HAUGHMOND 0 - 1 WORCESTER CITY

 

    MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, PREMIER DIVISION

      Shrewsbury Sports Village, Sundorne Road, Shrewsbury, SY1 4RQ 

                     23rd April 2022           3:00 pm  Kick-Off

Today I am travelling west to the old Shropshire town of Shrewsbury as I want to see my home town club of Worcester City play in their last game of the season at relegation threatened Haughmond F.C.

It will be a new ground for me too and a bonus is that I have wanted to re-visit Shrewsbury for many years after looking around the town for just a couple of hours one day on a family holiday. It looked an historical and interesting town.

When I make an early start by train from Birmingham, the weather is not very promising, with a cool northerly breeze and it's cloudy too. The forecast is promising for this afternoon though, with an increasing chance of sunny intervals.

I arrive in Shrewsbury at about 10:15 am and my first port of call is the town's Museum & Art Gallery, in the Town Square. There is an imposing statue of Robert Clive (of India fame) who helped bring that sub-continent under British rule.

          (View of the Town Square behind the Robert Clive statue)

After a quick visit to the Museum I have a stroll along the nearby River Severn, go to a small gallery where there is an exhibition of British cartoons, from publications like 'Punch', 'Private Eye' etc which are very witty, enjoy the architecture in the town and have lunch in a cafe before catching the No.24 bus that takes me close to the Shrewsbury Sports Village on the edge of the town.

Haughmond FC were formed in 1980 and their name comes from a nearby hill that lies just east of their current ground. They have had a bad season this time around and in their last game at home to basement club Bewdley Town, lost 0-1 and swapped places and now need a win today to escape relegation. Worcester City on the other hand are guaranteed 4th place and don't have so much to play for.

I walk through the car park in to the front of the building and come across the cafe where I have time to buy a cup of tea before walking out and down the steps where the football pitch lies. Wire fencing encloses the whole pitch and I walk to the nearby corner of it where the entrance gate is, pay my entrance fee and buy a club badge too. Spectators are able to access 3 sides of the ground while the eastern side houses the team dug-outs. There is a grass pitch with a covered stand with seating on the western side, with another smaller stand, that looks like a bus shelter further down that side. It's certainly an impressive facility for the local community as their are plenty of other football pitches too.

            (View of the ground from the southern end of the pitch)

I just have enough time to get settled in a spot between the Sports Club house and the main stand before the teams come out on to the pitch. Haughmond are in their home colours of white shirts, black shorts & red socks while 'The City' are in their away strip of yellow shirts (with diagonal white and blue stripes, blue shorts & socks. 

There is a strong wind today which seems to be blowing across from the east. It will be testing conditions for both teams.

Worcester were pressing the most at first but Haughmond looked dangerous on the break, their No.7 going on some good runs down the left and their captain at No.10 looking pretty useful too.

City's No.14 has a shot saved and then Muirhead in the 25th minute has a good effort from the right turned away by the outstretched right hand of the Haughmond keeper, Sam Jones. Great save!

5 minutes later and Haughmond go close with a shot from the left that goes just the wrong side of the right hand post.

            (Midfield action with Haughmond Hill in the background)

Just before the break, the ball is played in from the right for the City No.6 but Jones saves his shot from close in.

It's a scrappy game and the ball is not played on the ground enough for the play to flow well.

So the first 45 minutes ends in a stalemate and it looks as if it can end in a scoreless draw today which will not benefit Haughmond of course. At times their approach play is good but with no end result and according to a local supporter that I talked to, it was the reason they lost to Bewdley last week, after largely dominating the game for long periods.

It's good to see that there are about 20-25 City supporters at this game and another photographer is in their ranks too.

For the second half I go to the far end which Worcester will be attacking and get talking to 2 of the supporters. One has managed to see all their games this season and that's dedication for you!

Worcester start off well and their No.11 goes on a run down the middle but shoots well over the bar.

On the hour, the Haughmond No.16 is played in but his shot is well saved by City keeper, Adam Harrison.

3 minutes later and a Worcester player (Muirhead I think) swivels round on the edge of the area but drags his shot wide of the right hand post.

Like the first half, the game is still generally scrappy and a goal does not look likely.

I get to talking to the photographer I'd noticed earlier and it turns out he goes to plenty of the City's games and gets his photos posted on the website. I tell him that I go to different grounds in the West Midlands and let him know about my Blog too.

In injury time, a miracle happens and Worcester score! It happens when Haughmond desperately pile everyone in to attack and City substitute, Fortune Maphosa gets the ball, goes down the pitch, draws out the home keeper and passes to his left where Ben Tilbury is waiting to put the ball in to the unguarded net.    

 It's rough justice on Haughmond who have at least been equal to Worcester City in an unmemorable match.

The Worcester players led by captain, Craig Jones, come down the pitch to applaud and show their appreciation to the travelling City supporters and this is reciprocated in turn by the City faithful.

Although the game itself has been disappointing today, I'm glad to have seen City's first team again after a huge gap of 8 years! Plus I have got to view the historic town of Shrewsbury again and bagged a new ground too.

I hope Haughmond regroup next term and have a good shot at promotion back to the Premier Division. Worcester City on the other hand will be looking to improve on their good season next time around and maybe get promotion?

Match Attendance:         121

Entrance Fee:                 £5 (£3 concession)

Match Programme:         None available

Match Entertainment:     6/10     

    

NORTON CANES 2 - 1 SIKH HUNTERS DEVELOPMENT

 

 WEST MIDLANDS REGIONAL LEAGUE, DIVISION TWO

           Pride Park, Hazel Lane, Great Wyrley, Walsall, WS6 6DL

                            16th April 2022,   3:00 Kick-Off

I was looking to go to a new ground this week and I decided that the Pride Park ground of Wolverhampton Sporting FC would be a good one. Earlier in the season I had intended to see this club play against the runaway leaders of the MFL Div One, Atherstone Town but that fell through for a reason I can't recall now.

Wolves Sporting are not at home today, so it's a good opportunity to see a new team as well, in the shape of Norton Canes, who are playing their first season in the West Midlands Regional League and ground share at Pride Park.  They were formed in 2001 and had previously been playing in the Birmingham & District League. Norton Canes is a nearby former mining village, located in the old and now defunct Cannock coal field.

Again like last week the forecast is a good one and I make my way to Walsall by train, have time to look in a few shops and then have a fish & chips at the local Tesco Cafe. I then take the train again to Landywood, which is just 3 stops away and it's just a 15-20 minutes walk to Hazel Lane where Pride Park is located.   

I am greeted just outside the entrance by the father of Ryan Horton, who is the Secretary and 1st Team Manager too. I had emailed Ryan on Thursday about my impending trip and he said I was most welcome to come and take photos for my Blog and that I could watch the match for free! A very nice gesture. Ryan had briefed his father so he let me straight through.

Pride Park is certainly a nice little ground, with a Club House and bar upstairs in the building behind the nearest end of the pitch. Underneath are the changing rooms. Either side of the club house are 2 stands for seated spectators, with the one nearest the entrance having benched seating and the other having individual seating. Both at a guess have room for 100 spectators each.

On the northern side of the grass pitch is located another covered area for standing spectators and the opposite side are the team dugouts. There is hard standing and railing on all sides.

After buying a cup of tea from the friendly bar maid upstairs I make my way to the pitch side to get settled and ready for the match. 

The 2 teams duly come out on to the pitch, with both in their first team colours. Norton Canes in orange shirts, blue shorts & socks while 'The Hunters' are in their all royal blue kit.

The Ref seems to start the match about 3 minutes early and it's the visitors who go closest to opening the scoring in the 7th minute when they attack down the right and have a shot that goes across the goal and wide of the left hand post.

Norton Canes look the more dangerous team after this and take the lead after 15 minutes. They are awarded a corner on the right and their No.8 delivers a great cross for their giant No.5, Brad Grice, to nod home at the far post. I think he probably scores a few goals at set pieces!

A good start for the home side and they nearly double their lead a few minutes later, when their No.10, Keenan Powell, is put through but sees his shot blocked by the keeper's legs.

A bit later, the Sikh Hunters keeper seems to get upset by the Ref and has to be told to calm down by the Hunter's No.4 and Captain. He gets booked for this but does not cause any more trouble afterwards.

The visitors go close to equalising when their No.14 hits a post with his shot and then the same player, from a good position in the 40th minute has a shot saved, as it was not hit with enough power.

Just before the interval, Keenan Powell of Norton Canes has a another shot blocked by the keeper's legs but they deserve their lead as they have generally looked the more dangerous side so far.  

The weather is holding up although there are cloudy intervals since the game kicked off.

The second period commences with the home team on the offensive. Their No.2, Sheldon Malcolm, goes on a good run down the left and crosses for one of his team mates to head wide of the right hand post.

Sikh Hunters get back in to the game in the 59th minute when their No.10 comes in from the left to slot home a shot for the equalising goal.

Their lead barely lasts a minute however as Norton Canes re-take the lead with their next attack. 

It's their No.2 who again goes down the left to pass inside for striker, Keenan Powell, to shoot home. 

                 (The build up for Norton Cane's second goal)

That's a good come back from Norton Canes. There is a funny but hairy incident later on when the under pressure No.3 for Sikh Hunters turns to pass back to his keeper but gets it wrong and sees his pass gently hit the right hand post and in to the keeper's grateful arms.

There is still time for the home sides No.11 to go close for goal number 3 after they attack down the right.

So a win for Norton Canes as they look to finish their inaugural season in this league on a high. They also have a Div 2, League Cup semi-final to look forward to too.

Sikh Hunters have contributed to a good contest and it's certainly been a clean game with not many histrionic episodes from the players, which makes a nice change.

When I am leaving the ground, I see one of the guys who have been doing some repair/building work on the entrance side of the ground. I tell him 'I hope they are paying you well?' He replies by telling me ' Pay me, I own the place! then proceeds to tell me that he and his fellow helpers are trying to rectify the damage incurred when Virgin had installed one of their cables in the road just outside. It had badly affected the drainage and as a consequence the car park area has been badly affected by flooding since then. Also Virgin had graciously declined to pay any money towards the repair costs. I'm sure that would break Mr. Branson's bank account.    

I hope the work goes well as the game needs clubs like Wolverhampton Sporting and Norton Canes at the grass roots end of the game! 


Match Attendance:      20

Entrance Fee:             none today 

Match programme:     none available 

Entertainment Value:  7.5/10
 

COVENTRY ALVIS 2 - 2 COTON GREEN

 

      MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION TWO

    Alvis Sports & Social Club, Green Lane, Finham, Coventry CV3 6EG

                           9th April 2022,   3:00 Kick-Off

Today I have decided to watch the match that will determine if Coton Green will finish second in the MFL Div 2 as Cadbury Athletic have already secured top spot this season. Cadbury have opted out of promotion so Coton Green will be promoted in their stead if they get at least one point from their final game today at Coventry Alvis.

Their nearest rivals, Knowle FC are away to Barnt Green Spartak and need to win to have a chance of finishing second. This will be my first visit to this ground and I am looking forward to my trip as the weather forecast is good and it's not too far to travel.

I get to Coventry at midday and when I go for the way out at the station I end up in the new extension, which has finally been completed and it's very smart, with the exit leading out to the bus stops and the other way leads to the car parking area.

I walk out to the front of the station where there is a Tourist Information booth and pick up some leaflets about forthcoming events in this city.

I then walk to the City Centre and make my way to a cafe at the side of Coventry Market where they sell some reasonably priced meals and have my lunch there. It's popular with the locals as there is only one free table left.

As I don't have much time to have a look around I just go to a shop where they sell used electrical goods and have a look at what camera gear is for sale. Then it's back to the train station and I go to the side in Warwick Road to catch the No.9 bus to Finham where the ground is located.

15 minutes later and I have arrived in Green Lane and I find that Finham is a quiet southern suburb of the south of this city and the ground is set in a semi-rural location with houses to the north and fields lying to the south of the ground.

I soon find the sports club entrance and wander through. To my left is where the cricket pitch is situated but as the local season has not yet started, there are 3 football pitches marked out instead in this area. The road curves round to the clubhouse and to the right hand side of this can be found the car parking area. 

On the other side of the clubhouse is the entrance to the main pitch.

  I pay my entrance fee at the table and buy a club badge too (£3.50p) and have a quick chat with 2 friendly club officials, including the Chairman Don Corrigan.

I then make my way over to the far (southerly) side of the ground, where the team dugouts are located and also there are 2 stands, one with seating for 50 spectators and a larger one with just standing room only. It's a neat little ground, with floodlights, hard standing and railings on 3 sides, with the one end having just a wire fence behind the goal.

The teams come out in both their first team colours, Alvis in light blue shirts, dark blue shorts and light blue socks, while the visitors are in all red with white trimmings.

The early exchanges are pretty even and the first real chance comes Coton Green's way, when their No.9 has a shot blocked by the keeper and it falls to the Green's No.10 Chris Lloyd but he is off balance with his attempt, his shot bounces in to the ground and hits the bar and out of play.

An early goal would have relaxed any nerves that they may have been feeling I'm sure.

It's by no means a one-sided contest but 'The Green Army' are looking the more likely to score, although they miss a good chance after 27 minutes when Chris Lloyd cuts the ball back from the bye-line but the Coton No.11 fluffs his attempted shot in front of goal.

Alvis show they are still dangerous when they quickly break down the left and their forward shoots across the visitor's goal and just wide of the far post. A few minutes later and Coton's No.11 has a close range shot smothered by the advancing Alvis keeper.

Just when I think that this half will end goalless Coton score with a header by their No.3, Joseph Smith, who dives low to connect with the ball.

     (Joseph Smith , 2nd left, being congratulated by his team mates)
   

So it's 1-0 to the promotion chasers and on the balance of play it's a deserved reward for their efforts so far.

Coventry Alvis were founded in 1928 as the works team of the Alvis Car & Engineering Company and amongst it's products, they produced military vehicles, including tanks, hence the club's nickname of 'The Tank Men'. They played in various local leagues in the Coventry area and had good success in the Coventry Alliance before moving up to the Midland Combination and then the Midland Football League when it was formed in 2014.

So it will be interesting to see if Coton Green can build on their slender lead in the second half or will the 'Tank Men' of Alvis be able to give them a battle?

After 50 minutes, Coton Green threaten the home goal again but are thwarted by a tackle from the Alvis No.2 close to his goal. 10 minutes later and Coventry Alvis are back in the game when following a throw in from the left, they score with a shot from their No.10 I think. It's not that surprising as they seem to be a bit more lively after the interval.

Coton Green go close again on the hour mark when a looping shot hits the bar on it's way over and then Alvis sees their No.2 have a shot saved after being played in from the right.

It's the Green Army who score next when their captain Joseph Smith breaks through the middle to stroke the ball home for his and his team's 2nd goal. That's the captain leading by example!

Alvis are not going down without a fight and after 76 minutes their No.16 hits in a great shot for the equaliser following an attack down the left flank.

Coton Green go close again when the Alvis keeper has to make a good save at the feet of one of their forwards but the game finishes in a 2-2 draw which satisfies both sides.

'The Green Army' will now be playing in the MFL First Division next season and it will interesting to see how quickly they can settle in at this higher level. Coventry Alvis on the other hand are looking to end the season in a creditable 8th place and they still have the Coventry Charity Cup to go for after their great 3-0 win over MFL Div One side Coventry Copsewood in the quarter-final.

Before I leave the ground I go in to the toilet and I hear the Coton Green players loudly singing 'We're going up. we're going up...etc' in the adjacent changing room.

Entrance Fee:              £4

Match Attendance:       45

Match Programme:      none available

Entertainment Value:   8/10