MIDLAND FOOTBALL LEAGUE, DIVISION ONE
The Paycare Stadium, Bentley Road North, Walsall, WS2 0EA
1st October 2022, 3:00 pm Kick-Off
With yet another rail strike on this Saturday, I decide to be adventurous and visit a new ground for me, The Paycare Stadium home of the newly promoted club, Darlaston Town. They have been on my radar for some time now.
I work out on Friday evening that I can take the faster bus up to Walsall, the X51 from Birmingham city centre and then the short ride west on the Number 529.
I get to Walsall a bit later than planned as there was confusion where the X51 bus actually started from. After missing 2 buses I managed to figure which was the correct bus stop, no thanks to the Traveline West Midlands website though.
I have enough time to have a good meal and a bit of window shopping before hopping on to the 529 bus that drops me of on the Wolverhampton Road ten minutes later.
Then just as I turn into Bentley Road North, a car stops on the other side of the road and the driver shouts across to me 'Are you John?' Even though my name is Jonathan, a lot of people call me 'Jon', so I answer 'yes' and call back 'Are you Simon?' The reason for my question is that I emailed the Darlaston Town secretary, called Simon Cox, the previous day, asking about the availability of club programmes and badges.
He answers 'yes' and tells me to hop in to his car and he will take me to the ground. I'm thinking this is a really good and unexpected service but when we get to the ground entrance he carries on driving. I just think that there must be another entrance nearby but confusingly he soon turns off to the right for the AFC Bentley ground. I tell him that I am going to see Darlaston and he realises he's made a mistake as he'd thought that I was one of the match officials for the game taking place at this ground. We have a laugh about the situation and he kindly takes me back to the Darlaston Town entrance and drops me off there.
I find out when I relate this story to a fellow spectator later on, he tells me that before the kick-off that he thought he heard that there was found to be an extra linesman at the ground. If so I hope he made it in time for the start of the AFC Bentley game!
I walk through the car park, pay my entrance fee and get a programme too, while being told that there are metal badges for sale at the bar. I go in to the club house and there are plenty of people in here, with the Arsenal v Spurs derby highlights being shown on TV.
I buy a cup of tea, a club badge (£4) and sit down at a nearby table and a bit later on, a guy comes along handing out neatly printed team-sheets for anyone needing one. A very nice touch!
Later I go out and take up a position by the side of the goal that's nearest the entrance. To my left are the changing rooms and the club house, with the team dug-outs in front. A bit further up is a small stand with seating for 50 spectators.
There is another small stand on the opposite side of the ground but just for standing spectators.
The teams come out with 'Darlo' in their home strip of blue & white striped shirts, blue shorts & socks. The visitors are in their change strip of lime green shirts, black shorts & socks.
It's Darlaston who go close to scoring first when from a free kick on the left the ball is crossed over to the far post where a Darlo hits a shot on the valley that goes across the goal and just past the wrong side of the post.
Although Darlaston are mainly on top for the first 10-15 minutes, Bewdley start to get in to the game more and more in the first half. Darlaston go close again after 25 minutes when the lively Ryan Winwood passes to a fellow forward who sees his shot hit the stanchion and out.
When I move up to the far end of the ground, I get talking to another photographer who turns out to be the Club Secretary, Simon Cox. He is well kitted out with 2 of the latest Canon camera bodies with top notch looking lenses attached and a sturdy tripod too. Nice set-up!
He makes a comment about it not being the best of games and I have to agree. There is plenty of effort but it's just too frenetic with not many chances being created.
So it's no surprise when half-time arrives and it's still 0-0.
Darlaston Town, might be a new club but their forbears, the old Darlaston team had been founded in 1874! So they have a proud history. It's good to see them settled at this neat looking ground after having to ground share before after they had reformed the club for the 2014-15 season.
When play resumes, a Bewdley player finds himself in a one on one encounter with the Darlo keeper, Joe Sidaway who is able to block his shot.
Just 6 minutes later and Sidaway makes a clearance just from underneath the cross-bar from a Bewdley corner.
Defences are remaining on top and I think that the longer this game goes on, then the first team to score will probably win it.
Just a few minutes later and Bewdley Town's, No. 10, breaks through to push the ball past Sidaway.
That goal had been coming from the visitors mounting pressure in this half but Darlaston are not going to lie down that easily.
They pile bodies forward in a bid to score an equaliser but the Bewdley defence manages to hold firm and take away the 3 points.
It's been good to finally visit Darlaston Town's ground. They are a friendly well run club who are certainly looking to put their team on the map. It's just a shame I have caught them on an off-day today.
They have come a long way since the first and last time I saw them in December 2014 at a muddy Bartley Green, where they won 3-2.
Bewdley Town look to have improved from last season, when they made a last minute escape from relegation. Hell, they won 0-3 at Worcester City recently, hastening the resignation of the then manager Tim Harris, who had guided them to a very respectable 4th spot in the last campaign.
Match Attendance: 128
Entrance Fee: £6 (£4 concession)
Match Programme: £2
Entertainment Value: 6/10
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