that we do not have to wait another 25 years for the follow up.
A trip to county Durham gave me the chance to visit Esh Winning to see them play Bedlington Terriers in the Northern League Division Two at the West Terrace Ground.
The names conjure up a strange coming together of a mystical world playing a dog breed, but this is serious football. The village of Esh Winning comes from Esh, the medieval name for a local Ash forest and Winning the term given when a new coal seam was discovered (A winning).
Esh Winnings ground is outside the village in fact it is on the border of the neighbouring village Waterhouses. The ground was moved there around 1968 when The NCB cleared the Eastern Village and pit buildings selling the current ground to the reformed Esh Winning club.
There was a football team in village called Esh Winning Rangers around 1889 playing locally until joining the Northern League in 1912 and dropping the Rangers from their name a year later. This team folded in 1934 and today’s club can be traced back to 1967 when Esh Winning Pineapple was formed playing Sundays in the Durham League. 1981 saw them step up to the Northern Alliance where they stayed for only one season before joining the Northern League where they play today. At the same time as this move the Pineapple part of their name disapeared.
They have seen an awful lot of ups and downs since then, 2002 up to Division 1, 2006 down to 2, 2009 to 1, 2011 back to 2 where they are now.
Bedlington like Esh Winning has seen football in the town for over 100 years with teams playing around the 1900’s. The current team dates back to 1949 when they played under the name of Bedlington Mechanics in the Northern Combination. They changed their name to Bridlington Colliery Town and then to Bedlington Colliery Welfare in the next ten years joining the Northern Alliance League in 1955. After another ten years they disbanded (1963).
They were back in business in 1965 reforming as Bedlington Colliery Welfare in the Alliance but by 1971 they left the Alliance League and played in some minor leagues under the new name Bedlington United again being readmitted to the Northern Alliance League in 1980. Two years later they were promoted to the the inaugural season of the Northern League Division Two. By 1985 they were promoted only to be relegated the next year. Promoted again to the top division in 1995 by 1998 they were winning that division, the first of 5 in a row, and a year later their highest peak was reached when they made it to the final of the FA Vase where they lost to the only goal to Tiverton Town. They were close again a season later but this time fell at the semi final stage. Somewhere along the way they were renamed Bedlington Terriers as per the dog breed associated with the village.
The heady days were over and they suffered a decline until finally sucumbing to relegation to the second division in 2016.
Back to the football, the ground as I said was not in Esh Winning but in Waterhouses and is reached down an unmade road through a wood. To enter the ground you go through the club house that was busy with a bar and food area combined, however no chips. Going outside you are greeted by an open ground with good views of the local hills and woods. The pitch sloped from one goal to another and the grass was still thick with little wear even in the goal mouths, perhaps due to the exposed nature of the area and the drying winds which were very evident.
Although overcast it did not feel cold despite only registering only 6 degrees.
Esh Winning AFC 0 Bedlington Terriers FC 1
Northern League Division 2, Saturday 12th February, Kick off 3 p.m.
Esh v The Terriers
Esh Winning looked the liveliest early on but the two very young teams cancelled each other out as the defences took the upper hand. Even the sending off of Bedlington Terriers stalwart defender Shepherd for what the crowd thought was arguing with the referee changed little. The biggest excitement was when Esh hit the corner of the upright and crossbar just before half time.
With Bedlington now playing down hill little changed and it was a defensive error that gifted O’Connor the ball who steadied himself as two defenders and the goalkeeper tried to get in the way before he placed the ball home for the lead. Despite having a man advantage Esh Winning did not get back into the game and posed little threat to deny Bedlington their win.
I was Told that these are the Directors Boxes
The result meant that the Terriers moved up the lower half of the table but Esh Winning are now second from bottom only above the winless Durham City.
Interesting that both goalkeepers were young, tall and very competent. This seems a trend in lower league football. It could be that there are now specific goal keeper coaches or perhaps they are no longer sticking the kid that didn’t want to play in goal, Whatever the reason the standard of goalkeeping is definitely improving.
Fields Fish and Chips Esh Winning
Unfortunately there were no Chips at the ground but I popped into Fields in Esh Winning to try their Chips. Fields have featured on TV programs as one of the last Chip shops to still cook with a gas fired range. It was busy and everything had been freshly cooked and the chips were just as they should be , tasty, hot, slightly greasy. Unfortunately my picture does not do them justice as I took it with them rested on my knee as we rushed off
As you drive north on the M1 in the dark you will notice two sets of red lights climbing up into the sky. One is the Emley Moor Grade 2 listed, built of concrete, transmitter that began transmitting in 1971 and the other is a temporary metal structure put up in 2018 to be used whilst the older transmitter has the technology changed at the top of the mast. This should have been completed by the end of last year but has been delayed.
My reason for the interest is that I was headed for Emley village just a mile west of the towers to see Emley AFC play Knaresborough Town in a Northern Counties East Premier Division encounter. You drive up the hill to the village and you soon notice the floodlights welcoming you but there seems no way to get to the ground. Having driven up and down twice I noticed a car cut down between two houses and low and behold there is a very small notice on the wall for the car park. Once through the gap it opens up to a good sized area with easy parking.
The entrance to the ground leads in to a table selling tickets for a traditional meat raffle, this one made up of a breakfast tray. I haven’t seen a meat raffle at a ground for over three years and my ticket was just five off the winner that keeps up my run of never having won one. My contributions to football clubs by now must have reached a tidy sum. If I wasn’t committed to a match this Saturday the ticket sellers promise that at this Saturdays game there will be a tray of a full stake dinner may have tempted me.
On entering you immediately notice a large covered seating area down one side which is complemented by some covered standing behind one goal with the other end being open. What is unusual is that one side is completely fenced off which comes down at the end of the season for the adjoining cricket club. The club house under the stand was cosy and modern and a food bar located at the far end.
I sat in the stand which was pleasant with an outside temperature of 11 degrees but for the next 10 minutes a fine rain swept horizontal across the ground. The rain stopped as soon as it came but was a precursor for a stronger cold wind. You can get four seasons in a match up here not in a day
The pitch looked as if it had been cut short and where the pitch had been rolled earth was visible. The pitch looked like it drained well with the slope from right to left goal mouths.
Emley has seen local football since 1903 and the original team reached as high as the Northern Premier League, an FA Vase final and a match at West Ham in the FA Cup. However a move to Wakefield to further their dream that looked hampered by a ground grading issue did not work out.
In 2005 a team based on Emley reserves who had continued to play in the village was formed to play at the Welfare Ground.
Just one season in the West Yorshire League and they were elevated to The Northern Counties East League. By 2019 Emley had reclaimed their name but they were also unusually moved to the North West Counties League. After two seasons they campaigned to return East and the recent reorganisation of Leagues and their performances in games in the second Covid curtailed season meant they were relocated into the Premier Division of the NCEL where they sit today.
The opponents Knaresborough Town FC have a long history going back to 1898 when there was a team called ‘Trinity’ which changed its name to Knaresborough two years later. Reformed in 1945 as Knaersborough Rovers they have played in various local Yorkshire Leagues and are enjoying their highest level of competition having been promoted to The Northern Counties East League Division One in 2012 and to the Premier Division in 2017.
Emley AFC 4 Knaresborough Town FC 0
Tuesday 8th February 7.45 Kick Off
Fantastic Media Welfare Ground, Emley, The Pewits v The Boro, 16th v 17th
Emley: Claret Shirts with blue sleeves and white shorts, Knaresborough: All bright yellow strip.
Both sides had early chances but as the game continued Emley looked the stronger. On 36 minutes Callum Charlton found himself to be onside, to the amazement of the 173 supporters, as he burst through with just the goalkeeper to beat. He duly stroked the ball into the corner of the net for Emley to take the lead which they held till half time.
Having a walk round the ground at half time the wind was playing a tune through the netting behind the open end of the ground.
Emley had the advantage of the slope in the second half but failed to take advantage until the hour mark when Doyle threatened on the left and as he passed the defender he was brought down. The penalty was expertly put into the right hand corner of the net by Joe Jagger to make it two nil.
Knaresborough did not give up but the luck was certainly not with them when with 10 minutes left Doyle seemed to have an easy chance to score but his miss kick hit Craig Hall and the ball sailed into his own goal. It was all over now and made easier for Emley with two bad injuries to Knaresborough players that due to previous substitutions left them with only 10 men on the pitch.
Emley duly scored again in the last two minutes for a game winning 4.0 when despite the diving keepers best efforts he could not keep out the strong Joe Jagger’s effort.
Emley have now won three in a row and are now almost clear of any relegation worries while Knaresborough still have more to do that has been made harder by their injuries.
It was great getting back to some good chips which were hot, crispy, firm and tasty but soon cooled in the wind. A good score of 78.
Firstly I must state that the scoring is my subjective view on the day and the time I went to the food kiosks, usually around 20 minutes before kick off for conformity.
Having recently had a series of very poor chips I was contemplating stopping the Chip League but out of deference to all those that have gone before and to continue for purely research reasons I have decided to continue to the end of the season.
I have placed Kiveton Miners Welfare in pole position although they are equal with Folkestone Invicta and Belper Town because where else was I personally served the chips in my seat!
I must this year make a return trip to Shirebrook to give them the chance of regaining their title which they won for two seasons running and were not included in last seasons League table won by Ilkeston Town. Perhaps a visit to Ilkeston as well if I can fit it in.
It’s funny how a series of events lead you on to others. Everything I read seemed to have a reference to George Orwell.
It started when reading the fascinating ‘Slow Trains Around Spain’ by Tom Chesshyre, Published by Summersdale in 2021. During one of his 52 rides he visits the Aragon where nearby he tries to find where Orwell was shot by a sniper. Puting Orwell aside this is a book to bury yourself in, get under the skin of the true Spain and yearn for a quick return to exploring.
The Orwell reference prompted me to read ‘The Last Man in Europe’ written by Dennis Glover and published by BurlinnLtd in 2021. This is a novel about aspects of George Orwell’s life in particular his time spent on the Scottish island of Gigha just off the coast of the Kintyre peninsular where he wrote 1984. The last man in Europe was originally the name for 1984 before it was finally published. I had bought the book whilst on holiday in the picturesque coastal village of Tarbert in a shop that offers local books, paintings, gifts etc.
The novel really helped me to put Orwell in context, something I failed to do in the early 1970’s when I read most of his books. His time on Gigha was at the end of his life when he was writing 1984 but I also enjoyed a fascinating chapter on his involvement in the Spanish Civil War including being shot on the ‘Aragon Front’ and how he made it back to the UK via Madrid.
I was then reading the 21st edition of ‘Nutmeg’ ( A quarterly Scottish football journal I have described in a previous post) and up pops George Orwell again.
Orwell gave his views in a famous essay ‘The Sporting Spirit’ where he stated it was “war minus the shooting”.
I reached for a copy of ‘George Orwell Essay’s’ which I still have on the book shelves. My copy was published by Penguin in 1970 and contains this three page musing.
George Orwell was dismissive of the tour that had confrontations and disputes in each game and he widened his views to the Olympic Games stating “international sporting contacts lead to orgies of hatred”. I wandered if his views were still valid and wandered hat he would make of the football Champions League with its multi country competition. More intriguingly what he would have made of the English Premiership where Manchester City (U.A.E.), Newcastle (Saudi Arabia), etc, use sport to promote an image of their country and culture.
The sporting undercurrent of “war minus shooting” seems to have subsided but there are still dark undercurrents raging. Other considerations seem to have taken over for example the nationalism of Eastern Europe is being expressed in a supremacy through racial abuse of black players. I think that George Orwell would have been pleased that Gareth Southgate, his team and players have promoted a more inclusive view of society helping to rid the national team support of some of its bigotry. However in the back ground to this the head of the U K’s football policing is organizing meetings to discuss the worrying large increase in disorder at football matches especially those below the Premiership.
Of the Olympic Games the opening ceremony of the winter games in China was a triumph in spectacle for this for this ever expanding influence. Against this though there are some key countries who are not sending officials as a protest against the treatment of minorities. So poliics are still played out in sport.
I think George Orwell would say that nothing has changed since his essay ‘The Sporting Spirit’ only that confrontation is played out in different ways and I would have to agree with him.
Back to a Saturday and this time a trip to School Lane in Poole to watch the Dolphins play The Marine.
Poole Town’s ground is part of a school complex and allows for plenty of parking.
There are some more developed grounds in this League but what Poole have is adequate for the level and the crowd of 508.
With storm Malik battering Scotland and the North of England the balmy 9 degrees on the coast with a light breeze and dull grey skies was a benefit.
The playing surface was mainly flat with a good grass cover and there was an ample covered seating area with covered terracing at each end of the ground as well as more next to either side of the stand. There is a well frequented club house as you enter the ground.
Poole Town FC were formed in 1890 with the merger of Poole Rovers and Poole Hornets and I remember them being a strong force in Non League Football in the 1960’s when their reputation for cup heroics went before them. They have been dogged with ground issues, Poole Stadium used by Speedway was lost to them, but have now settled into The Black Gold Stadium, Oakdale School, School Lane, Poole and in recent years have been pressing for promotion.
Swindon Supermarine FC are a more recent club being forged from a merger of Swindon Athletic and Supermarine in 1992. They stayed nearly 10 years in the Hellenic League and in 2001 moved up to the Southern League and were promoted to the Premier Division in 2007 where they stayed for 5 seasons until being relegated. They regained their Premier status in 2018 where they now sit.
Poole Town 2 Swindon Supermarine 1
Southern League Premier South
Dolphins v The Marine: 9th v 15th
Poole. Shirts – gold and black vertical stripes with black sleeves and shoulders, shorts- black.
Supermarine. Shirts – White, Shorts – Royal Blue
Before the match started there was a minutes applause to celebrate the passing of Jack Fisher a 96 year old who had been a stalwart at the club for many years and had been the trainer for 19 years and stand in manager when needs were great.
A small knott of Poole ultras began chanting in time to an incessant drum beat to get the game under way and the home team were soon on top when on only 5 minutes Jack Dickson dribbled in from the right only to be up ended by a defender and Will Spetch sent the goalkeeper the wrong way to convert the awarded penalty.
The game was then scrappy and had not really settled down when Will Spetch went up to challenge for a ball and was adjudged to have fouled by a Swindon defender and goalkeeper Jed Ward. Spetch made sure that the ball was his and blasted the awarded penalty straight into the net with the keeper diving to his left where the first penalty had been placed.
The away side came to life and both sides seemed to be competing harder for possession. On thirty seven minutes, seven minutes after the penalty the referee gave a free kick to Swindon for what seemed to everyone was a very theatrical dive. Perhaps it was an evening up after the home sides dubious second penalty. The ball went well over the bar but found its way into Poole’s net with the first half coming to an end when Tom Mehew hit the ball into the left side of the goal after two defence splitting passes.
It was as if that both teams left their spark in the dressing room in the second half and on territorial play alone it felt like Poole were hanging on for the win which they duly did. Not the best game I’ve seen this year which I will remember most for the competitive first half.
I seem to be having a run of very poor chips. These were a large quantity but were soggy, only warm and dull, meaning only a score of 53.
A trip to Rossington, South East of Doncaster, would have been a trek at one time to what was a solid mining town. Now a new feeder road off of junction 3 of the M18 takes you straight there. Well that would be the case if Google maps was up to date and hadn’t taken me on a tour of the new I Port and the mega shed and other buildings that is an Amazon Distribution Centre.
Amazon Distribution Centres are like the Norman Motte-and-Bailey castles or the castles of Edward 1st in that they are there to dominate the populous and ensure that their deeds are done. Most empires fail in the end, I wander who will be the barbarians who topple it.
It is not only these distribution sheds that have helped to transform this area but also the growth of nearby Robin Hood Airport and the Yorkshire Wildlife Park as major local employers. The new housing along the new road is testament to the immense change.
The trip on the cold and misty January night was to see Rossington Main play Brigg Town in The Northern Counties East League Cup 3rd round. The ground is tucked away behind an older housing estate and I was able to squeeze the car into the last space in the good sized car park.
A few weeks ago I wrote about Briggs long history so I will not repeat it here. Brigg played well on that day and their strength as a main challenger for the League title looked to be enough to see off their mid table rivals.
Rossington were formed in 1919 as Rossington Main Colliery. They played in local South Yorkshire leagues initially changing their name to Rossington Miners Welfare in 1948. They entered the Yorkshire League in 1975 and the Central Midlands League in 1983 changing their name to the current Rossington Main. After some successful years they joined the Northern Counties East League in 1991. In 1998, the club amalgamated with another local club, Rossington F.C. They have remained in Division 1 since joining just over 20 years ago.
Rossington Main FC 1 Brigg Town CIC 3
Tuesday January 25th 7.45 Kick off.
Oxford Street, Rossington, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN110TE
Bluebirds v Zebras
NECL Division 1 6th v 3rd
It was cold outside, 2 degrees, but really warm in a compact, comfortable, friendly club house with the TV turned on for football.
There were no chips on the menu but there were five varieties of pie and I chose a scalding hot chicken and mushroom pie with mushy peas and gravy. Good for the soul but another blow to the diet. The club house was getting louder and louder with laughing and banter and it turned out that all the noise and songs were from Brigg Town supporters. The pitch was flat with good grass cover, cut short and it looked like it had been rolled. The cold mist cleared before the game started although the air was still and the temperature slowly rose.
Rossington edged the first 15 minutes and created more chances but did not come near to converting their opportunities. The inevitable happened when on 28 minutes a wayward back pass was met by Owen Vincent who coolly lobbed the advancing goalkeeper. Kian Johnson the Rossington keeper managed to stretch to stop the shot but it was parried into the path of Brigg’s Scott Phillips who made no mistake to make it one nil.
With half time beckoning Brigg made it two nil when Reece Newell broke through and from the edge of the box he hit a shot across Johnson who although getting his fingers to the ball couldn’t stop it from nestling in the left hand corner of the net.
So Rossington went in at half time losing two nil but having had more of the play but no cutting edge.
Within 8 minutes Josh Batty was put clean through for Brigg and on the edge of the goal was flattened by Kian Johnson who had rushed out of his goal. Somehow Batty had directed the ball towards the goal and it slowly beat the defenders attempts to stop it crossing the goal line. Batty needed some attention and Johnson was lucky to get away with only a yellow card.
Both sides now made a series of substitutions and Rossington looked more direct.
With 3 minutes left Rossington scored a consolation goal when substitute Dec Slater curled a shot into the net from right centre of the goal.
An enjoyable Tuesday evening that cut through the cold of the night.
As a postscript to this game Toolstation Northern Counties East League Management issued the following statement.
31st January, 2022
A league disciplinary panel has ruled that Brigg Town should be removed from this season’s Toolstation NCEL League Cup having fielded an ineligible player in their Third Round win at Rossington Main.
It was alleged that Brigg had played Lawrence McKay in their 3-1 victory on Tuesday 25th January, 2022, while he was unregistered as a player for the club.
The panel found the case proven and decided that Brigg should be fined and removed from the competition in accordance with the FA’s National League System and the NCEL’s Cup Regulations.
As a result, Rossington Main will be reinstated into the League Cup.
Being dropped off at Brewery Field the first impressions of Spennymoor Towns ground was not a disapointment. When you go inside everywhere is painted black to match the teams black and white colours and is spotless, all the terrace edges and steps have yellow edging for safety and the perimeter tarmac was faultless. There is a large seated stand in the centre of one side , covered seating behind one goal with standing on two sides which is covered behind the other goal. The clubhouse was busy with a mix of home and away supporters and there were covered hot food and drink kiosks in opposing corners, all in all, impressive.
I had gone to see Spennymoor Town F.C. play Plymouth Parkway in the Fourth Round of the FA Trophy. Plymouth had travelled 389 miles from their home ground, in all a 778 mile round trip, only 59 miles less than from John O’Groats to Lands End.
Plymouth are in the Southern League Division One South, two levels below Spenymoor who play in the National League North. Plymouth had already knocked out two teams from the National League South in previous rounds so there was a distinct chance of further giant killing.
The afternoon was dry but cold, the car had said 1.5 degrees as I had left it and I had no reason to believe that it was faulty. It was a still day with a background blue sky with some developing high cloud.
The pitch sloped quite steeply from end to end and had good green grass cover except in the goal mouths which had been sanded. It was surprising to see the teams using them in their warm ups and cutting them up further although remedial work was carried out on them before the off.
Plymouth Parkway were only set up in 1988 initially playing in Division 4 of the Plymouth District League and due to a sponsorship deal they were initially known as Ex – Air Flyers. After a year they moved to Parkway Sports Club. Successive promotions to the Plymouth District Premier League enabled them to apply and join a new Devon League in 1992 and in the next year changed their name to their current one. Their extraordinary journey continued in 1998 when they joined the new South West League and another turn was when in 2001 they fell out with their landlords, Parkway Sports Club, and had to play all of their games away from home until they found a new home, having played in Davenport for a while. Their new home Balhito Park was available from 2003 and it is where they remain today. Another evolution came in 2008 when they joined the newly formed South Western Peninsula League and in2016 they merged with another local Plymouth team Bar Sol Ona and in the same year gained a new local Entrepreneurial Chairman, Mark Russell who successfully steered them into the Sothern League Division One South where they sit today. Their story is of quite breathless progress.
Spennymoor Town have a shorter history only being formed in 2005 following the demise of two local clubs, Spennymoor United and Evenwood Town, the former having been born in 1904.
Their first game at Brewery Field was in the Northern League Division Two and two years later they were playing in Division One. As often happens growing pains caused some spectacular board room and managerial rifts and changes and although they won the Northern League four times and won the FA Vase in 2013 by beating Tunbridge Wells 2-1 in the final they weren’t admitted to the Northern Premier League until 2014. They finally went up into the Northern Premier League Division One North and two years later after successive play off spots they were again promoted, this time to the Northern Premier league, Premier Division. Their stay in the NPL was short as they were successful in another play off round and duly went up into the National League North where they sit today.
So an exiting game was expected between two of the Non League families high achievers of the past 20 years.
Spennymoor Town FC 3 Plymouth Parkway FC 1
Saturday 15th January 2022 kick off 3.00 pm Venue: Brewery Field
F A Trophy Fourth Round.
Moors v Parkway National League North v Southern League Division One North
Home Strip: Black and white vertical striped shirt with white sleeves and black shorts.
Away Strip: Yellow shirts with black arm band and navy blue shorts.
Plymouth kicked downhill in the first half but it was Spennymoor who had the better of the play and on 20 minutes Kyle Moore in the parkway goal did well to get his body in the way to prevent Glen Taylors goal bound header.
Nine minutes later it had all changed when the away team attacked down the right and Tom Bath advanced onto a cut back ball and curled it along the ground into the net for the lead.
Plymouths defense was standing strong and were able to rebuff any attack . They were dominant in the air and Spennymoor appeared to have run out of ideas by half time.
The attendance was announced at half time as a disappointing 670 of which there were 47 hardy fans from the South Coast.
Spennymoor now playing down hill continued to force the game and ten minutes into the second half Rob Ramshaw should have levelled when he skillfully beat the goalkeeper but his shot on goal only trickled forward to be cleared off the line by a Parkway defender. The home teams pressure continued and drew a few yellow cards.
With a few home supporters drifting away and towards the exit Luke Spokes latched onto a ball from a corner and was able to slot it home through a group of players to draw the teams level. Just three minutes later on 87 minutes the same happened again when from another corner Rob Ramshaw tapped home to send the players and home fans into delirium.
The third official held up the board for 7 minutes of added time and on cue Glen Taylor received the ball in the box, swiveled a nd curled the ball home to make it 3-1.
Plymouth did not give up but the seven minutes soon came to an end and their hard work that had kept them in front for most of the game had evaporated. All that was left was the thought of the long journey home but they had been on a very successful long journey to get this far and would not to be forgotten.
The game was high class and the facilities brilliant but I could not say that for the chips. Unfortunately the worst of the season, cold, limp, soggy with little taste. and half went in the bin resulting in a score of only 35.
I travelled on Saturday to Hucknall Town to see them play Borrowash Victoria.
My memory was always of them being a successful team but I noticed that they now play in the United Counties League Division One. Infact they were Champions of the Northern Premier League, Premier Division in 2004 but we’re denied promotion to the Conference due to ground grading. Hucknall kept up their higher status when in 2006 they were finalists in the F.A. Trophy only losing to Greys Athletic on penalties 6-5. Since these highs financial constraints and problems have seen them relegated, demoted and league reorganised to now play in the United Counties League Division One. With finances now well under control they are looking to climb back up the tiers although there are others as equally committed to the same goal. Hucknall though have seen many twists and turns since they were formed in 1943 as Hucknall Collier Welfare F.C. and I wouldn’t bet against them achieving their aim.
Their opponents Borrowash Victoria were initially formed much earlier in 1911 and have had several reincarnations and a move to nearby Spondon. They have played their football in the North Midlands not rising as high as Hucknall and find themselves this season adrift at the bottom of the league.
The rain that had been torrential in the morning had stopped prior to the game, leaving grey skies and a cool breeze. The heavy pitch had very muddy goal areas and touchlines and was slightly domed shaped falling away to each corner. The facilities at the ground include a very large covered seated area and good standing behind the goals with one end covered. The club house was big and well used with a good bar and refreshment bar. The whole ground would sit well at a higher level.
Hucknall Town F.C. 10 Borrowash Victoria A.F.C. 2
Saturday 8th January 2022. Venue: Watnall Road Ground – United Counties League Division One
Yellows v Vics: 5th placed v 23rd (Bottom)
Strip: Home – Yellow shirts with black arms and shoulders and black shorts.
Away – Red and White vertical striped shirts with red sleeves and shoulders with red shorts.
The game started cagily with teams getting used to the conditions and on 5 minutes a ball was mishit in midfield to allow Nathan Bennett of Borrowash to run through and hit a perfect short from the edge of the area to sail into the top right hand corner of the net, A surprising start to the game.
It was a bad start for Hucknall that became worse when their goalkeeper could not get off the floor after his attempt to stop the goal. Five minutes of the physios time was no help and he left the field in some considerable pain in what looked like an ankle injury most probably brought about by the sticky conditions.
Ouch.
Hucknall though took control and fifteen minutes later Craig Westcarr received the ball on the right and took it further away from the goal and then expertly chipped the keeper for them to draw level. Only two minutes later he had scored again, this time from the penalty spot after Aaron Lamb had been tripped.
The floodgates now opened and two minutes later and Aaron Lamb was finding the net at the near post after a through ball. A fourth was added by David Leake who met a corner from the right with a thunderous header.
To add to Borrowash’s woes Westcarr completed his hattrick when just before half time he tapped in a fifth when he pounced on a ball amongst a group of players.
Borrowash started the second half with more resolve but that man Craig Westccarr made it six when met a cross which he thumped into the righthand corner of the goal. Grant Ryan came on for Hucknall and his swash buckling approach was rewarded when he guided a ball home from close range.
That man Westcarr again made it eight as he hit a straight long range effort that fizzed into the net. Another substitute , Cayne Maxwell, stepped up to add two more, the first with a far post nod down and the tenth an easy shot with no opposition.
W/o me ref.
With some very black clouds looming and the cold creeping into the body Borrowash ended the scoring as they had begun it with a very good goal when 14 made a lot of ground to cut it back for 10 to guide home. Ten Two to the home team was an emphatic win with some very good play . Even with this heavy defeat Borrowash never gave up and there were some good performances by some of their players.
The chips were a good quantity, very hot, a little soggy but tasted better than they looked. A score of 78 was because of the taste although they did leave a bit of a greasy taste in the mouth for a while after.
For my first game of 2022 I visited Heanor to see them play Selsdon in the United Counties League Premier Division North, part of the Non League restructure which meant the United Counties taking on a larger role extending further into the Midlands.
Heanor is in the centre of Derbyshire and is close to the Nottinghamshire border and grew up around the silk and lace industry which was synonimous in the area. They were at home to Selston another village but only 7 miles away in Nottinghamshire. A good local derby on this bank holiday which reflected in the good crowd of 237.
Heanor Town have been established since 1883 and in their early years reached the first round of the F.A. Cup four times losing to Aston Villa, Nottingham Forest, Southampton and Bury. 60 years later they reached the same rounds again this time losing to the professionals of Carlisle and Bradford Park Avenue. They have won many local cups and changed Leagues through promotions and relegations but have also been caught up in the mergers and start ups of Leagues and reorganisation. Hopefully they can now put down roots in the United Counties.
Selston in contrast only started Saturday football in 1986 having been initially formed as a Sunday League team in 1968. They disbanded the senior team for three years in the early 21st century and now sit at their highest level of competition.
It was great to see bright blue skies after December was the greatest December since 1956 and with Covid felt very grey. There were some whisky clouds but these were scurrying across with the sky.
The ground is noticeable from a distance by the floodlights but also two mobile phone masts at diagonal ends. The turnstile was next to a large well appointed clubhouse with a large extra marquee extension to the rear with the New Years Eve Party still being advertised, although it was a sell out. Hopefully the team have recovered.
The pitch slopes end to end from the changing room end and from left to right. The grass looked to be under pressure with some muddy patches in the goal mouths. Next to the pitch is a large grass training area and pitches for youth football.
Heanor Town F.C. 0 Selston F.C. 0
The Lions v The Parishioners – Monday 3rd January 2022 – United Counties League Premier Division North.
Heanor kicked downhill in the first half and just edged the first 30 minutes getting behind the Selsdon defence on a few occasions. The play seemed to be stuck in the middle of the field in the heavy conditions and the referee blew for constant fouls often due to the poor ground.
Heanor did have players put through on 33 and 40 minutes but Tom Hilton missed to the left and Jamie Sleigh to the right.
Half time came and the crowd were grumbling that it can’t get any worse, they’ve had too much Christmas Pudding and they still have hangovers. The wind had increased and had a colder edge to it.
The second half found Selston gaining the upper hand and had what looked like a good call for a penalty turned down when Sean Gregory was upended on 36 minutes and 4 minutes later hit the bar.
Heanor did still pose a threat but Selstons George Wilkinson and Perry Marriot-Lane seemed to get any parts of their bodies in the way of any attack. My man of the match was Selstons number Ben Moore who was influential in the limb sapping midfield.
No goals but it was great to be out and see a very competitive match, hopefully the first of many this year. I intend to see more United Counties games as the year progresses.
The chips were just what were needed, they were very hot, golden, twice cooked and tasty. A good score of 78 but I would suggest a small portion is enough..
payonthegate 