When I set off for my midweek trip into Bedfordshire, it had completely slipped my mid that this would be the 400th ground that I had visited to watch non-league football (I don't count the countless places I went in my West Brom watching days). Whilst I certainly don't class myself as a groundhopper, I tend to stick to games within 90 minutes of home, I do keep a record of where I have been and I do enjoy seeing different grounds and watching different clubs.
Wootton Blue Cross had been on my list for some time but, due to a combination of the weather and work commitments, I hadn't been able to make the short(ish) journey before. So, when I saw that the current Bedfordshire County Division 1 leaders were scheduled to be at home to second placed Totternhoe Reserves on Wednesday evening, it was an opportunity not to be missed. This would be their first meeting of the season and, with Blue Cross leading the table by seven points with games running out, possibly a pivotal game of the season. For context, last season Totternhoe won the league, finishing a point ahead of Lea Sports PSG, with Wootton down in 8th spot. The fixture between the sides at Weston Park finished 0-0, a game that saw Ben Holmes see red for the home side, with Totternhoe being granted a walkover in the return game. This was also Wootton's first game back in Division 1 after gaining promotion the year before.
Many thanks to Wootton's coaching team who not only shared their team sheet with me during the warm-ups but also took the time to find me just before kick-off to share the opposition sheet. A much appreciated gesture and a credit to the club making a visitor feel welcome.
Wootton Blue Cross had been on my list for some time but, due to a combination of the weather and work commitments, I hadn't been able to make the short(ish) journey before. So, when I saw that the current Bedfordshire County Division 1 leaders were scheduled to be at home to second placed Totternhoe Reserves on Wednesday evening, it was an opportunity not to be missed. This would be their first meeting of the season and, with Blue Cross leading the table by seven points with games running out, possibly a pivotal game of the season. For context, last season Totternhoe won the league, finishing a point ahead of Lea Sports PSG, with Wootton down in 8th spot. The fixture between the sides at Weston Park finished 0-0, a game that saw Ben Holmes see red for the home side, with Totternhoe being granted a walkover in the return game. This was also Wootton's first game back in Division 1 after gaining promotion the year before.
Many thanks to Wootton's coaching team who not only shared their team sheet with me during the warm-ups but also took the time to find me just before kick-off to share the opposition sheet. A much appreciated gesture and a credit to the club making a visitor feel welcome.
Keaton Marsh scores from the spot Whilst Totternhoe had the best of the initial skirmishes, including a couple of dangerous crosses that flew across the face of the home goal, it was Wootton who manged to get the first strike on target when Keaton Marsh's effort brought a flying save from Toby Collins. Then a few minutes later, as Wootton began to get more into the game, Joe Holmes saw his snapshot blocked by a defender amidst a few muted calls for handball.
Going toe-to-toe, the visitors then went even closer to scoring. A free-kick out on their left, some 40 yards out, was sent curling in towards the far post. The ball evaded everyone, including Josh Holliday in goal, before clattering off the inside of the post and bouncing across the face of the goal before being hacked clear.
That close-call seemed even more like a let-off just before the 20 minute mark when the home side went ahead. Ben Smith was that little bit sharper than anyone else when he got in behind the defence and in front of the goalkeeper to stab the ball home. 1-0
A minute later they came close to doubling the lead when a superb diagonal through ball found Conor Kavanagh on the right. He pulled the ball down, shrugged off a challenged and fired low only for Collins to produce a good block with his feet.
After looking dangerous in the opening few minutes, Totternhoe were now on the backfoot as the home side tried to increase their advantage. The visitors did muster a kind of response just before the half-hour, but Wayne O'Connor's free-kick from 25 yards flew well clear of Holliday's bar.
It looked very much like the Marsh strike was going to be the difference between the teams at the break but, with only 3 minutes of normal time remaining, the game sprang into a frenzy of late action.
With 42 minutes on the clock Totternhoe got themselves on level terms when the ball was fed into the centre of the penalty area for Blake Garner to sweep past Holliday. 1-1. However, parity was restored for less than a minute before Blue Cross striker Mason Marsh arrived late at the far post to nudge home a superb cross from the right flank which managed to bypass both goalkeeper and defender before finding the run of Marsh. 2-1
A minute into added time Totternhoe thought they had equalised again. A deep ball towards the left side of the penalty area was headed back across the face of goal and prodded home at the far post. However, the flag had already gone up when the initial ball was played in. To be fair, there were not too many complaints from Totternhoe players. They may well have had more to say about it if they had known what was to come in the final seconds of added time. Wootton produced the best piece of football in the game, stringing together a whole host of passes that cut through the Totternhoe defence. The final pass set Keaton Marsh to run freely in on goal only for the striker to be upended by Collins as he rushed from his line. A clear penalty, no doubt, but what colour would the card be? Referee Luke Damon went with yellow which, as a neutral was good to see. However, the keeper should count himself lucky. It could easily have been seen as a red card offence.
Keaton Marsh picked himself up and calmly side-footed the ball past Collins. 3-1
HT Wootton Blue Cross 3 Totternhoe Reserves 1. A tightly contested half with the home side definitely having the upper hand for the majority of the time. However, Totternhoe showed early on and with their equalising goal, that they could do damage if given the room, especially down the flanks. The late flurry must have created late changes in half-time team talks for both sets of coaches
Going toe-to-toe, the visitors then went even closer to scoring. A free-kick out on their left, some 40 yards out, was sent curling in towards the far post. The ball evaded everyone, including Josh Holliday in goal, before clattering off the inside of the post and bouncing across the face of the goal before being hacked clear.
That close-call seemed even more like a let-off just before the 20 minute mark when the home side went ahead. Ben Smith was that little bit sharper than anyone else when he got in behind the defence and in front of the goalkeeper to stab the ball home. 1-0
A minute later they came close to doubling the lead when a superb diagonal through ball found Conor Kavanagh on the right. He pulled the ball down, shrugged off a challenged and fired low only for Collins to produce a good block with his feet.
After looking dangerous in the opening few minutes, Totternhoe were now on the backfoot as the home side tried to increase their advantage. The visitors did muster a kind of response just before the half-hour, but Wayne O'Connor's free-kick from 25 yards flew well clear of Holliday's bar.
It looked very much like the Marsh strike was going to be the difference between the teams at the break but, with only 3 minutes of normal time remaining, the game sprang into a frenzy of late action.
With 42 minutes on the clock Totternhoe got themselves on level terms when the ball was fed into the centre of the penalty area for Blake Garner to sweep past Holliday. 1-1. However, parity was restored for less than a minute before Blue Cross striker Mason Marsh arrived late at the far post to nudge home a superb cross from the right flank which managed to bypass both goalkeeper and defender before finding the run of Marsh. 2-1
A minute into added time Totternhoe thought they had equalised again. A deep ball towards the left side of the penalty area was headed back across the face of goal and prodded home at the far post. However, the flag had already gone up when the initial ball was played in. To be fair, there were not too many complaints from Totternhoe players. They may well have had more to say about it if they had known what was to come in the final seconds of added time. Wootton produced the best piece of football in the game, stringing together a whole host of passes that cut through the Totternhoe defence. The final pass set Keaton Marsh to run freely in on goal only for the striker to be upended by Collins as he rushed from his line. A clear penalty, no doubt, but what colour would the card be? Referee Luke Damon went with yellow which, as a neutral was good to see. However, the keeper should count himself lucky. It could easily have been seen as a red card offence.
Keaton Marsh picked himself up and calmly side-footed the ball past Collins. 3-1
HT Wootton Blue Cross 3 Totternhoe Reserves 1. A tightly contested half with the home side definitely having the upper hand for the majority of the time. However, Totternhoe showed early on and with their equalising goal, that they could do damage if given the room, especially down the flanks. The late flurry must have created late changes in half-time team talks for both sets of coaches
Jordan Knight levels it up The visitors started the second half looking revitalised. Whatever had been said at the break had had the desired effect. They immediately set about testing the home defence and, two minutes in, only the fingertips of Holliday prevented Garner's looping effort from beating him. Totternhoe were pressing much higher now and Wootton were struggling to get their passing game together.
Eleven minutes into the second period, Totternhoe's pressing game paid off, although it was more of a defensive mistake that let them in. Playing out from the back, Wootton were caught in possession some 20 yards out from their own goal. Blake Garner, who won the ball, drove into the box on the right-hand side before squaring to Jordan Knight who smashed the ball in off the underside of the bar. 3-2
Much like the end of the first-half, the goalmouth action was coming thick and fast. Two minutes after getting back into the game, Totternhoe were awarded a penalty for a foul just inside the right-hand corner of the box. The referee immediately blew for a foul but needed to consult with his assistant before confirming that it was just inside the area. Jordan Knight stepped up and scored his second goal in two minutes to level it all up again. 3-3
An hour gone and after the blast of goals just before the break and two more in two minutes just before the hour, the game settled down a little. A draw would not be a bad result for either team, but certainly would be much more welcomed by the home side, keeping them well clear at the top.
There was certainly no lack of effort from either team. The tackles flew in and there was an edge to the game, without it ever really threatening to boil over. Credit to Wootton too. Although the draw suited them more than their visitors, they didn't sit back and defend the point, they were still trying to win it, urged forward by what can only be described as the local Mason Marsh Appreciation Society.
With five minutes remaining Wootton were indebted to the keeper, Josh Holliday, who came off his line quickly before bravely throwing himself at the feet of Garner, after the Totternhoe striker had managed to burst clear of the defence.
There were still a few more chances to come at either end. Mason Marsh managed to get a shot off in the final minute, but Collins was more than equal to it. Then Totternhoe substitute Ben Andrews got a glancing header onto a ball played into the home penalty area only for Holliday to once again make the save, diving to his left and hanging onto the ball. Then, well into added time, another flighted cross was met by the head of visiting captain Oliver Richardson. He made great contact, possibly a little too good, and saw his header fly just over the bar.
FT Wootton Blue Cross 3 Totternhoe Reserves 3. The result sees Wootton remain seven points clear of tonight's opponents and hang on to the favourites slot in the title race. A good game of football between two determined and well-matched teams. Good football played by both sides, who both went for the win. IF you want to catch either of these two in action, Wootton are at home to Cranfield United Reserves at the weekend, in an Intermediate Challenge Cup local derby. The league game at Weston Park ended 2-1 to Wootton so it should be a good, close encounter.
Totternhoe play their league game in hand on Saturday as they visit third from bottom Lewsey Park, who they beat 2-1 earlier in the season. A win for them would close the gap to four points. With the teams yet to meet again at Totternhoe's ground, keeping the pressure up at this stage is vital.
Wootton Blue Cross: 1.Holliday, 2.Smith, 3.Thomson, 4.Campbell, 5.B.Holmes, 6.Henman, 7.Kavanagh, 8.Myers, 9.J.Holmes(c), 10.K.Marsh, 11.M.Marsh. Subs: 14. Loadman, 20.Follows, 15.Lawrence, 19.Leadbetter
Totternhoe Reserves: 1.Collins, 5.Gordon, 16.Richardson(c), 17.O'Connor, 3.Samm, 2.Idrees, 6.Roe, 7.Connolly, 10.Capehorn, 11.Knight, 9.Garner. Subs: 14.Hubbock, 8.Andrews, 4.Alligan, 12.Aning, Oyegoke
Eleven minutes into the second period, Totternhoe's pressing game paid off, although it was more of a defensive mistake that let them in. Playing out from the back, Wootton were caught in possession some 20 yards out from their own goal. Blake Garner, who won the ball, drove into the box on the right-hand side before squaring to Jordan Knight who smashed the ball in off the underside of the bar. 3-2
Much like the end of the first-half, the goalmouth action was coming thick and fast. Two minutes after getting back into the game, Totternhoe were awarded a penalty for a foul just inside the right-hand corner of the box. The referee immediately blew for a foul but needed to consult with his assistant before confirming that it was just inside the area. Jordan Knight stepped up and scored his second goal in two minutes to level it all up again. 3-3
An hour gone and after the blast of goals just before the break and two more in two minutes just before the hour, the game settled down a little. A draw would not be a bad result for either team, but certainly would be much more welcomed by the home side, keeping them well clear at the top.
There was certainly no lack of effort from either team. The tackles flew in and there was an edge to the game, without it ever really threatening to boil over. Credit to Wootton too. Although the draw suited them more than their visitors, they didn't sit back and defend the point, they were still trying to win it, urged forward by what can only be described as the local Mason Marsh Appreciation Society.
With five minutes remaining Wootton were indebted to the keeper, Josh Holliday, who came off his line quickly before bravely throwing himself at the feet of Garner, after the Totternhoe striker had managed to burst clear of the defence.
There were still a few more chances to come at either end. Mason Marsh managed to get a shot off in the final minute, but Collins was more than equal to it. Then Totternhoe substitute Ben Andrews got a glancing header onto a ball played into the home penalty area only for Holliday to once again make the save, diving to his left and hanging onto the ball. Then, well into added time, another flighted cross was met by the head of visiting captain Oliver Richardson. He made great contact, possibly a little too good, and saw his header fly just over the bar.
FT Wootton Blue Cross 3 Totternhoe Reserves 3. The result sees Wootton remain seven points clear of tonight's opponents and hang on to the favourites slot in the title race. A good game of football between two determined and well-matched teams. Good football played by both sides, who both went for the win. IF you want to catch either of these two in action, Wootton are at home to Cranfield United Reserves at the weekend, in an Intermediate Challenge Cup local derby. The league game at Weston Park ended 2-1 to Wootton so it should be a good, close encounter.
Totternhoe play their league game in hand on Saturday as they visit third from bottom Lewsey Park, who they beat 2-1 earlier in the season. A win for them would close the gap to four points. With the teams yet to meet again at Totternhoe's ground, keeping the pressure up at this stage is vital.
Wootton Blue Cross: 1.Holliday, 2.Smith, 3.Thomson, 4.Campbell, 5.B.Holmes, 6.Henman, 7.Kavanagh, 8.Myers, 9.J.Holmes(c), 10.K.Marsh, 11.M.Marsh. Subs: 14. Loadman, 20.Follows, 15.Lawrence, 19.Leadbetter
Totternhoe Reserves: 1.Collins, 5.Gordon, 16.Richardson(c), 17.O'Connor, 3.Samm, 2.Idrees, 6.Roe, 7.Connolly, 10.Capehorn, 11.Knight, 9.Garner. Subs: 14.Hubbock, 8.Andrews, 4.Alligan, 12.Aning, Oyegoke
Dugouts
The Ground
Blue Cross play at Weston Park which is located pretty much in the centre of Wootton village, just a few miles South-West of Bedford. Parking at the ground is fairly limited, especially as the club appears to attract a bigger attendance than many others at this level (Step 8). However, there is plenty of on-street parking available within a short walk of the ground. Upon entering, through a gate off the car park, you immediately get the feel of a ground that has hosted football at a higher level. This, of course, is true. Although currently in Division One of the Bedfordshire League, Wootton have, in the past, played in the United Counties Premier Division, three steps higher than their current position.
The players and officials areas and the clubhouse run along the car park side of the pitch, from around the halfway line almost to the corner flag, although there is a patio area outside the far end, near to the corner flag. Outside the clubhouse building there are three rows of seats running along the length of the exterior wall, all under cover. There's no further spectator cover around the rest of the ground, but this area provides plenty of space for spectators even with a relatively large crowd present. The brick-built dugouts are opposite the clubhouse and are separated by a sign bearing the club's name and badges. The playing surface looks to be flat with no discernible slope in either direction. The pitch was a bit heavy in places which is not surprising given the recent weather and not helped by the fact that it started raining just before kick-off, although it did ease up again later. Another feature that gives away the ground's higher-level past, are the floodlights, one in each corner. There's not too many Step 8 grounds that can offer midweek games in the Winter months.
Ground Number: 400
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Blue Cross play at Weston Park which is located pretty much in the centre of Wootton village, just a few miles South-West of Bedford. Parking at the ground is fairly limited, especially as the club appears to attract a bigger attendance than many others at this level (Step 8). However, there is plenty of on-street parking available within a short walk of the ground. Upon entering, through a gate off the car park, you immediately get the feel of a ground that has hosted football at a higher level. This, of course, is true. Although currently in Division One of the Bedfordshire League, Wootton have, in the past, played in the United Counties Premier Division, three steps higher than their current position.
The players and officials areas and the clubhouse run along the car park side of the pitch, from around the halfway line almost to the corner flag, although there is a patio area outside the far end, near to the corner flag. Outside the clubhouse building there are three rows of seats running along the length of the exterior wall, all under cover. There's no further spectator cover around the rest of the ground, but this area provides plenty of space for spectators even with a relatively large crowd present. The brick-built dugouts are opposite the clubhouse and are separated by a sign bearing the club's name and badges. The playing surface looks to be flat with no discernible slope in either direction. The pitch was a bit heavy in places which is not surprising given the recent weather and not helped by the fact that it started raining just before kick-off, although it did ease up again later. Another feature that gives away the ground's higher-level past, are the floodlights, one in each corner. There's not too many Step 8 grounds that can offer midweek games in the Winter months.
Ground Number: 400
Att:
Entrance: N/A
Programme: N/A
Blue Cross attacking
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