Game five of the season saw me back on the road up the M40 and M42. My destination was Earlswood Town, just over two miles away from Saturday's game at Leafield Athletic (Leafield's Big Day Falls Into DK). The Earls were opening their Midland League Division 2 campaign with a home game against newly promoted AFC Solihull. It was my first visit to Earlswood, although I did see Solihull play last season, on their way to the Third Division title. That day they were 4-0 winners at nearby AFC Birmingham (Soli Not Soli).
Earlswood, founded in 1968. have been playing in the Midland League structure, in its various guises, since 1982. Their heyday, so far, came after promotion to the Midland Combination Division One in 2007. They then won that division four seasons later, spending three years in the Premier League before being placed in their current division when the Alliance and Combination merged in 2014. AFC Solihull were only founded in 2012. They joined Division Three of the Midland League in 2015, progressing well over the seasons. A fourth a then third place finish in 2022 and 2023 saw them get close to promotion before, last season, they cruised to the title, winning 26 of their 32 games. So, this evening would be Solihull's debut at this level and the first league meeting between the clubs.
Both had already played a Les James cup match last weekend, with differing results. Earlswood drew 1-1 with fellow Division Two outfit, Cadbury Athletic, before winning the shootout 5-4. Solihull suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to neighbours and Division 3 side, Silhill.
Thanks to officials from both teams who I managed to spot carrying team sheets before the game. Always appreciated to get a photo of the line-ups.
Earlswood, founded in 1968. have been playing in the Midland League structure, in its various guises, since 1982. Their heyday, so far, came after promotion to the Midland Combination Division One in 2007. They then won that division four seasons later, spending three years in the Premier League before being placed in their current division when the Alliance and Combination merged in 2014. AFC Solihull were only founded in 2012. They joined Division Three of the Midland League in 2015, progressing well over the seasons. A fourth a then third place finish in 2022 and 2023 saw them get close to promotion before, last season, they cruised to the title, winning 26 of their 32 games. So, this evening would be Solihull's debut at this level and the first league meeting between the clubs.
Both had already played a Les James cup match last weekend, with differing results. Earlswood drew 1-1 with fellow Division Two outfit, Cadbury Athletic, before winning the shootout 5-4. Solihull suffered a disappointing 3-1 defeat to neighbours and Division 3 side, Silhill.
Thanks to officials from both teams who I managed to spot carrying team sheets before the game. Always appreciated to get a photo of the line-ups.
Earlswood attacking the car park end Solihull, in their lime green shirts, were kicking down the slope in the first half and it was they who began much the brighter of the two. They had Earlswood pushed back in their own half and, as early as the second minute, were awarded a free-kick, fairly centrally, some 25 yards out. Right-back Brad Andrews strode up to take it, thudding his effort off Alexey Dallaway's right-hand post. It was a strange moment in a lot of ways because no-one reacted. Dallaway hardly moved and was well-beaten by the strike. When the ball came back off the post, neither attackers or defenders appeared to react for a second or two. When they did, Earlswood managed to get the loose ball clear of the danger zone.
The positive start continued for Solihull who, considering they had lost 3-1 at the weekend, were knocking the ball around with some confidence, whereas Earlswood were struggling to get their game going at all. Passes were being sent astray and possession lost as the visitors dictated the game.
Having said that, after 15 minutes, the home side did show signs of getting their act together. First of all Jonathan Hamer did well to control a long ball that dropped over his shoulder, only for his strike was blocked off by a defender. A few minutes later Jake Potter went on a mazy run up the left, beating a couple of players before cutting inside and unleashing a shot that was also blocked before being cleared. A slightly more promising period for The Earls.
Those two efforts on their goal seemed to spark Solihull back into action and debutant James Reid was a little unlucky on 21 minutes when he met a teasing cross into the home box with a glancing header, but failed to get enough on it to beat Dallaway. That, however, proved to be a dry run. Just past the midway point of the half Solihull earned a corner on the right. It was delivered deep to the back post where captain Sam Delaney met it with a towering header. Dallaway did well to make the save and the ball was partially cleared. Solihull kept up the pressure and, before the home defence could fully reorganise, the ball was delivered into the box again where this time James Reid, unmarked, made no mistake with the header. 0-1
It was all Solihull at this point. Their biggest threat was from corners, especially from the right. Delaney was winning every ball at the back post, causing so many problems for the home defence. However, despite being well on top in terms of possession, Solihull didn't manage to immediately extend their lead.
Five minutes before the break they cam every close when Dylan Daniels fizzed a shot towards the bottom corner, forcing Dallaway to go full-length to get a fingertip around the post. Another Delaney far-post header had Dallaway scrambling again a minute later, but this time the stopper came out on top.
With a minute left in the first-half, Earlswood would probably have taken a single goal deficit but Solihull had different ideas. It was that man Reid, having an all action debut, who created the goal. He did well to beat his marker on the right, driving to the line before driving the ball across the face of goal where Owen Williams had the relatively simple task of applying a close-range finish. 0-2
HT Earlswood Town 0 AFC Solihull 2. Solihull deserved the lead and could easily have been further ahead. Earlswood would need a big second period if they wanted to get anything out of the game.
The positive start continued for Solihull who, considering they had lost 3-1 at the weekend, were knocking the ball around with some confidence, whereas Earlswood were struggling to get their game going at all. Passes were being sent astray and possession lost as the visitors dictated the game.
Having said that, after 15 minutes, the home side did show signs of getting their act together. First of all Jonathan Hamer did well to control a long ball that dropped over his shoulder, only for his strike was blocked off by a defender. A few minutes later Jake Potter went on a mazy run up the left, beating a couple of players before cutting inside and unleashing a shot that was also blocked before being cleared. A slightly more promising period for The Earls.
Those two efforts on their goal seemed to spark Solihull back into action and debutant James Reid was a little unlucky on 21 minutes when he met a teasing cross into the home box with a glancing header, but failed to get enough on it to beat Dallaway. That, however, proved to be a dry run. Just past the midway point of the half Solihull earned a corner on the right. It was delivered deep to the back post where captain Sam Delaney met it with a towering header. Dallaway did well to make the save and the ball was partially cleared. Solihull kept up the pressure and, before the home defence could fully reorganise, the ball was delivered into the box again where this time James Reid, unmarked, made no mistake with the header. 0-1
It was all Solihull at this point. Their biggest threat was from corners, especially from the right. Delaney was winning every ball at the back post, causing so many problems for the home defence. However, despite being well on top in terms of possession, Solihull didn't manage to immediately extend their lead.
Five minutes before the break they cam every close when Dylan Daniels fizzed a shot towards the bottom corner, forcing Dallaway to go full-length to get a fingertip around the post. Another Delaney far-post header had Dallaway scrambling again a minute later, but this time the stopper came out on top.
With a minute left in the first-half, Earlswood would probably have taken a single goal deficit but Solihull had different ideas. It was that man Reid, having an all action debut, who created the goal. He did well to beat his marker on the right, driving to the line before driving the ball across the face of goal where Owen Williams had the relatively simple task of applying a close-range finish. 0-2
HT Earlswood Town 0 AFC Solihull 2. Solihull deserved the lead and could easily have been further ahead. Earlswood would need a big second period if they wanted to get anything out of the game.
James Reid from the spot The visitors were back out on the pitch earl for the second half. I guess there was not much the coaching staff needed to say after their first half performance other then "keep it going". Earlswood had the slope advantage in their favour and I suppose their visitors and most in the crown expected something of a red and white onslaught early in the second period. To be fair, they did have the first shot in anger, a Nathan Woodhouse long-range strike that didn't trouble Shaune Allen, and were seeing more of the ball, but the siege never transpired.
In fact Williams came close to grabbing his second goal after Cherno Sey engineered a chance for his with some good work on the right. Only a last ditch deflection took the striker's shot over the bar. From the resulting corner, Delaney once again got a head to the ball at the far post, this time putting his effort into the side netting under pressure from a defender.
There was no doubt that Earlswood were knocking the ball about with a lot more assurance than in the first half, but they were able to put Allen under any serious pressure. Then, in the 66th minute, Solihull were given the chance to seal the game. A foul on Sey inside the box gave the referee no option that to point to the spot. James Reid blasted the spot-kick to Dallaway's right and, despite the keeper getting something on it, the power was too much for him. 0-3
Earlswood the proceeded to produce a few chances. First of all some neat interplay between captain Harry Street and Amadu Yaya Bah won them a corner from which nothing came. A minute or two later Joe Kelso got a flick onto a cross which Allen fielded comfortably. A much more promising period for the hosts even if they hadn't managed to get a goal back.
That said, they were almost four down with ten to play. Dallaway parried a speculative effort, pushing the ball out wide to his left. Reid latched onto it, sending over a cross, or was it a shot, that beat the keeper but went safe after clipping the bar.
The action continued at the other end. Potter did brilliantly down the right before sliding the ball across the face of goal for Harry Street to tap in. Sadly for The Earls, the captain had not quite timed is run and the assistant's flag had gone up immediately
The evening then got worse for Earlswood as Alessandro Pierpoint, already booked earlier, was forced into a misjudged challenge to end a good run from Jake Davis. There was no argument from the number 4 as the referee produced a second yellow and the inevitable red card.
Conversely, with the home side a man light, they did then manage to hit back with a consolation, Phillip Mann with an unchallenged header, sending the ball past Allen much to the keeper's annoyance. 1-3
There was still just enough time for Solihull to waste two more glorious chances to add to the score before referee Paul Rodwell blew for the end of the game.
FT Earlswood Town 1 AFC Solihull 3. Not the start to the season that the home side would have wanted but, in all fairness, they were out battled and out played all evening by a Solihull side clearly smarting from the cup defeat at the weekend. Both teams are back in action on Saturday, and both have home games in the league. Earlswood welcome another promoted team, Northfield Town, to The Pavilions.
AFC Solihull take on Cadbury Athletic at home, Rumbush Lane (Leafield Athletic FC).
Earlswood Town: Dallaway, McArevey, Street(c), Pierpoint, Mann, Woodhouse, Eden, Kelleher, Potter, Hamer, Kelso. Subs: Parvaiz, Bridges, Benjamin, Bah, Woodward
AFC Solihull: Allen, Andrews, Byron-Morgan, Cooney, Delaney(c), Daniels, McIlDuff, Said, Reid, Williams, Sey. Subs: Lediard, Jones, Davis, Moulton, Blackwood
In fact Williams came close to grabbing his second goal after Cherno Sey engineered a chance for his with some good work on the right. Only a last ditch deflection took the striker's shot over the bar. From the resulting corner, Delaney once again got a head to the ball at the far post, this time putting his effort into the side netting under pressure from a defender.
There was no doubt that Earlswood were knocking the ball about with a lot more assurance than in the first half, but they were able to put Allen under any serious pressure. Then, in the 66th minute, Solihull were given the chance to seal the game. A foul on Sey inside the box gave the referee no option that to point to the spot. James Reid blasted the spot-kick to Dallaway's right and, despite the keeper getting something on it, the power was too much for him. 0-3
Earlswood the proceeded to produce a few chances. First of all some neat interplay between captain Harry Street and Amadu Yaya Bah won them a corner from which nothing came. A minute or two later Joe Kelso got a flick onto a cross which Allen fielded comfortably. A much more promising period for the hosts even if they hadn't managed to get a goal back.
That said, they were almost four down with ten to play. Dallaway parried a speculative effort, pushing the ball out wide to his left. Reid latched onto it, sending over a cross, or was it a shot, that beat the keeper but went safe after clipping the bar.
The action continued at the other end. Potter did brilliantly down the right before sliding the ball across the face of goal for Harry Street to tap in. Sadly for The Earls, the captain had not quite timed is run and the assistant's flag had gone up immediately
The evening then got worse for Earlswood as Alessandro Pierpoint, already booked earlier, was forced into a misjudged challenge to end a good run from Jake Davis. There was no argument from the number 4 as the referee produced a second yellow and the inevitable red card.
Conversely, with the home side a man light, they did then manage to hit back with a consolation, Phillip Mann with an unchallenged header, sending the ball past Allen much to the keeper's annoyance. 1-3
There was still just enough time for Solihull to waste two more glorious chances to add to the score before referee Paul Rodwell blew for the end of the game.
FT Earlswood Town 1 AFC Solihull 3. Not the start to the season that the home side would have wanted but, in all fairness, they were out battled and out played all evening by a Solihull side clearly smarting from the cup defeat at the weekend. Both teams are back in action on Saturday, and both have home games in the league. Earlswood welcome another promoted team, Northfield Town, to The Pavilions.
AFC Solihull take on Cadbury Athletic at home, Rumbush Lane (Leafield Athletic FC).
Earlswood Town: Dallaway, McArevey, Street(c), Pierpoint, Mann, Woodhouse, Eden, Kelleher, Potter, Hamer, Kelso. Subs: Parvaiz, Bridges, Benjamin, Bah, Woodward
AFC Solihull: Allen, Andrews, Byron-Morgan, Cooney, Delaney(c), Daniels, McIlDuff, Said, Reid, Williams, Sey. Subs: Lediard, Jones, Davis, Moulton, Blackwood
Pavilions Garden
The Ground
Earlswood play at The Pavilions on Malthouse Lane, just to the South-West of Earlswood itself. There's a decent sized car park, which is marshalled to ensure the capacity is used to it's full extent. There's also an overflow area on grass behind the Malthouse Lane end goal. Parking outside the ground it possible but limited because the approach road is quite narrow. Entrance is through a small gate off the car park manned by a very sociable chap who gave the impression he had been in and around the club for a while. One of those bastions of non-league football.
Once inside the ground, the first thing I noticed was something that, certainly in my experience, is a unique feature. Running down the outer edge of the path leading to the clubhouse there is a well-tended garden and rockery.
The clubhouse, toilets and players changing block looks to be a relatively new (or newly refurbished) building clad in wood and bearing the club logo in a few places. There are a few tables and chairs directly outside the clubhouse as well as a few benches lined up alongside the front of the clubhouse, all with a view across the pitch. There are no covered spectator areas around the pitch but there is some shelter provided by the overhang of the clubhouse roof and, at a push, you could watch the game from the comfort of your car if you had pole position in the car park. The playing surface does have a slope, from the car park end down to the halfway line. From that point onwards it looked to be relatively flat. There are wooden dugouts straddling the halfway line on the opposite side to the clubhouse. One thing I noticed was that the club has England kit man and West Brom supporter, Pat Frost, as a sponsor.
Overall, much like the programme (see below), everything gives the impression of a well run, well looked after and much loved club.
Earlswood play at The Pavilions on Malthouse Lane, just to the South-West of Earlswood itself. There's a decent sized car park, which is marshalled to ensure the capacity is used to it's full extent. There's also an overflow area on grass behind the Malthouse Lane end goal. Parking outside the ground it possible but limited because the approach road is quite narrow. Entrance is through a small gate off the car park manned by a very sociable chap who gave the impression he had been in and around the club for a while. One of those bastions of non-league football.
Once inside the ground, the first thing I noticed was something that, certainly in my experience, is a unique feature. Running down the outer edge of the path leading to the clubhouse there is a well-tended garden and rockery.
The clubhouse, toilets and players changing block looks to be a relatively new (or newly refurbished) building clad in wood and bearing the club logo in a few places. There are a few tables and chairs directly outside the clubhouse as well as a few benches lined up alongside the front of the clubhouse, all with a view across the pitch. There are no covered spectator areas around the pitch but there is some shelter provided by the overhang of the clubhouse roof and, at a push, you could watch the game from the comfort of your car if you had pole position in the car park. The playing surface does have a slope, from the car park end down to the halfway line. From that point onwards it looked to be relatively flat. There are wooden dugouts straddling the halfway line on the opposite side to the clubhouse. One thing I noticed was that the club has England kit man and West Brom supporter, Pat Frost, as a sponsor.
Overall, much like the programme (see below), everything gives the impression of a well run, well looked after and much loved club.
The Programme
Earlswood produce what in my neck of the woods would be called a bostin' programme. A gloss, full-colour front and back cover and jam-packed with interesting articles and statistics. Unlike many programmes, there are very few adverts, the inside space is dedicated exclusively to pieces of interest. Aside from the standards such as an honours list and club history, there is also a round-up of Midland League Division Two news, today's squad lists and a history of the evening's opponents. The club chairman also has a column and there is an interesting piece about Earlswood's adopted Welsh club, Caernarfon Town, in which the programme editor, John Sharpe, keeps fans up to date with happenings at the Welsh Premier Division club. The programme is scattered with other little gems of information, not least on the back page, where there is a short history of the local area, something I don't think I have seen in a programme before. I can't recommend this piece of work highly enough. It is a superb programme and, at just a £1, very good value.
Ground Number: 412
Att: 92
Entrance: £4.00
Programme: £1.00
Earlswood produce what in my neck of the woods would be called a bostin' programme. A gloss, full-colour front and back cover and jam-packed with interesting articles and statistics. Unlike many programmes, there are very few adverts, the inside space is dedicated exclusively to pieces of interest. Aside from the standards such as an honours list and club history, there is also a round-up of Midland League Division Two news, today's squad lists and a history of the evening's opponents. The club chairman also has a column and there is an interesting piece about Earlswood's adopted Welsh club, Caernarfon Town, in which the programme editor, John Sharpe, keeps fans up to date with happenings at the Welsh Premier Division club. The programme is scattered with other little gems of information, not least on the back page, where there is a short history of the local area, something I don't think I have seen in a programme before. I can't recommend this piece of work highly enough. It is a superb programme and, at just a £1, very good value.
Ground Number: 412
Att: 92
Entrance: £4.00
Programme: £1.00
RSS Feed