Captains please A flick through Football Traveller and a glance at some league tables during the week had left me with a very clear idea of where I would be heading this Saturday and, to make things even better, it was a relatively close game for me. So, after lunch I made the 33 mile trip across the A43 to Curtlee Hill, Wootton, home of Wootton St George FC.
The home side, currently leading the way in the Northants Combination Division One table, were up against the only team that could catch them, second placed AFC Towcester. With just a point between them but with the visitors having two games remaining as opposed to Wootton's one, this game was as good as a cup final to decide the league title. To add to the drama, the teams had only played each other three days previously in the League Cup Final. That went in favour of Wootton by 2-1 which, by coincidence, was also the score when the sides met in the league earlier in the season. That game was Towcester's one and only league defeat this season.
So, the situation was that a win for either team would hand them the title. A draw would leave Wootton a pint ahead but with inferior goal difference, meaning that Towcester would just need a point at home to 9th placed Milton next weekend. This would be the first time I had seen Wootton play. However, I have seen Towcester play at home and away in the past couple of years. An eleven goal thriller at home to Grendon Rangers (Still At The Races) and a 2-0 derby defeat at Potterspury (First Half Double Wins A5 Derby).
Many thanks, once again, to referee Stuart Latham for letting me photograph the team sheets before kick-off. That's the second time this season. He was also the referee when I saw Roade win at Heyford Athletic on last December (The Man In The Middle).
The home side, currently leading the way in the Northants Combination Division One table, were up against the only team that could catch them, second placed AFC Towcester. With just a point between them but with the visitors having two games remaining as opposed to Wootton's one, this game was as good as a cup final to decide the league title. To add to the drama, the teams had only played each other three days previously in the League Cup Final. That went in favour of Wootton by 2-1 which, by coincidence, was also the score when the sides met in the league earlier in the season. That game was Towcester's one and only league defeat this season.
So, the situation was that a win for either team would hand them the title. A draw would leave Wootton a pint ahead but with inferior goal difference, meaning that Towcester would just need a point at home to 9th placed Milton next weekend. This would be the first time I had seen Wootton play. However, I have seen Towcester play at home and away in the past couple of years. An eleven goal thriller at home to Grendon Rangers (Still At The Races) and a 2-0 derby defeat at Potterspury (First Half Double Wins A5 Derby).
Many thanks, once again, to referee Stuart Latham for letting me photograph the team sheets before kick-off. That's the second time this season. He was also the referee when I saw Roade win at Heyford Athletic on last December (The Man In The Middle).
Sykes punches clear After starting the better, AFC Towcester made that count as early as the 4th minute when Macaulay Copping produced what can only be described as a delicate lob to leave Jamie Sykes motionless as the ball sailed over him into the net. 0-1. As I posted at the time, the casualness of the lob brought Eric Cantona to mind. I'm sure if Towcester's kit had had a collar, Copping would have turned it up.
A very nasty looking clash of heads between Josh Schampier and Adam Kelly in midfield, left both players down and had the physios running on. Thankfully, both were back on their feet quickly. The incident was obviously not as bad as it first looked.
Going a goal down had given the home side the wake up call they needed and play was now much more evenly balanced. Just on the quarter hour mark, Wootton had a a very vociferous call for a penalty as Mason Frost turned onto his left to attempt get a strike at goal. The ball was blocked, by a hand according to the home team, but the referee immediately waved play on. The loose ball dropped kindly to Matt Pickard but he blazed his strike well over from 15 yards out. Something of a let off for Towcester. As the how side began to ramp up the pressure, they came close gain just a minute. This time a diagonal ball found captain Josh Schampier just inside the right-hand corner of the penalty area. His low drive had Sam Kelly happy to see it go inches past his right-hand post.
Towcester then had a penalty shout of their own following a corner from the right. Again, nothing doing from the referee and when the ball drop to Michael Watson, his shot on the turn went wide of the mark. Watson was in the thick of the action, sadly for the wrong reason later in the game, and it was the same player who was involved in the next action of note. This time he was found with a ball over the top down the right. Seeing Sykes slightly out of position, he tried an optimistic lob but couldn't quite get it on target.
The half was beginning to wind down and, thanks to a well organised defence, the visitors looked as if they might go in a goal up at half-time. That was until the 44th minute when Wootton were awarded a penalty for afoul on Westwood. No real complaints from Towcester as Mason Frost stepped up to level the scores. 1-1
HT Wootton St George 1 AFC Towcester 1. A really good game of football so far. Two well-matched teams. Towcester started very brightly and deserved their early lead but, Towcester showed a lot of strength to keep plugging away, eventually getting their reward just before the break.
A very nasty looking clash of heads between Josh Schampier and Adam Kelly in midfield, left both players down and had the physios running on. Thankfully, both were back on their feet quickly. The incident was obviously not as bad as it first looked.
Going a goal down had given the home side the wake up call they needed and play was now much more evenly balanced. Just on the quarter hour mark, Wootton had a a very vociferous call for a penalty as Mason Frost turned onto his left to attempt get a strike at goal. The ball was blocked, by a hand according to the home team, but the referee immediately waved play on. The loose ball dropped kindly to Matt Pickard but he blazed his strike well over from 15 yards out. Something of a let off for Towcester. As the how side began to ramp up the pressure, they came close gain just a minute. This time a diagonal ball found captain Josh Schampier just inside the right-hand corner of the penalty area. His low drive had Sam Kelly happy to see it go inches past his right-hand post.
Towcester then had a penalty shout of their own following a corner from the right. Again, nothing doing from the referee and when the ball drop to Michael Watson, his shot on the turn went wide of the mark. Watson was in the thick of the action, sadly for the wrong reason later in the game, and it was the same player who was involved in the next action of note. This time he was found with a ball over the top down the right. Seeing Sykes slightly out of position, he tried an optimistic lob but couldn't quite get it on target.
The half was beginning to wind down and, thanks to a well organised defence, the visitors looked as if they might go in a goal up at half-time. That was until the 44th minute when Wootton were awarded a penalty for afoul on Westwood. No real complaints from Towcester as Mason Frost stepped up to level the scores. 1-1
HT Wootton St George 1 AFC Towcester 1. A really good game of football so far. Two well-matched teams. Towcester started very brightly and deserved their early lead but, Towcester showed a lot of strength to keep plugging away, eventually getting their reward just before the break.
Equaliser from the spot The second half started with both sides looking more concerned about conceding than scoring again. It took a little while for the game to open up but, on 53 minutes, Towcester came close. A hopeful punt up-field appeared to be harmlessly heading for Wootton goalkeeper Jamie Sykes. However, the keeper hesitated allowing Michael Watson the chance to get a toe to the ball ahead of him. Luckily for the home side, Sykes had advanced just far enough to get something on the ball and avert the danger. A few minutes later Towcester thought they had been awarded a penalty. Initially the referee pointed to the spot for a foul, only to see the assistant's flag had already been raised for offside. Back came Wootton, Mason Frost latching onto a loose ball in the box before putting his snapshot just wide of Kelly's post. That was two minutes before the hour mark. A minute later the ball was at the other end where Watson hit the target with a good strike parried away for a corner by Sykes.
Wootton launched another attack shortly afterwards, pumping the ball toward the Towcester box where Ben Paul got a flick on into the path of Westwood. With the keeper coming off his line, the home striker slipped the ball past him but couldn't find enough power to beat the defending covering on the line.
A draw would certainly favour Towcester who, with their one game left, would still have the opportunity to overhaul their opponents. Despite that the visitors didn't look content with a draw, especially goal scorer Copping. With just over 20 minutes remaining he intercepted a pass in midfield, drove forward past a couple of home players and unleashed a drive heading for the corner of the net until Sykes went full-length to make the save.
Sadly, that was the last opportunity anyone had of winning the match because, on 73 minutes, we witnessed an incident that no-one ever wants to see. That horrible noise!! A 50/50 almost directly in front of me left Towcester's Michael Watson on the ground. The noise and the reaction of the player, lying motionless, brought back horrible memories of a game at Lingfield many years ago, when the same thing happened to me. Despite the game going on, it was clear it was a serious injury. After a few minutes of on-field first aid, making the player comfortable and calling emergency services, the referee signalled that the game had been abandoned. The correct decision in my opinion.
Best wishes to Michael Watson. I sincerely hope that it is not as bad as it sounded.
This is only the second time, in over 12 years of blogging about non-league football, that I have been at a game abandoned due to injury. The previous time was a game between Hungerford Town and Chippenham Town in 2014 when Chippenham's Rob Dean suffered a very serious injury.
At the time of writing no official decision has been made about if the result will stand because more than 70 minutes had been played, or if the game will be replayed at a later date. Full-Time already has the game scheduled for May 28th, but this may just be a placeholder. Towcester posted on social media that they would know by Wednesday. Update: It now looks like the game will be replayed on May 28th, 18:30 ko.
Wootton St George: 1.Sykes, 2.J.Schampier(c), 6.Jackson, 13.Barnell, 16.Cronin, 12.Heavey, 3.N.Schampier, 8.Paul, 7.C.Westwood, 10.Frost, 9.Pickard. Subs: 5.Ansell, 14.Haddock, 11.R.Westwood, 15.Ghavami, 14.West
AFC Towcester: 1.S.Kelly, 5. Bodily, 3.Dixon, 6.L.Smith, 15.Parker(c), 10.Stanbridge, 14.Macleod, 8.Martin, 4.Coppping, 7.Watson, 11.A.Kelly. Subs: 18.McGannon, 9.Kirby, 17.Waynforth, 16.B.Smith, 12.Camper
Wootton launched another attack shortly afterwards, pumping the ball toward the Towcester box where Ben Paul got a flick on into the path of Westwood. With the keeper coming off his line, the home striker slipped the ball past him but couldn't find enough power to beat the defending covering on the line.
A draw would certainly favour Towcester who, with their one game left, would still have the opportunity to overhaul their opponents. Despite that the visitors didn't look content with a draw, especially goal scorer Copping. With just over 20 minutes remaining he intercepted a pass in midfield, drove forward past a couple of home players and unleashed a drive heading for the corner of the net until Sykes went full-length to make the save.
Sadly, that was the last opportunity anyone had of winning the match because, on 73 minutes, we witnessed an incident that no-one ever wants to see. That horrible noise!! A 50/50 almost directly in front of me left Towcester's Michael Watson on the ground. The noise and the reaction of the player, lying motionless, brought back horrible memories of a game at Lingfield many years ago, when the same thing happened to me. Despite the game going on, it was clear it was a serious injury. After a few minutes of on-field first aid, making the player comfortable and calling emergency services, the referee signalled that the game had been abandoned. The correct decision in my opinion.
Best wishes to Michael Watson. I sincerely hope that it is not as bad as it sounded.
This is only the second time, in over 12 years of blogging about non-league football, that I have been at a game abandoned due to injury. The previous time was a game between Hungerford Town and Chippenham Town in 2014 when Chippenham's Rob Dean suffered a very serious injury.
At the time of writing no official decision has been made about if the result will stand because more than 70 minutes had been played, or if the game will be replayed at a later date. Full-Time already has the game scheduled for May 28th, but this may just be a placeholder. Towcester posted on social media that they would know by Wednesday. Update: It now looks like the game will be replayed on May 28th, 18:30 ko.
Wootton St George: 1.Sykes, 2.J.Schampier(c), 6.Jackson, 13.Barnell, 16.Cronin, 12.Heavey, 3.N.Schampier, 8.Paul, 7.C.Westwood, 10.Frost, 9.Pickard. Subs: 5.Ansell, 14.Haddock, 11.R.Westwood, 15.Ghavami, 14.West
AFC Towcester: 1.S.Kelly, 5. Bodily, 3.Dixon, 6.L.Smith, 15.Parker(c), 10.Stanbridge, 14.Macleod, 8.Martin, 4.Coppping, 7.Watson, 11.A.Kelly. Subs: 18.McGannon, 9.Kirby, 17.Waynforth, 16.B.Smith, 12.Camper
A big crowd at Curtlee Hill
The Ground
Wootton's home games take place at the Wootton Community and Sports Centre complex just to the South-East of Northampton. Wootton, which was once a village in its own right, is now part of the greater Northampton area. There is a fairly large car park behind the multiple buildings to act as community centre, bar and changing facilities for players and officials. I don't know if it was just the fact that the weather was good for the first time this year, if it was because of the long weekend, or that there was also a birthday party in full swing at the community centre, but the place was a hive of activity. The children's play area was full, the fenced off 5-a-side pitch was in use, theer were people sitting in the patio area outside the bar and a sizeable crowd beginning to build around the pitch. It really had the feel of a thriving community facility.
The main pitch sits sideways on to the club. There are also a collection of other pitches marked out next to it, suitable for all age ranges. This is effectively a community area. There are no covered spectator areas or dugouts. The pitch slopes a little, from the kid's play area end to the Curtlee Hill end. The playing surface was a little uneven but, all in all, not in bad condition.
Ground Number: 406
Attendance: In excess of 100
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Wootton's home games take place at the Wootton Community and Sports Centre complex just to the South-East of Northampton. Wootton, which was once a village in its own right, is now part of the greater Northampton area. There is a fairly large car park behind the multiple buildings to act as community centre, bar and changing facilities for players and officials. I don't know if it was just the fact that the weather was good for the first time this year, if it was because of the long weekend, or that there was also a birthday party in full swing at the community centre, but the place was a hive of activity. The children's play area was full, the fenced off 5-a-side pitch was in use, theer were people sitting in the patio area outside the bar and a sizeable crowd beginning to build around the pitch. It really had the feel of a thriving community facility.
The main pitch sits sideways on to the club. There are also a collection of other pitches marked out next to it, suitable for all age ranges. This is effectively a community area. There are no covered spectator areas or dugouts. The pitch slopes a little, from the kid's play area end to the Curtlee Hill end. The playing surface was a little uneven but, all in all, not in bad condition.
Ground Number: 406
Attendance: In excess of 100
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
RSS Feed