Has anyone else noticed that our weather has got worse since the Met Office started naming storms? After the delights of Storm Ciara over the weekend, and the threat of Dennis heading our way, I was hedging my bets this midweek. I had initially highlighted North Greenford United v Tring Athletic as my number one choice but had also noted that Bracknell Town v Maldon & Tiptree was a possibility, given the artificial surface at Larges Lane. As it turned out though, Berkeley Fields was passed fit and I headed off down the A40 for a first trip to Greenford.

The Ground
Berkeley Fields, home of North Greenford United, is situated a mile or so off the A40 Western Avenue. Not a million miles from Wembley Stadium or from the infamous Hangar Lane Gyratory. There is very limited parking actually within the confines of the stadium (I presume players and officials only). However, there is a large car park just behind the club, shared with the local Irish sports club and a dog training centre.
The ground is accessed through a turnstile gate which leads in behind one of the goals. There is a fairly large, and warm, clubhouse as well as a tea/snack bar next to the entrance. Behind the car park goal there are two covered stand, one seating, directly behind the goal, and one standing area between the goal and corner flag. There is also another covered standing area to the right hand side, the Berkeley Avenue side of the ground with the dugouts situated on the opposite side of the pitch. There is a slight slope towards the car park end of the pitch.
Given the recent weather, the pitch didn't look too bad. Certainly heavy in places and sanded towards the car park end, mainly on the touchlines, but all in all it had seemed to hold up quite well.

​The Background
The week leading up to this game had been something of a rollercoaster ride for Tring Athletic. Although I wasn't fully aware of the situation until I spoke with a committee member during the first-half, the previous week had seen the club lose the first-team manager and a number of players. This came after their Chairman had stood down following some internal politics at the club. There still appears to be some turmoil behind the scenes surrounding the nature of the the various departures from the club. The account that I had from the committee member and the various notices on the club website (which I am told are subject to a request for them to be taken off the site) do not match those of at least one of member of staff who left last week. Let's hope, for the sake of all concerned, that the situation gets resolved in a fit and proper manner.
The team had then gone on to beat mid-table Leverstock Green 6-0 at the weekend, which put them 5 points behind leaders Colney Heath with a game in hand. However, they now faced a tricky away game at a resurgent North Greenford. The Blues started the day second from bottom with just 16 points from their 22 games. However, when you consider that 14 of those 16 points came in the last 7 league games, you can see that the club is on an upward curve.
Combine that with, I'm told, Tring named three under 18s in their back four, playing in front of an under 18 goalkeeper could make for an interesting contest.

​The Game
Tring began the game kicking down the slight slope on a freezing cold evening in West London. The game was fairly evenly matched in the opening encounters with both sides looking to make progress down the flanks. Nimoh on the right and Sunderland on the left for Tring both looked to have some pace and trickery, whilst Jake Nickless on Greenford's left side was also causing some problems for the Tring backline.

It was Tring who came closest to grabbing a goal in the first 25 minutes, Cornick with a good effort that wasn't too far off target and it was the away side who grabbed the lead shortly afterwards. A couple of corners had already caused some consternation with the wind taking them in towards the Greenford goal. Another corner, this time dropped a little shorter, just inside the near post, where Prince Nimoh was on hand to bundle it over the line. 0-1.

Just about on the half-hour mark Tring were, in my opinion, lucky to keep 11 players on the pitch when Olly Butler, chasing back in midfield, lunged from behind on one of the Greenford players. Maybe it looked worse than it was but from my vantage point it did look like a red card challenge to me and the Greenford player was lucky not to have sustained an injury. The referee produced a yellow card for Butler.

Just before the half hour mark Tring almost made it two when Greenford lost the ball in midfield, creating a three on one situation for the Tring forwards. The ball was played to Jack Sutherland whose shot beat House in the Greenford goal but came back off the far post. A let off for the home side.

HT North Greenford United 0 Tring Athletic 1. Overall, not that much between the sides but Tring created the better chances and probably should be more than one goal to the good at the break.

​The wind seemed to have picked up a little and the evening had definitely got even colder by the time the teams emerged for the second-half. With the slight slope and the wind with them more in this half, Greenford looked like they meant business. In fact the half was only 12 minutes old when they forced a corner on the same side from which Tring had engineered their opener. The ball in wasn't a particularly good one, low and never clearing the front post. However, the defender at the front post, when trying to clear, only succeeded in slicing the ball behind him towards the far post. It evaded everyone except for Ekow Coker who gratefully smashed it into the net. 1-1.

To be fair to both teams, they both played the remainder of the half looking for a winning goal. Greenford were much more of a threat going forward than they had been in the first half, going close a couple of times and worrying Saunders in the Athletic goal. Tring, for their part, were still creating chances, especially with raids down their right. Twice they had balls pulled across the box that just required a good finish. Neither time did they manage to apply that finish. 
Then came the sting in the tail as North Greenford launched on final attack with two minutes of added time already played. It proved to be the killer blow as substitute Reha Zerki slid the ball in from a tight angle to make it 2-1

FT North Greenford United 2 Tring Athletic 1. The late goal was a little harsh on a young Tring side who battled hard throughout the game. Greenford made it 5 wins from their last 8  as they prepare to take on the league leaders, Colney Heath, on Saturday. Tring, meanwhile, face 7th placed Crawley Green at home this coming weekend.

North Greenford United: House, Brown, Dioum, Ward, Coker, Mills, Pedro, Manitou(c), Davis, Molyneaux, Nickless. Subs: Webb, Kirwan, Zerki, Eubia, Curd
Tring Athletic: Saunders, Habashi, Cowan, Foley, Cornick, McManus(c), Salmon, Butler, Asante, Nimoh, Sunderland. Subs: Barkers-Obua, Hercules, Naylor, Blake

Att: 72
Ground Number: 228
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: N/A

I can't resist the FA Vase. So this weekend, after watching my U10 girl's dominate their game and yet lose 1-0, I headed made the 2 hour drive to deepest Wiltshire to watch Bradford Town take on Leighton Town for a place in the last eight.

The Ground
Bradford Town's Trowbridge Road ground is just a 10 minute walk out of the very picturesque town of Bradford on Avon, on the South-Eastern edge of the town. Being situated within the residential area of the ton, there is limited parking at the ground itself but plenty of on-street parking within a short walk. Entry is through a double wrought-iron gate which leads into the area behind the town end goal. Here you will find the small parking area, the food bar and separate tea and hot drinks bar. This area also houses the toilets and players & officials changing areas. The clubhouse, which is shared with the Spencer Moulton Bowls Club, is separate and can be found just on the other side of the car park area. On the Trowbridge Road side of the ground there is covered standing and covered seating, backed by a grass bank and the wall that separates the ground from the road.. The opposite side has no cover and is open to a series of smaller football pitches. The far end of the ground is backed by trees and two large, quite old houses built in a style very typical of the area (Bradford on Avon is very similar in architectural style to nearby Bath).

The Background
Hosts Bradford Town currently sit atop the Western League Premier Division, three points clear of closest rivals Plymouth Parkway but having played one game more. They have lost just once at home in the league, a 3-2 defeat to Street back in September. This run in the Vase equals their previous best performances, where they have twice reached Round 5, suffering a 2-0 home defeat to Highworth Town in 2014-15 and a similar result at Marske in 2017-18. This season they have so far beaten Solent University (a) 7-2, Hamble Club (h) 1-0, Lymington Town (h) 1-0, Baffins Milton Rovers (a) 3-2, Bridgwater Town (h) 4-3 aet and Buckland Athletic (a) 2-1.

​Leighton's league position, 11th at kick-off, suggests that they have not set their league alight this season. However, they have played at least three fewer than the teams above them and, should they win them all, would certainly be making waves in the top six. Their away form started off quite poorly but Bradford will no doubt be aware that they have won their last 5 away leagues games, a record suggesting that they definitely a team on the up. In the Vase they have progressed via Bugbrooke St Michaels (h) 3-0, Long Crendon (a) 5-2, Hadleigh United (h) 2-1, Broxbourne Borough (h) 6-1, Eastbourne Town (h) 2-1 and Eynesbury Rovers (a) 4-3 (after being 3-1 down in the 2nd half). Their previous best Vase performance was a Quarter-Final appearance in the 2017-18 competition when they lost 1-0 at home to 1974 Northwich, a game that BotP was present at (Crest Fallen)

​The Game
Arriving well in advance of kick-off, I took a quick snap of the staring line-ups, which had been written on a board behind the car park end goal, and set off to find a good vantage point whilst marking the teams on my match day programme. What I had failed to notice is that the Leighton Town team on the board did not match the one that their official Twitter account had tweeted.

Most games of this importance start with both sides being a little tentative, sounding each other out until they relax and start to play their own games. Not in this case though. From the off, both sides were into their strides pretty quickly, promising to make it an interesting game.
It was the home side who began get the upper hand in the opening encounters though, gradually pushing the game into The Reds' half of the pitch. Leighton didn't seem to mind this too much and were seemingly content to deal with whatever Bradford had to offer. It was noticeable that Bradford wanted to get the ball forward quite quickly whereas Leighton were much keener to play ground passes and, with the wind from the approaching storm starting to pick up, keeping the ball low may well prove to be the wiser tactic.

With 14 minutes on the clock and with the ball having spent the majority of that time in the Leighton half, The Reds launched what was their first meaningful attack. Worton, in the Bradford goal, spilled a cross but was fortunate to see a defender hack clear to the edge of the box. However, the ball was controlled by James Towell who then proceeded to plant a perfect half-volley over the keeper and into the top corner t make it 0-1. What a superb strike to give his team the lead.

Bradford were straight back on the attack in what was now becoming a really fascinating game,especially as a neutral. For the next 15 minutes the ball was again predominantly within the confines of the Leighton half. That was until just before the half-hour mark when Leighton once again hot their hosts on the break. Towell was again heavily involved, sprinting don the left flank, drawing the keeper over and then crossing perfectly for Danny Webb to tap into the empty net for 0-2. Two goals against the general run of play was no coincidence. Leighton were executing a game plan here, and executing it very well.

Unfortunately, the second goal prompted some disturbance behind the Leighton goal where a group of their noisier fans had gathered. These fans, mainly kids and teenagers, generate a good atmosphere with chanting and their drum. However, as I noted in the game against Northwich and as has been seen at a few other games (Eynesbury in the last round I believe was an example), they have a small group who seem to want to provoke the opposing fans and take the 'banter' one step too far. It's such a shame because their actions drag down the reputation of the club. I'm sure that it is just one or two that spark the confrontations, but I do hope the club can get it under control.

Anyway, back to the game. Bradford, despite now being two down, continued to take the fight to their opponents but could not seem to find that final ball or the precise finishing touch. They did, however, manage to get a foothold back in the game in added time in the first half. A ball into the Leighton box was nodded down by Gary Higdon for Matt Morris to force over the line. 1-2 and game on in the second-half?

HT Bradford Town 1 Leighton Town 2. Bradford had about 80% of the play but were caught out twice by Leighton. Some great defending from the away side has kept Bradford at bay until the final minute of the half. All to play in the second period.

​The second period started just as the first had left off, with Bradford searching for what seemed to be an inevitable equaliser. Leighton though were having none of it. Their defence stood resolute against the waves of Bradford attacks and their forwards were looking increasingly dangerous when they broke. Bradford kept pushing and pushing which left them exposed more at the bakc and the game becasme stretched. Teh consequence of this ws that Leifghton were able to break forward more than they did in the first half. So, even though the home ide were still on top possession-wise, the half was far more bakanced than the first.
Chances went begging for Bradford who, by the hour mark, had started to lauch the ball towards the tall Higdon more and more. To be fair to the triker, he was winning a number of high balls but the Leighton defence was always quick to mop up.
On 77 minutes we had another stoppage in play as a plstic water bottle was thrown onto the pitch by a Bradford supporter. Teh bottle was aimed, but missed, the assistant on that side of the pitch who had given a few marginal decisions in favour of the away team. There's no excuse for this behaviour though and, as the referee stopped the game and reported the incident to officials, there coudl be repercussions for the club.

With five mnutes to go, Leighton once more executed their party trick to perfection. Bradford were now pushing for an equaliser as hard as they could but Leighton sucked them in and then quickly broke forward. Once again it was Towell who did the damage, breaking through the Bradford back line before squaring for substitute Archie McClelland to apply the final touch. 1-3 and game over.

FT Bradford Town 1 Leighton Town 3. On another day Bradford could have run out handsome winners but it was just not to be today. You have to say that this was largely down to the game management shown by Leighton Town. They soaked up everything that Bradford could throw at them and, when they did get a chance, they took it every time. As a neutral you had to feel for Bradford, who were arguably the better team. However, Leighton executed their game plan to absolute perfection and will be difficult opponents for whoever they get in the Quarter-Final.

Bradford Town: Worton, Whitcombe, Stocks, Davidson(c), Keet, Lye, Maddison, Griffiths, Higdon, Pollard, Morris. Suns: Powell, Baggs, Watts, Symonds, Sawyer
Leighton Town: Kirkwood, Bryant, Resch, Murphy, Towell, Frederick(c), Turner, Osborne, Foulger, Webb, Silford. Subs: Campbell, McClelland, Adams, Condon, Donkor, Waters

Att: 463
Ground Number: 227
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £1.00

After the best part of a month without a game, I was finally back out on the road this midweek. My last game had been a cracking Step 6 clash at Bewdley Town, so I decided to stay at that level and head into Leicestershire for the first ever meeting of Saffron Dynamo and Harrowby United. Two new teams for me and a new ground. Not a bad way to get back into watching live football.

The Ground
Saffron Dynamo play at Cambridge Road on the outskirts of the village of Cosby, some 5 miles South-West of Leicester, adjacent to Whetstone Golf Club. The reasonably large car park runs alongside Cambridge Road and leads to a facility block that houses the clubhouse, players & officials areas, bar (staffed by a very pleasant, friendly gentleman) and the snack bar. As the ground is shared with the cricket club, the clubhouse is a short walk from the football pitch, separated by the cricket pitch. The football ground itself only has two side accessible to the viewing public, behind the goal on the golf course side and on the far side of the ground, opposite Cambridge Road, where the dugouts and the small covered standing area are situated.

The Background
This is Saffron's first season at Step 6, having been promoted as runners-up to Rugby Borough from last season's Leicestershire Senior League. They have made a reasonable start to life at this level and, before kick-off, were comfortably mid-table with 29 points. Harrowby, on the back of two pretty successful seasons, finishing 5th and 7th respectively, had also started well again and were sitting in 7th spot with 38 points. This game would be the first league meeting between the teams.

​The Game
Both sides began the game with some intensity, clearly stating their respective intent not to play for a point. 
Just after the half hour mark Harrowby's goalkeeper Yinka Adebowale had to race off his line to meet a long ball. He got to the ball first but was then flattened by the challenge of the onrushing attacker. There didn't seem to be anything malicious in the collision but the attacking player certainly made no attempt to avoid the clash. Even the locals were shocked that the referee didn't show a yellow card, but in the end there was not even a talking to administered. To be fair to the referee this was in keeping with the sort of leniency he showed throughout the game, letting it flow as much as possible, even when he probably should have pulled players up for one o=r two naughty challenges.
There then followed a long delay whilst the physio attended to the keeper. With no reserve stopper on the bench, Harrowby were keen to keep Adebowale on the field, which they eventually managed although the stopper was clearly not very mobile and still in some pain.
After the restart Saffron, as you would expect, showed some urgency to test out the keeper's agility but struggled to muster a shooting opportunity. That was until around the 41st minutes (difficult to say exactly due to the prolonged stoppage) when Mark Foster latched onto a through ball and steered the ball past the stranded keeper and into the far corner. 1-0.

HT Saffron Dynamo 1 Harrowby United 0. Dynamo just about edged a tight half. Harrowby will now have to play the remainder of the game with either an injured keeper, with severely restricted mobility, or put an outfield player in goal.

​I think everyone was surprised to see Harrowby's injured keeper return for the second-half but he gamely limped onto the pitch and took his place between the sticks. To be fair to the Harrowby defence, they did an extremely good job of protecting him throughout the entire second-half. They were assisted by the fact that Saffron seemed incapable of getting a clear sight of goal but it is safe to say that Adebowale did not have to stretch himself at all for the final 45 minutes. 
The biggest threat that Harrowby faced was when their keeper did have the ball in his hands because he was entirely incapable of kicking it clear. Therefore, he had to rely upon throwing the ball out. The Saffron forwards were cutting out his nearest options so a number of times he was forced to throw the ball towards a midfielder giving the home players ample time to cut out the pass.

Whilst Harrowby huffed and puffed looking for an equaliser, it wasn't until the final 10 minutes that they really pushed the home side backwards. Even then it was not a complete siege. Saffron's keeper Phillips did have to pull off one particularly good save from a far post header but, in the main, his goal didn't come under a huge threat.

FT Saffron Dynamo 1 Harrowby United 0. A good three points for Saffron in what was certainly not the most entertaining game of football that I have seen. Having said that, it was good to be back on the road again. 

Saffron Dynamo: Phillips, Davies, Noble, Kilby, Tye(c), Lee, Essex, Reaney, Foster, Johnson, J.Brown. Subs: M.Brown, Henry, Butler, Fox, El Hachimi
Harrowby United: Adebowale, Rigby, Thompson, Yenibertiz, Warman, Stubbs(c), John, Hales, Price, Showler, Sylla. Subs: Moulds, Kdapo, Amponsen, Thorpe, McGhee

Att: 25
Ground Number: 226
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: N/A

​The second game of 2020 saw me returning to a town that I called home for a short time in the 1990s, Bewdley. A ground that I had been wanting to visit for some time and, with the home side sitting second, the visit of leaders Shifnal Town was too good an opportunity to miss, despite it being a 120 mile journey from my office to the ground.

The Ground
Ribbesford Meadows is literally on the banks of the River Severn with just a few yards separating the dugouts from the water's edge. The ground is situated on the Southern edge of Bewdley and is wedged between the B4194 and the river. Even on a dark January evening it is still a picturesque place to watch football, with the steep wooded bank looming up behind the main stand and the treeline depicting the boundary of the river on the opposite side. With the ground being well below road level, finding the entrance to the long, dark, access road at night could be a bit of a challenge if you don't know the area. However, once you have found it, there is ample parking either at the ground or at the Anglers Association club which is also accessed via the same service road. At the entrance to the ground what looks like a converted shipping container acts as the entrance and tea bar, staffed by a very jolly lady who greeted me with a smile and some friendly chit-chat. She also served me with a cup of tea later in the game, with the same friendly demeanour. The club should be happy that she is their public face. I came away with the feeling that it was a very friendly club. This was enhanced when I asked a club official if he there were any team sheets. He immediately went into the official area, found their stadium announcer and pointed me out so that I could get a photo of the team sheets. It's little things like this that leave a lasting, good impression of a club.

​As I said, the ground had been on my list for a while and I was not disappointed. The main stand is set into the bank below the B4194 backed and surrounded by a trees and bushes. The opposite side of the pitch, effectively the river bank, is also lined with trees (presumably this prevents some of the balls ending up in the river, although at least 2 were lost this evening. The club must get through quite a few match balls in a season). The officials and players facilities are housed in a wooden structure in the corner of the ground, also set into the trees. Forest Green might have a green, wooden stadium, but even they can't match the way that Bewdley incorporates nature into their ground. I will definitely need to re-visit on a Saturday in the Spring or Summer in order to see the ground at its best.

The Background
This was a clash between the top two in the West Midland Regional Premier League. Shifnal lead the way having won their opening 15 games and establishing a 9 point gap at the top. However, their 100% record had been ended at the weekend with a 3-2 home defeat to Black Country Rangers. So a trip to second-placed Bewdley, fresh from a 5-2 River Severn derby thrashing of AFC Bridgnorth, was probably not the best place for them to be visiting.
Up to last season, in the last 10 league meetings, Bewdley have definitely had the upper hand overall, winning 8 of the 10 games, scoring 28 goals, with Shifnal taking the other 2 and scoring 12 times. The clubs had not yet met this season, but last season saw a 2-2 draw in this fixture with Bewdley edging a narrow 1-0 win at Shifnal. However, these results happened in a season where Bewdley finished 6th and Shifnal were second from bottom. Shifnal's lowly league finish prompted a change in management with joint managers Danny Carter and Andrew Carrier coming in. The change seems to have worked wonders with the team going from relegation fodder to title contenders overnight. Combine these facts with Bewdley's 100% home league record and the night was setup to be a cracker.

s​The Game
Unsurprisingly, both side started the game quite cagily as they took stock of each other. I can imagine that both team talks contained the phrase "keep it tight for the first 10 minutes". As the game began to open up a little, it was Shifnal who made the first move, creating the first big opportunity. However, some stout defending, including a last ditch clearance off the line kept the score sheet blank.
After 26 minutes it looked like both sides were having to make an early substitution. Ashley Bellingham, Shifnal's big centre half, had taken a knock and Bewdley seemed to also be signalling that they were going to replace Sam Lester. However, although Bellingham went off, Lester stayed on the pitch.

​Three minutes later came the most significant action of the half. A defence splitting diagonal ball was played into the Shifnal box. Luke Morris was quickest to react getting goal-side of James Pinnock. The Shifnal defender tried to make a challenge but only succeeded in tripping the striker. Penalty! Morris picked himself up and stroked home the spot kick to make it 1-0.

The goal served to both give confidence to Bewdley and visibly shake Shifnal. Maybe finally losing their unbeaten streak and then going a goal down had rocked them? Whatever the case, they were left on the back foot for much of the remainder of the half.

HT Bewdley Town 1 Shifnal Town 0. After the initial sparring it was Bewdley who took control of the half and they deservedly lead going into the second period.

Bewdley were back on the front foot in the second-half, sensing that they had the leaders on the ropes. Sure enough, after 56 minutes, they doubled their lead with probably the best move of the game. Attacking down the right flank the ball was played between defenders to set Matt Kerby free. His low, driven cross was met by Luke Morris to smash home his and Bewdley's second. 2-0

Still Shifnal seemed unable to get up to full speed, although they were slowly but surely beginning to look a little more dangerous. Even then they were not unduly troubling Joe Sidaway in the home goal. That was until the 82nd minute when substitute Brad Sharman crashed a superb effort past Sidaway only to see it come back off the post and be cleared. It was clearly not going to be Shifnal's evening.

FT Bewdley Town 2 Shifnal Town 0. A thoroughly deserved three points for Bewdley which moves them to within 6 points of Shifnal. After going four months without dropping a point, Shifnal are beaten twice in three days. However, no need to press the panic button just yet. On Saturday they have a home game against eighth placed Pershore Town, who they have already beaten 2-1. Bewdley make the short journey to Worcester Raiders hoping to keep the pressure on at the top.

Bewdley Town: J.Sidaway, Clarke, Seekings, Priest(c), Prescott, Beardsmore, Lester, Rudd, L.Sidaway, Morris, Kerby. Subs: Ribiero, Smith, Worthington, A.Stubbings, E.Stubbings

Shifnal Town: James, Uppal, Pinnock(c), Perks, Bellingham, Jones, Lloyd, Franco, Hill, Montague, Westwood. Subs: Radford, Smith, McCarthy, Sharman, Holdcroft

Att: 75 (ish) by my count
Ground Number: 225
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00

​From Met Police on January 3rd to Moreton Rangers on December 28th. The last game of the year for me, and another new ground, as I headed into the Cotswolds for the Hellenic Deivison One West clash between Moreton Rangers and Newent Town.

The Ground
Moreton-in-Marsh is an ancient market town in the Northern Cotswolds. The town's football team, Moreton Rangers, play their home games just to the East of the town centre, on London Road. The ground sits back off the road and is accessed via a service road which doubles as a parking area when the small stadium car park is full. The ground is accessed through a single turnstile. All of the facilities are on the car park side of the ground, housed in a single structure which incorporates the club house, the players and officials areas and a small covered standing area. The clubhouse has windows all along the pitchside which allows anyone who wishes to watch the game from the warmth. There are no further covered spectator area around the rest of the ground. Dugouts are opposite the main stand.

The Background
The last two winners of Division Two West were meeting for the second time this season. The first meeting, back in September, ended with Rangers travelling home with all three points after a 3-1 win.
Newent, who won Division 2 two seasons ago, were coming into the game still without a league win and precariously placed just two points above basement boys New College Swindon. Rangers, who were promoted in the Summer, were just below mid-table after five wins and three draws from their opening 12 games.

​The Game
It took both sides a little while to get used to the conditions. The pitch, although very much playable, was definitely soggy with an uneven surface not suitable to any kind of passing game. However, as the teams did start to find their feet it was Newent who not only mastered the conditions first but also looked to be the more confident side despite their lowly position and lack of a win all season. Although neither keeper was unduly stretched in the opening 15 minutes or so, it was the away side who looked the more likely to cause a problem.
That threat came to fruition in the 22nd minute after so excellent down the work from the Daffs number 11 who sent over a driven cross along the six yard line for Morgan Davies to turn the ball into the net. 0-1 and no more than Newent deserved.
Their joy did not last too long though as the home side set about trying to get back on level terms. Only two minutes had passed when a Moreton attack saw the ball strike a yellow hand in the box. The referee pointed to the spot without hesitation and not too much complaint from the Newent defenders. Moreton's number 9 stepped up and sent the keeper the wrong way to equalise. 1-1
Conceding the goal did not seem to phase the Newent team. They continued to look the more dangerous of the sides forcing Moreton's keeper into action on a number of occasions. How the away side didn't go in at the break with an advantage is anyone's guess, especially after a raid in the 41st minute where only a very good save and some last ditch, bodies on the line, defending kept the ball out of the home net.

HT Moreton Rangers 1 Newent Town 1. Newent were the better side but couldn't turn their superiority into goals.

It was a rejuvenated Moreton side that took to the pitch after the break, presumably after some choice words from their manager during the interval. Whatever was said, the home side began the half with a lot more vigour and purpose than they had shown in the first 45 minutes.
The game was now being played predominantly in the Newent half of the pitch but Rangers were still not managing to pose any great threat to the Newent goal.
With 15 minutes remaining Newent made the home side pay for not taking advantage of their possession. The ball fell to Jordan Cooper on the right-hand edge of the Moreton penalty area and his first-time strike seemed to catch the home keeper off guard and out of position as the ball went into the far corner of his net. 1-2 

After the goal Moreton stepped up their efforts once again but still could not find a cutting edge. Newent still carried a threat on the break and had a couple of chances to kill the game off completely.

A shorter than normal match blog this week due to time constraints. Names and team sheets will be added when/if I can get hold of them. Meanwhile, Happy New Year to all.

FT Moreton Rangers 1 Newent Town 2. A much improved home performance in the second half but, on the overall balance, a well deserved three points for Newent who pick up their first league win of the season and leapfrog Bourton Rovers, who lost 2-1 at Clanfield, into 14th spot.
 

Att: 
Ground Number: 224
Entrance: £3.00
Programme: N/A

​Work has kept my live football to a minimum in recent months and looks like it may well do again in the early part of next year, so it was great to have an opportunity to take in a Saturday game so close on the heals of Tuesday's visit to Walton Casuals. Not only did I manage to find a game on in this weather but it was also the number 1 game on my list of potentials, a United Counties Premier local derby between third-placed Loughborough University and second-placed Quorn.

The Ground
Unsurprisingly The Scholars play their home games within the grounds of the University and what a superb facility they have. The university is known for its prowess in sports related subjects and boasts an amazing alumni including Sebastian Coe, Tanni Grey-Thompson and Paula Radcliffe amongst many others. In the football world they can list FA Cup winner Lawrie Sanchez and former Arsenal goalkeeper Bob Wilson.
The ground itself was opened in 2012 and has a capacity of around 3,000. It features a main stand that incorporates all of the facilities, clubhouse and covered seating areas. The entire ground is surrounded by concrete terracing seven rows deep and, most unusually for Step 5, has an electronic scoreboard. The pitch is a UEFA standard Fibresand Grass construction which, even after the continuous downpours we have ad in the past week, looked in absolutely immaculate condition. Overall this is a top class stadium maintained to an extremely high standard. This seems to be a running theme for this part of the country. Over the past couple of years I have visited a number of the grounds around Leicstershire and the majority are great examples of non-league stadia. Quorn themselves have a fine ground at Farley Way (On The Rebound), Barrow Town's stadium (Down By The Riverside) is one of the best I have been to, Anstey's Cropston Road has been lovingly renovated (A Game Of One Half), and Shepshed's Dovecote (Moore Woes For Shiners) is also an excellent ground full of character. 

​The Background
Coming into the game the United Counties Premier League top three was a triumvirate of Leicestershire clubs all located within around 3 miles of each other. Leaders Shepshed Dynamo on 36 points (13 games) were top on goal difference from Quorn (18 games), with Loughborough University in third a point behind (16 games). Both sides were in a reasonably good run of form, Quorn had won 5 of their last 6 league outings including a 2-1 defeat of Shepshed (Dynamo's only defeat of the season so far). The Scholars had won 3 and lost 3 of their last 6, but this did include a  13-0 hammering of bottom side Sleaford Town 2 weeks ago. Interestingly, both teams transferred from the Midland League at the end of last season, when Quorn finished in the top 6 whilst Loughborough ended the season third from bottom although well clear of the drop zone on points. Quorn had won 3-2 at Farley Way whilst this fixture ended in a 3-3 draw. To make matters more interesting the next match for both teams is away at Shepshed. Loughborough travel there on Boxing Day whilst Quorn, who don't have a Boxing Day fixture, visit the Dovecote on the 4th of January.

​The Game
On what had been quite a mild day for December, it was definitely starting to drop a little chillier as the teams came out. However, the atmosphere soon warmed up as first Loughborough attacked from the kick-off but were then caught on the hop as Quorn hit back with a swift break down their left. Rackeem Reids's shot was parried by James Stallan but it fell kindly to Micah Jebbison who hammered it back past the keeper to make it 0-1. What a start to the game!
Loughborough's response was to start pinging passes around the pitch in the style that they love to play. It's great to watch but Quorn were clearly well aware of the threat and worked hard to close the University players down, win the ball back and break forward themselves. Even after going a goal ahead so early on, Quorn had certainly not come to defend, and the goal made no difference to their style.

The away side doubled their lead on 17 minutes. Once again it came from an attack down the left. This time the ball was only cleared as far as the edge of the box where the lurking Stephen Hart fired it back at goal. It took a deflection on the way, deceiving Stallan. 0-2.

Still Loughborough continued to play their football with the lively pairing of Dawes and Cashmore making sure that the Quorn defence could not relax.
Just before the half-hour mark the home side's task got a lot harder. Another Quorn attack, this time down the right side, was finally thwarted by the outstretched hand of Theo Sackey-Mensah in the box. The referee had no hesitation in pointing the the spot and then, after a taking a little time to consider, produced a red card for the Scholars defender. There were cries of double-jeopardy from the local support but the referee clearly felt that a clear goal-scoring opportunity had been deliberately denied. Stephen Hart took the spot kick and sent the keeper the wrong way to make it 0-3.

For the remaining 15 minutes of the half Loughborough changed tack, moving Connor Smith further up the park on the right and launching the ball towards him in the hope of winning a flick-on for the speedy pair of Cashmore and Dawes. Smith did manage to get a head to a few of the long balls, but the tactic did not seem to unduly worry the Quorn defence who comfortably saw out the remainder of the half.

HT Loughborough University 0 Quorn 3. A very solid performance by Quorn who were in control even before the penalty incident. However, the red card has probably ended the game as a contest.

​At 3-0 up and with a man advantage, Quorn could well be excused for taking their foot off the pedal somewhat. However, plenty of credit has to go to Loughborough who went back to playing their more natural style of keeping it on the deck and passing their way through the opposition. You have to say as well that for much of the second period it was Loughborough who looked the better side. Again, Quorn may well have sat back a little, but they were being stretched by the 10 men at times. An early second half attempt from Cashmore set the tone and only a very good stop from Max Culverwell kept the three goal lead.

Six minutes after the hour mark, however, Quorn did get a fourth when Tawanda Mangondoze headed in from a right-wing corner. 0-4.

Loughborough heads didn't drop though and they continued to ping the ball about with substitute Dan Collins looking very lively when he came on. The fresh legs and running ability giving the Quorn defence plenty to think about if they wanted to keep a clean sheet. In fact, just before the final whistle, with Quorn also down to 10 after an injury picked when all three subs had come on, Collins again jinked through a few tired looking tackles before unleashing a low drive that beat Culverwell but clattered off the inside of the post and flew to safety. 

FT Loughborough University 0 Quorn 4. All in all, a brilliant and well deserved result for Quorn who go top of the league for Christmas after Shedshed were held to a draw by Anstey Nomads.
Great credit to Loughborough for their refusal to change their style of play. This is the third time I have seen them and they always try to play an entertaining brand of football. Even at 4-0 down and with only ten men, they continued with this style of play today. As a coach myself I find it heartening to see a team stick to their beliefs in this way. 
No doubt that both of these sides will be up there come the end of the season.

Loughborough University: Stallan, Ferrinho, Davis(c), Sackey-Mensah, Turner, Duah, Smith, Ogunmekan, Cashmore, Dawes, Connor. Sunds: Cooke, Hilton, Fadahunsi, Iaciofano, Collins

Quorn: Culverwell, Stringfellow(c), Marshall, Oshungbure, Chapman, Meikle, Jebbison, Dale, Mangondoze, Hart, Reid. Subs: Hencliffe, Rowlamd, Brothwell, Ebanks

Att: 162
Ground Number: 223
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £2.00

Following yet another enforced week away from football due to work, I was again looking for a game to go to on Tuesday evening. With the weather playing havoc, it was not as easy as just picking a game. My first choice was the top of the table Combined Counties clash between Spelthorne Sports and Ascot United, but that was called off, as were several other Step 5 and 6 games that were on my list. However, I had always had a backup plan and the artificial pitch saved the day, so off I went to check out Walton Casuals v Hayes & Yeading United at the XCel Sports Hub.

The Ground
Walton's ground is part of a large sports complex which offers a gym, sports hall, swimming, squash, indoor climbing, athletics and more, as well as they state of the art football stadium and 3G pitch. There is ample free parking available adjacent to the ground which is accessed through a turnstile in the corner of the stadium. There is, I believe at least one more entrance turnstile for busier times. All of the facilities are on the athletics track side of the ground, to your left as you enter. There is a fairly large stand which also incorporates the clubhouse and bar (on the top floor). There is also a separate snack bar at ground level, next to the turnstile block. The rest of the ground is given to wide hard-standing. Dugouts are on the far side, opposite the main stand. It's a very tidy and clean stadium, as you would expect for a comparatively new facility.
As with all new stadia, especially ones that have artificial surfaces, it does lack some character at the moment, but maybe this will come as the ground ages.

​The Background
Before kick-off the teams were sitting next to each other in the Southern League Premier South table. Casuals occupied 11th spot, a point and a place above Hayes & Yeading but having played 5 games more than their visitors. Casuals came into the game having won 3 and drawn three of their last 10 games, a significant improvement on the start to the season where they had lost their opening 5 games. Their current mid-table spot had seemed a long way off in September.
Hayes & Yeading were promoted as Champions of the Isthmian Division One last season but also transferred into the Southern League at the same time. Therefore, there was no game between these sides last season. Recent form for United was pretty good, having won 6 of their last 10 outings in the league.

​The Game
Both sides started the game very well, knocking the ball around fluidly on the perfect artificial surface. I've said before that I am not the biggest fan of 3G pitches but I can certainly see their advantage, especially to non-league clubs who need to make full use of their facilities and for getting games played when grass pitches were being deemed unfit all across the country. 
Casuals were forced to make an early substitution after David Fitzpatrick picked up a knock and, despite trying to continue, was taken off after 20 minutes. He was replaced by Cheyce Grant.

​Casuals' Rhodell Gordon was clearly their danger man. By the time Fitzpatrick had departed he had already had a couple of sighters at the United goal and had the ball in the net - although the referee's whistle had already sounded for an infringement before the shot was struck. However, the range finders proved invaluable in the 28th minute when the ball was again played to Gordon on the corner of the penalty area, out to the left. He angled a perfect shot over Smith and into the far corner to make it 1-0 to the home side. A superbly taken goal.

The lead was not to last long though as United responded brilliantly, hitting back within three minutes of going behind. A move down the left ending with the ball being squared across the six yard box to give James Clark the simplest of tap-ins to equalise. 1-1
Maybe the quick response was just what United needed and knocked a bit of the stuffing out of Casuals because, as the half drew to a close, it was the away side who seemed to finishing the stronger of the two.

HT Walton Casuals 1 Hayes & Yeading United 1. The half was as tight as the scoreline suggests with very little choose between the sides at the break, although United did seem to be growing stronger as the half progressed.

​Sure enough, Hayes & Yeading came out for the second period looking rejuvenated and immediately set about their opponents with some vigour. We had only just reached the 50 minute mark when some sloppy home defending allowed Omar Rowe to get in a shot that took a deflection on the way past the stranded Tokarczyk and into the home net. 1-2
To their credit, United scented blood and were immediately back in possession from kick-off almost snatching a third goal two minutes after going in front. Casuals were wobbling at the back and 10 minutes into the second-half, following some more lax defending that allowed Rowe to win the ball back inside The Stags 18 yard area, they found themselves two goals behind. Rowe's effort in winning the ball set up Scott Donnelly who shaped a delightfully calm finish past Tokarczyk and into the lower far corner of the net. 1-3

Hayes & Yeading were in full flow now and it is to the credit of Walton that they managed to steady the ship somewhat despite being pushed back time and time again, they at lest managed to stem the flow of goals. However, they weren't making any real inroads up front. Substitute James Ewington saw an effort skim Smith's right-hand post but that was as close as they came. That was until the 82nd minute when, inexplicably, there was all manner of miss-kicks and miscues from both sides inside the United box. Eventually the ball fell to another substitute, Charlie Fox, who was left with the simple task of rolling the ball into an unguarded net. 2-3 and still maybe enough time for an onslaught on the United goal? Unfortunately for the home side that never transpired and their task was made even harder when they lost Wayne Brown to injury after already using all three subs. Down to 10 men and still chasing the game, they inevitably left some gaps which United tried to exploit. They came very close in the closing minutes when Sheppard's dipping shot beat Tokarczyk but came crashing back off the bar.

FT Walton Casuals 2 Hayes & Yeading United 3. A decent game of football for the neutral. United just about deserved the points on the basis of their very strong showing for the first 30 minutes of the second half.

Walton Casuals: Tokarczyk(c), Atkinson, Mason, Pearce, Gasson, Brown, Skinner, Gogonas, Howe, Fitzpatrick, Gordon. Subs: Ewington, Grant, Gyebi, Fox
Hayes & Yeading United: Smith, Renee, Little, Robinson, McDevitt(c), McCreadie, Donnelly, Sheppard, Clark, Rowe, Williams. Subs: Obi, Toomey, Piorkowski, Hanlon, Weight

Att: 178
Ground Number: 222
Entrance: £12.00
Programme: £2.00

​Yes, I know that it's not non-league but as a coach of a girl's football team and an avid follower of the women's game, I thought it was a bout time that BotP branched out into watching some women's football. Wife and daughter fancied some Sunday shopping therapy so an opportunity presented itself. They could drop me at Adams Park and then head off to the Eden Centre whilst I took a look at Reading taking on the league leaders Arsenal. Plenty of talent on view for both teams but, as a neutral and a lover of watching the game, the names in the Arsenal squad were, I admit, the ones that attracted me to the game. Their starting eleven reads like a who's who of the women's game, Zinsberger, Evans, Williamson, Beattie, Schnaderbeck, Walti, Little, Nobbs, Van de Donk, Miedema, Mead.

I have been to the Adams Park a few times previously, the most recent being for the visit of Stourbridge in the FA Cup 3rd Round a few years back. A fantastic fantastic day out when The Glassboys were the Pride of the Black Country and nearly pulled off a cup shock. 

Enough of the reminiscing though, back to the current day. Arsenal came into the game top of the table ahead of Manchester City on goal difference, not in any small way because of their 11-1 destruction of Bristol City in their last game. In Vivienne Miedema they have the league's most prolific striker, bang in form after scoring six and getting an assist for at least three others in the last game.
Reading were on a run of four unbeaten in all competitions and were fairly comfortable in mid-table. With former England international Fara Williams driving them on in midfield alongside Jade Moore, Angharad James and a host of other international experience, the Royals were not to be underestimated.

​This was shown to be the case when the game kicked off. It was Reading who started the brighter with Williams being presented with a golden opportunity in the first 5 minutes. Van de Donk's wayward backpass let in the Reading captain who side-stepped Leah Wiliamson to make space for a shot, but Zinsberger narrowed the angle well to block the effort. Reading continued to look the brighter of the two teams, Chaplen having another effort that had Zinsberger scrambling as it went wide. Arsenal looked a little off the pace in the opening encounters.

Then, just before the half-hour mark we finally got to see what Arsenal are capable of producing. The Gunners midfield won the ball back on the halfway line, Danielle van de Donk drove forward with overlapping runs going past her on both sides, she let the Reading defence edge towards Kim Little's run to her right before laying the perfect pass off to her left and perfectly into the stride of Miedema. The star striker took a touch before lofting the ball over the advancing Moloney to make it 0-1. A goal devastating in it's simplicity but superbly executed in both weight of pass and delicate finish.

The goal shook Arsenal out of their slumbers and they went on the hunt for a second goal. On the 37th minute it came, and what a goal it was. Beth Mead's corner from the right was pulled back to the edge of the box for Kim Little who played a one-two with Leah Williamson, exchanged another one-two with Jordan Nobbs and then executed the perfect volleyed lob over Moloney into the far corner. 0-2. A goal of sheer quality.

Arsenal looked for a third before the break but Reading held on and were probably glad to her the whistle for half-time.

HT Reading 0 Arsenal 2. The home side started brightly but were undone by two pieces of world class football from Arsenal. 

​After the break, Reading renewed their efforts to get back into the match. It was turning into a tough encounter for both sides with no quarter being asked or given in some crunching tackles. The Royals huffed and puffed for much of the second-half, causing Arsenal plenty of problems and making Schanderbeck, Evans, Beattie and Williamson work very hard. However, they could never commit too many to the attack for fear of the danger posed by the speed of the Arsenal break, especially through the wing-play of Beth Mead and movement of Vivienne Miedema.
Fara Williams almost put her name on the goal of the game award with a fantastic first time lob from 30 yards but the ball sailed narrowly wide with Zinsberger well beaten.
Just as we headed into time added on, Arsenal once more showed how incisive they can be. Van de Donk, taking a pass out on the left-flank played a first time pass over the Reading defence and perfectly into the path of Miedema. There was only one outcome as the striker once again executed the perfect lob over Moloney to make it 0-3.

FT Reading 0 Arsenal 3. The scoreline reflects Arsenal's superior quality on the ball but does not really tell the whole tale of the game. Reading gave as good as they got for much of this game but just lacked the additional skills required to unlock the Arsenal defence. The Gunners, who were probably not at their best, produced three moments of sheer class and three top quality finishes when it mattered.
A thoroughly entertaining game of football which had an edge to it but was, for the most part, played in a sporting manner. Good to see a work colleague of mine, Richard Hulme, officiating and keeping a tight rein on any potential flash points.

Reading: Moloney, Pacheco, Potter, Leine, Howard, Allen, Moore, James, Williams, Utland, Chaplen. Subs: Eikeland, Farrow, Laws, Bennink, Reynolds, Quirk

Arsenal: Zinsberger, Schanderbeck, Beattie, Williamson, Evans, Walti, Little, Nobbs, Van De Donk, Mead, Miedema. Subs: Roord, Maier, Mitchell, McCabe, Quinn, Magnin

Att: 943
Ground Number: Re-Visit
Entrance: £8.00
Programme: £1.00

A rare occurrence for me lately, a second consecutive week of Tuesday night football. With a number of games to choose from I eventually settled on a two hour journey up the M1 to Leciestershire and a top-half versus bottom-half clash in the Midland League Division One, Hinckley v Stafford Town.

The Ground
Hinckley currently play their home games some 10 or so miles North of the town at the former home of Ibstock Town, The Welfare Ground. This is now logistics country. On the way to the ground from the motorway you will pass an Amazon fulfilment centre, Stobart, MTS Logidstics and Premier Logistics depots. Not forgetting that Hinckley are sponsored by another logistics company, DPD. A landscape that was once littered with 
winding gear from the mines is now peppered with large warehouses and containers.
The football stadium is part of a larger complex, the Ibstock Miners Welfare Sports & Social Club which also caters for bowls, has a 3G five-a-side pitch and is home to the local pigeon fanciers. There is ample parking adjacent to the ground, which is accessed through a brick-arched turnstile bearing the name of the original owners, Ibstock Welfare FC. The ground itself has been completely re-badged for Hinckley AFC (with a nod towards local Sunday side Sporting Dynamo, who also play here), with the club logo adorning the clubhouse, the stands and the Portakabin that serves as a small bar and club shop inside the ground.
The facilities are all on the car park side of the ground. The club shop, a snack bar, the dugouts and all of the covered areas are along this side of the pitch. The are two covered stands, either side of the rear wall of the main club building. Nearest the entrance is a white-posted covered standing area with a small seating area further down the ground.The ground has been around for quite a while and, as such, has plenty of character about it, something that was also noted by The Wycombe Wanderer on his visit here to watch Ibstock United just before they went out of existence.

The Background
When Hinckley United folded back in October 2013 a group of supporters got together and formed a new team, Hinckley AFC, owned and run by the supporter's trust. The new club came into being in 2014 and was placed in Division One of the Midland League three steps below the level that United played at before they went under.
Stafford were promoted back to Division One in the Summer after spending a season in the Staffordshire County League. So far it has not been a an easy transition back into Step 6 life. Going into this game they were just a point above basement boys Nuneaton Griff and could only show two wins and eight points from their 17 games. Those two wins both came early in the season, the first being a 2-1 victory against Hinckley in the reverse of tonight's game. The last win in any competition came early in September and their last 6 league games had all ended in defeat, conceding 29 goals an scoring just 4 themselves.
Hinckley, meanwhile, were placed 6th with 26 points from their 15 games, although they had lost their last league game, a 4-0 home defeat Leicester Road, who were also formed after the demise of Hinckley United and actually continue to play at United's old De Montfort Park ground.

​The Game
The game started at a frantic pace. From the kick-off Stafford attacked but when their foray fizzled out, Hinckley were quick to break to the other end of the pitch and start a raid of their own. In fact, within the first five minutes the home side could easily have been two goals to the good, with both Green and Richards coming very close, the second after two consecutive corners caused chaos in the Town defence with Richards seeing his effort hacked off the line by a grey-clad defender.
Hinckely continued to make the running in the game but could not completely relax with the lively-looking Kyle Ashman giving their defenders plenty to think about on the rare occasions that the ball found him.
17 minutes in, Hinckley won a free-kic kjust outside the box. Bekir Halil curled an effort around the wall which beat George Hill in the Stafford goal but, unfortunately for the home side, also just beat the keeper's left-hand post. However, Hinckley were now completely in control of the game and it seemed just a matter of time before they made their dominance count.
Just before the half-hour mark though football played one of its little tricks that so often happen. Totally against the run of play a Stafford throw-in was flicked on by Ashman. Ed Page latched onto it, drove into the box holding off a challenge as he did, and slipped the ball under the advancing debutant Elliott Taylor to score his first goal for Stafford and give them a very surprising lead. 0-1

The goal served to galvanise both sides but Stafford's joy was only to last for 4 minutes when, on 31 minutes, some great work on the right-hand side led to a low cross laying a tap-in on a plate for Shane Benjamin. 1-1. This would surely be the boost that the home side needed to go on and win the game? However, despite plenty more pressure before the end of the half and at least one more effort being cleared off the line, they couldn't grab a second and had to be happy with a share of the first half spoils.

HT Hinckley 1 Stafford Town 1. Not sure how this game was level at the break. Stafford would be pleased with their night's work up to this point, but surely Hinckley would make their dominance pay as the game wore on.

​The second half, however, started with Stafford looking a little livelier and Hinckley looking flatter. It was a much more evenly contested game at this point. Then, on 56 minutes, came the moment that swung the game in favour of Stafford. The ball broke to the feet of Kyle Ashman some 25 yards out. He unleashed a swerving effort that seemed to deceive Taylor and flew into the top corner. It was a great strike but I think the home keeper will be disappointed not to have saved it. 1-2

Hinckley continued to huff and puff but didn't really cause Hil any moments of concern until the 72nd minute when Thompson got on the end of a free-kick inside the box. However, even then the Stafford stopper needn't have been worried as the ball was sent sailing over his bar when it really should have been the equaliser.

Hill finally got his hands warm when he was forced into a couple of good stops in the last five minutes, the second of which was a superb tip over the bar from a Ky Green header. A great save which turned out to be the one that kept the three points in the bag for his team.

FT Hinckley 1 Stafford Town 2. A superb three points for Stafford, well deserved on the effort they put in. Hinckley, after dominating the first half but failing to take advantage, were disappointing in the second period, conceding a goal and then failing to make the Stafford keeper make a save until 2 minutes from time. 
​
​Hinckley: Taylor, Reuben, Rowe, Kendrick, Green, Ball, Thompson, Halil, Benjamin, Richards(c), Hirst. Subs: Cross, Giles, Brown, Commins, Webster

Stafford Town: Hill, Marshall(c), Jessup, Turner, Wright, Webb, Milgate, Ashman, Page, Baker, Heath. Subs: Dufft, Redford, Marshall, Kelly, Concar

Att: 120
Ground Number: 221
Entrance: £6.00
Programme: £1.50

​After another enforced break due to business travel it was back to some live football on Tuesday night. Not a new ground this time, but a return to Northamptonshire for the United Counties League Cup tie between runaway Division One leaders Long Buckby and high-flying Premier League side Loughborough University.

The Ground
It's been almost five years since my first visit to Station Road. That evening the home side, bottom of the Premier League, had given themselves some hope with a 3-2 home defeat of Oadby Town. Ultimately, however, it proved in vain and they were relegated at the end of the season.
By the time I got to Long Buckby the small car park at the ground was full but there was still plenty of parking available on Station Road itself. Access to the ground is via a narrow path that leads past the clubhouse, alongside the cricket pitch and another football pitch, and finally to a double turnstile. As I remarked on my first visit, that passing through the turnstile actually takes you into a courtyard, off which is the refreshments bar and the toilet block. The opposite side of the courtyard is the back of the main stand which runs over half the length length of the pitch on the Station Road side. The rest of the ground, which has not noticeably changed since my first visit, is unremarkable save for the dugouts on the opposite side to the main stand.

​The Background
Long Buckby went into this game leading Division One by 16 points, having lost just once in the league. They were hosting Premier League Loughborough University, sixth in their table but on the back of a 5-2 defeat at Lutterworth Town in their last game.
As far as I could see, there was no previous history between these sides in either league or cup.

​The Game
Loughborough took the lead as early as the fifth minute after a defensive mix-up allowed Will Dawes to nip in, round the keeper, and slide the ball into an empty net to make it 0-1.

After going behind the hosts stepped their game up and, arguably, had the better chances in the remainder of the half. In fact, only two minutes after losing the goal they came very close to levelling the game. Bucks Number 11, running from just inside the Loughborough half, skipped through a number of challenges and unleashed a low drive to the Scott Martin's left. The keeper got down to it and somehow managed to deflect the ball up and over the bar for a corner. It was a good response from Long Buckby and showed that they weren't going to roll over to their higher ranked opponents.

The game continued to ebb and flow with the home just about edging the play. However,just before the half-hour mark, Bucks had their keeper to thank for keeping them in it when he produced a superb one-handed stop to prevent a header from Connor beating him.

HT Long Buckby 0 Loughborough University 1. Very much a contrast in styles across the pitch. Loughborough certainly playing the more cultured style of football but, on a very wet and boggy pitch, Long Buckby's more direct approach caused plenty of problems. The home side have a right to feel slightly aggrieved at being behind, after creating more chances than the Scholars.

​Loughborough appeared for the second half looking as if they had been given a wake up call from their coaches at the break. Within four minutes of the restart they had doubled their lead and once again it was the dangerous Will Dawes who got the goal. This time his low drive from a very narrow angle, squirmed through the hands of the Bucks goalkeeper and dribbled over the line. Possibly an own goal but, as it was on target, I think the striker will be claiming it. 0-2

Four minutes later and with The Scholars now having the bit firmly between their teeth, Dawes went from goal scorer to goal provider, jinking past a defender to the by-line and squaring for Tom Iaciofano to slide the ball home from close range. 0-3

Loughborough were now, effectively, home and hosed, but they were not letting up. Iaciofano got his second and The Scholar's fourth with a sublime, outside of the left foot, finish into the far corner. 0-4

The game had now well and truly gone for The Bucks. After more than holding their own in the first half they were being given a footballing lesson by the University in the second period. To make matters worse they were reduced to 10 men in the 83rd minute after their Number 2 received a second yellow for an off-the-ball trip on a Loughborough player.

Five minutes later and the home side were down to 9 men with Number 6 getting a straight red for a lunge just outside the box. Loughborough also withdrew Tope Fadahunsi at this point, even though they had no further substitutes. Originally I thought that the referee had sin-binned the defender, but it appears it was just a coaching decision. The wait for my first sin-bin goes on.
Immediately after the red card Loughborough substitute, Ollie Jarrett, was on hand to tap in another low cross to make it 0-5.

FT Long Buckby 0 Loughborough University 5. A harsh lesson for The Bucks in the second half. A young and talented Loughborough side, featuring four debutants, gave them the run around after the break. However, it was plain to see why The Bucks are pushing for promotion this season.

Loughborough University: Martin, Fadahunsi, Davis, Sackey-Mensah, Townrow, Parsons, Iaciofano, Ogunmekan, Warwick, Dawes, Connor. Subs: Wright, Hilton, Bryan, Jarrett

Att: 
Ground Number: Re-visit
Entrance: £5.00
Programme: £1.00